Exeter Provost takes pivotal role on Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) panel

Professor Kay, Provost and Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, will immediately undertake the pivotal role on the influential panel, following her appointment by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Professor Kay will help lead the assessment panel in making decisions on university ratings in the second and third year of the programme.

Speaking on her appointment, Professor Kay said: “It is an absolute honour to have been selected for this prestigious role, which will make a significant contribution to the successful implementation of the TEF.

“The TEF is not just about rewarding excellence in teaching wherever it is found, but crucially about aiding students at a time when they are making one of the biggest decisions of their life.

“It is vital that the Higher Education sector continues to evolve to meet the changing demands being made in both learning and teaching by students. The TEF will ensure that high quality teaching receives the merit it deserves, just as the Research Excellence Framework does for world-class research.”

The Teaching Excellence Framework has been introduced to ensure excellent teaching quality and student employability outcomes are at the heart of the UK higher education system.

The framework, which for the first time places the significance of teaching on a par with research, will put clear information into the hands of students so they know where there is high quality teaching and what benefits they can expect to gain from their courses.

The expert assessment panel will award each higher education provider a clearly understandable rating of ‘Gold’, ‘Silver’ or ‘Bronze’, based on a series of metrics and a provider written submission.

This is the latest high-profile appointment for Professor Kay on the national stage. Most recently, Professor Kay joined a high-level national taskforce designed to address all forms of harassment on University campuses. The taskforce was established following a request by Sajid Javid MP, the then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in September 2015.