FAQs

What does Huddersfield's teaching award mean?

 

What is the HEFCE?

HEFCE stands for the Higher Education Funding Council for England and is the lead regulatory body for universities and colleges in England. Investment is made on behalf of students and the public to promote excellence and innovation in research, teaching and knowledge exchange.

As part of their regulatory role they collect, synthesise and benchmark data to develop an understanding of trends in higher education and how it contributes to individuals, society and the economy. Find out more.

To gather information about professional teaching standards, HEFCE analysed three years of data on teaching qualifications collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

So, Huddersfield is first for professionally qualified teaching staff? What qualifications do they have?

Teaching staff are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). This award is only given to those who demonstrate their experience and skill in teaching. In addition to this many staff also hold postgraduate qualifications in teaching.

How does Huddersfield compare to other Universities?

The University of Huddersfield leads the field with over 90% of its academics holding a teaching qualification – some of our newly appointed staff are in the process of gaining the qualification. The second place institution came in with 84%.

Why is it important for academics to hold a teaching qualification?

University study is an investment and we understand that you want to ensure you’re getting the very best for the fees that you pay. Knowledgeable, qualified teachers can inspire you to be the best that you can be and support you to achieve great things – in turn this can help you leave Huddersfield as a highly employable graduate.

How do I find out if teachers on my course hold a teaching qualification?

You can find out more about all our academic staff, including their research interests, industry experience and published work here.

Is it the same as my teachers at school/college?

No, it’s not the same. Teachers within primary and secondary schools need to attain their Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to become a classroom teacher. This is a requirement set out by the Government, but it doesn't qualify someone to teach in Higher Education.
By contrast becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) is the main professional recognition for Higher Education teaching. While it's not a requirement set out by the Government it's a sign of our ongoing commitment to quality teaching and learning.

Does this mean tutors don’t have industry experience? Or do any research?

Not at all. In fact, all of our full-time academics have a doctorate or are registered on a path towards achieving one. We've world-leading applied research groups in biomedical sciences, engineering and physical sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities (REF 2014). You can find out more about all our academic staff, including their research interests, industry experience and published work here.

How should I consider this as part of my decision-making when choosing a University?

Knowledgeable, qualified teachers can inspire you to be the best that you can be and support you to achieve great things. These figures confirm the University of Huddersfield’s position as the sector’s leader in our commitment to high quality teaching and learning. Everyone at Huddersfield puts the experience of our students at the heart of their work and in turn this can help you leave Huddersfield as a highly employable graduate.