Westminster Higher Education Forum

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Next steps for the Teaching Excellence Framework - new assessment structure | reward categorisations | learning outcomes | student involvement | application and future use of the framework

February 2024


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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF


This conference focused on next steps for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).


It brought stakeholders together with policymakers to discuss implications of the new framework and exercise, what can be learnt from TEF 2023, as well as the future direction and use of the TEF following the publication of the initial ratings of TEF 2023, alongside 50 previously contested ratings.


Delegates assessed what this year’s distribution of Gold, Silver and Bronze categorisations mean for HEIs and students, considering the impact of new submissions and increased student input on this exercise.


Further sessions explored concerns surrounding the accurate measurement of learning outcomes, with discussion on the present and future scope of TEF assessments.


We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with: Graeme Rosenberg, Head of Student Outcomes, Office for Students; and Professor April McMahon, Deputy Chair, TEF Panel 2023; and Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students, University of Manchester.


Overall, sessions looked at:


  • the new TEF framework:
    • exploring the new assessment structure - impact of increased student involvement, including the optional Students’ Union report in the dataset collected by the TEF panel
    • increased emphasis on improving information-sharing in and between HEIs - assessing the impact of key recommendations in the Independent Review on the exercise
  • system improvement: tackling challenges with comprehensively assessing learning outcomes - how HEI appeals and the delayed publication of results might impact future iterations of the TEF
  • reward categorisations: comparing distribution of reward allocations with those of previous iterations of the TEF - impact of the inclusion of new HEIs to the TEF assessment framework
  • remit of TEF assessments: exploring the introduction of the ‘Requires improvement’ categorisation - implications of this categorisation for the reputations of HEIs
  • application and future use of the TEF: opportunities for HEIs - impact on student choice and university financial sustainability - the ways in which the exercise is influencing student intake figures
  • best practice: looking at quality enhancement outside of England - what can be learned for, and from, the TEF

The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the Department of Education, NI; Department for the Economy, NI; HMPPS; UKSA; and the Welsh Government.



This on-demand pack includes

  • A full video recording of the conference as it took place, with all presentations, Q&A sessions, and remarks from chairs
  • An automated transcript of the conference
  • Copies of the slides used to accompany speaker presentations (subject to permission
  • Access to on-the-day materialfs, including speaker biographies, attendee lists and the agenda