Forums

Learning & Teaching

Terms of Reference
Bristol Old Vic – Photo by Mark Dawson

Purpose

The Learning and Teaching Forum monitors national and international developments within the Committee’s scope, including national and international developments in higher education standards, curriculum and pedagogical development, and national policies and frameworks relating to learning and teaching and its funding. 

The Forum:

  1. advises the CUK Board on issues of strategic importance to CUK members through the Committee Chair
  2. develops and recommends to the CUK Board for approval, joint projects and initiatives
  3. acts as advocates for the sector and responds on behalf of CUK to consultation exercises
  4. is a medium for sharing best practice

Scope

The Learning and Teaching Forum considers all matters relating to learning and teaching and associated funding opportunities.  It provides national leadership in specialist immersive education and training for the music, drama and dance professions, with its associated distinctive characteristics including intensive face-to-face contact time, industry interface and industry-quality facilities, teachers with lived experience as professional practitioners, personalised support and individual career trajectories, and interdisciplinary connections.  It investigates opportunities to crystallise and showcase the distinctive excellence of conservatoire learning and teaching, and to enhance and develop practice.  It interacts with both governmental and non-governmental funding bodies (such as the OfS, the Scottish Funding Council, HECFW, QAA, AdvanceHE), considers relevant sector frameworks such as NSS, TEF and ISTA, and provides a forum for the sharing of good practice. It assists in developing relevant initiatives, including training and conference opportunities.

Topics covered by the Forum may include:

  1. Sector frameworks, national and international, and strategic alignment with these, including for example NSS; TEF; ISTA; a four nations look at quality assurance and enhancement structures and processes and student engagement
  2. External examining/assessing
  3. Assessment and feedback
  4. Student voice and students as partners
  5. Graduate outcomes, employability and graduate destinations
  6. Elearning and digital technologies
  7. HEA accreditation and associated courses/continuing professional development
  8. Academic induction and developing teaching staff
  9. Well-being and resilience (led from the Healthy Conservatoires network)
  10. Equality, diversity and inclusion in curriculum and pedagogical development (in collaboration with the EDI Forum)
  11. Supporting neuro-diverse learners
  12. Audition and admissions processes (as requested by the EDI Forum)
  13. Teaching/research nexus (in collaboration with the Research Forum)
  14. Teaching and knowledge exchange (in collaboration with the Research Forum)

Membership

  1.  One member of the CUK Board (Chair)
  2. One member of staff with senior responsibility for learning and teaching, nominated by each CUK institution

Notes

  1. CUK Learning and Teaching Forum normally meets three times a year; occasional deputies are permitted. Where possible, the pattern of meetings includes two online sessions, and one session in person, hosted by one of the member institutions.
  2. The Forum may invite any other person to attend its meetings for specific agenda items
  3. At each meeting the Forum uses the secretarial services of an additional member of staff from the host institution