RAU awarded Silver in national Teaching Excellence Framework

The Royal Agricultural University is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a Silver Standard in the new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The TEF is the process by which the Government monitors and assesses the quality of teaching in England’s universities.

The Silver Award is valid for three years and is recognition that the University delivers high quality teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It consistently exceeds rigorous national quality requirements for higher education.

The aim of the TEF is to:

ensure all students receive an excellent teaching experience that encourages original thinking, drives up engagement and prepares them for the world of work
build a culture where teaching has equal status with research, with great teachers enjoying the same professional recognition and opportunities for career and pay progression as great researchers
provide students with the information they need to judge teaching quality
recognise institutions that do the most to welcome students from a range of backgrounds and support their retention and progression
include a clear set of outcome-focused criteria and metrics.

RAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Jo Price states: “I am delighted that the Royal Agricultural University has been granted this Silver Award; it is testimony to the hard work of our students and staff, working together to ensure excellent outcomes and ultimately, employment levels that are significantly above the sector average. Our aim must be to continue to work together towards achieving the Gold Award in future TEF assessments. Ensuring that teaching at the RAU is of the highest quality and that all our students have an outstanding experience will remain a key priority for the University as we develop our new strategy.”

Nick Stace, Chair of the Governing Council at the RAU, said: “The Governing Council is delighted at the Royal Agricultural University’s achievement of Silver standard in the recent Teaching Excellence Framework awards. The University is embarking upon a period of rapid, accelerating, and positive change under the leadership of the recently appointed Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jo Price. As governors, we are confident that the commitment and quality of our students and staff, under the leadership of Jo and her new executive team, will ensure our achievement of a Gold Award in subsequent assessments.”

Read the RAU’s Provider Statement and TEF feedback on the HEFCE website.

Based on the evidence available, the TEF Panel judged that the Royal Agricultural University delivers high quality teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It consistently exceeds rigorous national quality requirements for UK higher education.