Departmental Practice
Despite almost universal agreement that research benefits teaching, relatively few institutions have strategies in place to maximise the benefits of teaching and research.
The University of Bedfordshire Education Strategy 2008-13 requires all
departments to develop a clear statement on the relationship between
research and teaching, and a plan to develop and sustain such links.
A clear research informed teaching strategy would need to be embedded within departmental policies in developing research and teaching links and supporting staff who pursue such synergies. These plans are annual and are updated on a regular basis.
In achieving the goals of the Education Strategy, the Teaching and Learning Directorate offered support with:
- analysing of the relationship between teaching and research, to inform the departmental statement and plan, and
- resources, expertise and tools from the Teaching and Learning Directorate;
- some financial support (around £500) for specific activities such as staff RiT away days or other situation investigation activities;
- financial support (normally 5-10k) and guidance with the implementation of the departmental plans.
In accepting this support, a department was expected to:
- nominate a person or persons who will have the key responsibility for this work;
- undertake an analysis of the relationship between teaching and research;
- develop clear policy statement for the Department detailing how research underpins the curricula (this may cover a range of courses);
- develop an action plan to indicate the actions to be taken to further enhance the relationship between teaching and research;
- share the experiences and results from this process at the next RiT Departmental Workshop;
- provide advice to other departments who will be involved in the process in subsequent stages;
- undertake other relevant dissemination activities such as presenting at the University's Annual Teaching and Learning Symposium 2009;
- implement and update their RiT action plans on an ongoing basis.
