Keele University has been awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), it was announced today.

The results of the TEF provide a new picture of excellence in teaching and learning in UK higher education.

The TEF awards were decided by an independent panel of experts including academics, students and employer representatives. Drawing on national data, and evidence submitted by each university or college, the TEF measures excellence in three areas: teaching quality, the learning environment and the educational and professional outcomes achieved by students.

Professor Fiona Cownie, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at Keele University, commented:

“I am absolutely delighted that Keele University has been awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework. It has been a huge team effort, and thanks must go to each and every member of staff, who are all so committed to ensuring the best possible education and experience for our students.

“We are exceptionally proud of our previous achievements in the National Student Survey, and our high levels of student satisfaction and student engagement. This external recognition of our efforts to provide an outstanding learning environment is fantastic.”

The TEF panel’s statement of findings for Keele University highlighted that students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes in terms of progression to highly skilled employment or further study. The University’s metrics also indicate exceptionally high levels of student satisfaction with teaching, assessment and feedback, and academic support.

In particular, the TEF panel highlighted that Keele offers substantial employability support, including internships and enterprise schemes, and has an institutional culture of valuing teaching as highly as research.

The panel also noted that Keele has made significant investment in physical and digital resources in learning technology and teaching spaces, and offers outstanding levels of student engagement and effective support, with a wealth of opportunities beyond the curriculum, including study abroad and volunteering programmes.

Professor Trevor McMillan, Vice-Chancellor at Keele University, commented:

“This outstanding recognition of excellent teaching and first-rate student experience is a significant achievement for the University. We are exceptionally proud of all of our staff, who go above and beyond to ensure that every student who comes to Keele is fully engaged and supported during their time here, and leaves as a highly skilled, employable graduate. This is reflected in exceptional levels of satisfaction in the National Student Survey, as well as admirable employment outcomes for our students, and we genuinely believe that we provide our students with one of the best learning and teaching experiences in the UK.”

Out of a total 295 institutions who entered this round of the TEF, 59 institutions have been awarded Gold status - 43 higher education institutions and 16 further education colleges/alternative providers.

The Government has introduced the TEF to recognise and reward excellent teaching in UK higher education providers. The results and the underlying evidence will help students thinking about which university or college to apply to for autumn 2018, and encourage teaching and learning excellence across the UK.

Adam Mawardi, a final year student, commented on the quality of the teaching that he received throughout his time at Keele:

“The teaching at Keele is superb. There is tremendous support from both your lecturers and personal tutors, ranging from one to one meetings to address gaps in your knowledge and develop exam technique, to providing advice on how to progress to a first class honours standard. Further support is offered through digital technology, such as an online Question Time, where students can directly ask lecturers questions they have on the subject content.

Students can also take advantage of further opportunities additional to their course. For instance, through being active in the Law School in the Mooting Competition, and being a research assistant to three different lecturers within the school, I have been offered an exciting opportunity to complete a two week internship as a research assistant in the University of Trento in Italy.”