Bristol Learning City celebrates three silver awards for its universities and college

The Bristol Learning City partnership is celebrating the high quality of teaching on offer at the city’s two universities and City of Bristol College as the results of the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) are announced today (22 June).

All three institutions are members of Bristol Learning City, a partnership of over 70 different organisations who are all working together to promote and improve learning opportunities in the city.

The TEF results show City of Bristol College, University of Bristol and University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) have all received a silver rating.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol and chair of Bristol Learning City, said:

“We know that further and higher education in the city is strong, which is confirmed by the new TEF ratings. Bristol Learning City is making the city a fairer place and we are looking closely at how we can support more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to access further and higher education. Having good quality teaching in the city should help to improve the life chances for young people living here and open new doors – we want to see everyone able to access excellent learning opportunities.”

The TEF is designed to give students more information when looking at options for further and higher education. Education providers are assessed on the quality of teaching and the outcomes they achieve, as well as taking into account student satisfaction, employment outcomes and retention rates.

Lee Probert, Principal at City of Bristol College, said:

“We are delighted with this result which confirms the high quality teaching and learning, leading to good progression for students, that our city offers. I am specifically pleased that a smaller higher education provider like City of Bristol College has achieved the same standard as the city’s well established universities, further reinforcing the quality of our provision. Our teaching provides high levels of rigour and stretch with excellent employer links and employment outcomes. The TEF matrix also highlighted that our students achieve excellent outcomes and are very highly satisfied with assessment and feedback.”

Professor Judith Squires, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Bristol, said:

“We welcome this recognition that the University of Bristol provides excellent outcomes for our students, offering an academically rigorous and research-rich environment that students rate as intellectually stimulating. Our Bristol Scholars and Access to Bristol schemes provide opportunities for all young people in Bristol to study with us. The culture within our University is highly collegial, and this spirit of partnership extends beyond the University. Our students bring a huge amount of energy and vitality to the city, and in turn our location greatly contributes to the richness of their university experience.”

Professor Steve West CBE, Vice-Chancellor at UWE Bristol, said:

“We are delighted that the importance that we place on the student experience and teaching at UWE Bristol has been recognised by this award.

“The university is proud to be part of the city’s high-quality higher education provision, and we are committed to improving learning opportunities for all young people in Bristol. Every young person deserves an outstanding education experience that not only supports them to acquire new knowledge and skills but enriches their lives and equips them for the world of work as global citizens.”

For more information about the TEF standards please see: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/lt/tef/