Our TEF Submission

We continue to build on our distinguished reputation for excellence in learning and teaching, and our consistently outstanding delivery of an inspirational student experience. We are one of the UK’s most ambitious universities, and are proud to be attracting increasingly talented students and staff.

Respect and value our students as partners.

Deliver inspirational teaching enhanced and informed by worldclass research and professional practice.

Increase participation from underrepresented groups and provide a supportive and enriching learning environment for all of our students to enable their success.

Support students to achieve the highest personal, academic and employment outcomes by providing exciting opportunities to enhance skills, global knowledge, and cultural agility.

We are a research-intensive University with a long-standing commitment to inclusivity, widening access, and social mobility. We are 26th in the UK for research excellence (REF2014) and have the highest proportion of young full-time undergraduate students from low participation areas out of all the REF top- 30 universities. Through partnership working with schools and further education colleges, we actively recruit students from diverse backgrounds and with differing levels of attainment to provide them with opportunities for academic and personal success. We excel at ensuring positive outcomes for these and all of our other student groups, with consistent top-20 rankings in UK league tables for graduate level employability or further study.

Students studying here receive an international, multicultural experience that has a positive impact on their personal development. We achieve this through our extensive international community of staff and students, research and teaching collaboration with other top international universities, the provision of mobility opportunities for our students to study and work abroad, and the nature of Swansea as a bilingual Welsh University.

Through partnership with our Students’ Union (SUSU), students and staff we have co-created and delivered a consistent and outstanding student experience that prepares all students for personal and professional success. We deliver full and part-time provision through our seven Colleges, over three campuses. Supported by our Professional Service Units and four Academies (Swansea Employability Academy (SEA), Swansea Academy of Learning and Teaching (SALT), Swansea Academy of Inclusivity and Learner Success (SAILS) and Academi Hywel Teifi), we deliver a consistently outstanding experience for all of our students.

We have embedded our commitment to the achievement of excellence in both teaching and research across the academic community. Our award-winning mechanisms such as academic Professional Development Reviews (PDR), career pathway developments and promotions pathway support this. Through these mechanisms we identify good practice, which we then disseminate and embed across the University for the benefit of all. This commitment also directly informs our academic recruitment process.

We take great pride in our inclusive approach to teaching, the outstanding quality of our academic support at subject, College and University level, and the career enhancing opportunities that we offer. This ensures that a high proportion of all students, regardless of background or qualifications on entry, continue with their studies and achieve the best possible academic and employment outcomes.

This document outlines how we have developed, embedded and delivered on these pledges over the last three years and the positive impact this has had on the diversity of our University community, the quality of teaching, our learning environments and the outcomes achieved by our students.

We have delivered continuous improvement in five of the core metrics since TEF2. Our performance remains excellent for the sixth and we have no negative flags. This demonstrates a consistently outstanding student experience at Swansea University:

• A double positive flag in Student Outcomes and Learning Gain.
• A positive flag in Learning Environment.
• Above benchmark performance in Teaching Quality and steady improvement.
• Significantly exceeding the benchmark for Continuation.

The two positively flagged metrics perform significantly above our benchmarks right across the splits, with nine positive flags (including two double positives) for Academic Support and 13 double positive flags for Highly Skilled Employment or Further Study.

For Continuation, we achieved seven positive flags across the splits, most significantly for those students more at risk of withdrawing. We were 0.1% away from the benchmark and we can demonstrate that around 10% of students who withdraw, return to study in subsequent years and therefore this performance is actually more reflective of a third positive flag.

We will demonstrate that our excellent and consistent performance right across the core and split metrics is as a result of planned and considered initiatives designed to provide the very best support and outcomes for all of our students.

As SUSU we value our on-going strong and proactive relationship with the University and aim to play an active role in all processes and activities where we feel a student voice needs to be heard. Our commitment to aid the continued progress of both teaching excellence and the student experience in Swansea is evident from our involvement in all strategic programmes such as STEP4Excellence, curriculum development planning and all SEA events, where our partnership approach has significantly benefited from having Full-time Officers (FTOs) in co-chair positions, as will be discussed later in the document. We believe that Swansea offers a world-class experience thanks to staff constantly evaluating, listening to feedback and adjusting to fit current student needs and expectations in an ever shifting higher education landscape. Our input throughout this document will provide evidence that Swansea gives a unique and satisfying journey for all students welcomed into our community. Relationships between staff and students are strong within both the academic community and between the University and SUSU. This is clearly shown through our mentor system between the Senior Management Team and FTOs, attending regular catch-ups and providing each other with applicable advice.

Our strategies and delivery platforms, developed in partnership with our SUSU, students and staff, empower and engender participation in the co-creation of our consistent and outstanding student experience. Students develop skills and have new experiences that positively impact on their future success in employment or further education.

Our strategy includes programmes such as STEP4Excellence, which builds on the strong partnership with the SUSU and students in a spirit of co-creation, with the SUSU acting as co-leaders of themes each year. Areas of focus have included Learning and Teaching, Student Support, Student Engagement, Culture Change, Student Participation and Student Empowerment. Through this programme, we have developed and embedded initiatives to enhance the student experience, which include student exchange, student representatives and leads, Unitu, Together We Changed, growth in academic societies, academic mentoring and a Student Life Network. The positive impact these have had on students is evidenced within this document and we continue with this programme to ensure we are meeting the evolving needs of all of our students.

We were the first University to carry out a UK-based week-long student exchange, emphasising Partnership, Innovation, Collaboration, Networking, Improvement, Creation (PICNIC) as part of the Researching, Advancing and Inspiring Student Engagement (RAISE) network. This sector-leading initiative promotes student-centred sharing of best practice and enabled one of our students to get a ‘feel’ for how a different institution works and compare with experiences of Swansea University. The student actively shaped the future framework for partnership, providing a unique way of sharing best practice between institutions. The staff and student experience was presented at the RAISE conference, and internally the student has shared this information to inform future initiatives.

We have supported the SUSU in significantly increasing the number of student representatives at both College and subject level, all of whom receive a bespoke training and development programme and take part in the SUSU annual student representative conference. Student representation is now mandatory on all University committees; ensuring students are active in decision-making at all levels. The SUSU FTOs meet regularly with the University’s Senior Management Team. Other examples of us working together to enhance our University include students being involved with major University projects and change initiatives such as the Bay Campus Experience Group (BCEG), Travel Plan Working Group and Sports Strategy Group. Through BCEG, we have worked to ensure the transition to an additional campus has been a positive experience, by listening to feedback and working jointly towards enhancements. We provide our students with a range of opportunities to be involved in quality assurance and enhancement through individual student feedback. An example of this is students forming part of the programme approval panels. Student engagement leads within every College are key members of academic staff who support the student representatives within their College, chair student-staff forums and ensure student engagement activities are promoted and supported at College level.

Our embedded Unitu, a digital student feedback platform is managed by the student representatives in Colleges, which enables issues to be resolved quickly and with transparency for students. Complex issues are escalated to student-staff forums or other University committees to ensure a speedy resolution. This has enhanced the student experience by improving access to the teaching timetable and information on staff location and their office hours; increasing the number of computer terminals on the Bay Campus for student use; cleaning public cycling routes between campuses and the introduction of student lockers on both campuses.

We work together with student representatives to develop robust College action plans responding to feedback from module and programme reviews, NSS, our internal Student Experience Survey (SES) and Post-graduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES). Actions resulting from student feedback are shared with the wider student body in the form of ‘Together We Changed’ messages, providing clarity and re-enforcing the value of student feedback. Students are involved in teaching evaluations through mid and end of module reviews and periodic programme reviews. We highlight to students the numerous ways feedback is provided to enhance their understanding and future development.

Academic staff have supported the SUSU and wider student body in the growth of our academic societies, emphasising their role in engaging on programme development and student representation, as well as creating a sense of a learning community in each subject area. We have built on areas of excellence in order to ensure that students are fully represented in institutional governance and teaching processes. Each College has an embedded academic society champion, who are a point of contact for, and support academic society students, demonstrating a mechanism that further empowers student voice and action.

Together, staff and students have broken down barriers that traditionally existed between them by working in partnership at a departmental level. Support and encouragement has resulted in jointly organised departmental and society events, where staff and students have created a community approach to the learner environment, including curriculum review, programme design, extracurricular activities and learner spaces. Students and staff now better appreciate the framework in which the department operates, for example, students have more insight and contribution into departmental research activities.

The impact of this on the students in Physics and their learning is also evident in their NSS results, with continual improvements (2015– 2017) in teaching on my course, (86 to 96%), assessment and feedback (61 to 77%), learning resources (85-94%) and overall satisfaction (83 to 97%). High scores were also achieved for the new questions; student voice (85%), learning opportunities (94%) and learning community (90%).

Students have access to 146 student societies (ranked 3rd in the WhatUni Student Choice Awards, 2016), with over 3,500 members, 57 of which are academic and employability societies, along with 53 University sports teams with over 4,000 members. We have cultural venues on campus and around the City, which provide the space for staff, students and the community to work together to enrich the experience for all. We also benefit from an on-campus mosque and a separate multi-faith facility.

Student engagement also informs our recruitment of teaching staff with applicants teaching a group of students who are trained in the recruitment process. The students complete an evaluation form, which is taken into account by the recruitment panel, further demonstrating the value and status we place on the student voice within teaching.

Our commitment to the achievement of excellence in both teaching and research is fully embedded within the academic community. The effective integration of these activities is critical in underpinning the delivery of an inspirational and enriching student experience at Swansea. We are a community united in a common purpose to make a difference to the lives and futures of our students and the wider community, society, and economy. We achieve this by working collaboratively with: students as partners, colleagues in a cross-disciplinary approach to education and research, education partners in other universities, colleges and schools within the UK and globally and partners from other sectors, including government, large companies and their SME supply chains. This approach connects our staff and students to worldleading impactful research and professional practice. This has created a positively challenging environment that inspires our students, heightens the quality and relevance of what we teach, and supports our consistent delivery of outstanding employment outcomes. Leadership in learning and teaching is embedded through our Directors of Learning and Teaching within each College and the Pro-Vice Chancellor (academic). 

SALT has supported the transformation of our academic community, raising awareness of innovative teaching and learning practices, driving teaching excellence across the University and improving the student learning experience. All teachers have access to individualised support, collective stimulation and sector-leading development. SALT sponsors and promotes pedagogic research and enhances the profile of education across the University to develop a community of practice. The Academy encourages teacher engagement through the annual Learning and Teaching Conference and a rolling programme of seminars, workshops and events.

The Post Graduate Certificate (PGCert) in Higher Education programme delivers initial teacher development and CPD opportunities for staff. We have adapted international best practice to create an effective Teaching Intensive programme, which integrates pedagogic theory, reflection and talking teaching. Staff are recognised and developed through mentoring and assessment towards HEA Fellowship. CPD provides opportunities for personal learning, delivered around individual preferences and commitments. All academic staff have the opportunity to gain a teaching qualification and up skill through PGCert modules, accessible through various means.

Peer observation is a core component of teacher development and sustaining teaching excellence. It enables staff to reflect upon and improve their teaching and promotes the identification and sharing of good practice, which is linked to CPD. Our Open Door (OD) Teaching (devised with colleagues in Australia) involves selected teachers offering five/six chosen sessions during the year where their colleagues observe the lesson and follow with a group tutorial where the OD teacher explores pedagogic issues from the session. This has generated considerable interest amongst staff and has positively impacted teaching practice.

Our students benefit from exposure to world-leading research throughout their teaching and learning experiences. In the 2014 REF we were ranked 26th in the UK, securing a significant increase in Quality Research funding. We used the funding to recruit and retain world-leading academics who share our commitment to excellence in both teaching and research. Our research strategy is for all academic staff to be engaged in research, giving students the opportunity to learn directly from staff at the forefront of research. Students on professional programmes undertake 50% of their learning in practice, and are highly sought after by employers.

We have a culture of recognising and rewarding both teaching and research excellence. This is fully supported through our award-winning mechanisms such as academic PDR, career pathway developments, and the promotions pathway and directly informs our academic recruitment process.

Student module feedback and indicative performance indicators for teaching quality are key features of the PDR discussions and ensure reflection on learning and teaching practices. This provides an opportunity for line managers to signpost staff to personalised CPD and/or sharing of good practice, as well as discussing future career opportunities. We set University KPIs linked to teaching, research and innovation that are cascaded down to individual academic staff. PDRs take account of these, for which we have a 99% completion rate. 78% of our senior academic professional leaders also participate in 360-degree leadership feedback. This process won the Times Higher Education (THE) Award and the Universities UK Human Resources Award in 2012.

Teaching is a core requirement of all three of our promotion pathways (Research; Teaching and Scholarship; Innovation and Engagement), encouraging staff to provide evidence of teaching that is innovative, inspirational and enables transformative learning for students as part of the application processes for promotion. Between 2014- 16, 36% of our promoted academic staff were on the University’s Teaching and Scholarship pathway, with 13% of the total number of professorial promotions being achieved through this pathway. This reflects the increased importance and subsequent esteem on learning and teaching across the University. In 2016 we won the THE Award for Outstanding Leadership and Management.

We are proud to have been recognising and rewarding our excellent teachers and support staff for over a decade, celebrating and inspiring others through our Excellence in Learning and Teaching /Student Support Awards Scheme, developed with students. These awards, designed in conjunction with the SUSU and nominated for by students, reflect the appreciation of students for the quality of the teaching and support that they have received. Nine members of staff received these awards during the 2016-17 graduation ceremonies (80 since 2005-06).

We are developing new approaches to recognise and reward teaching and learning excellence, achieved through our teacher recognition working group. We have developed ways to continue to raise the esteem of teaching, for example through the implementation of a University Teaching Fellowship programme to enable staff to have dedicated time to focus on pedagogy and enhancements in learning and teaching.

Our focus on teaching quality, changes in teaching practice and the extenuating circumstances process, and diversification of assessments has led to an improvement in the percentage of First Class Honours Degrees we award from 24% in 2014-15 to 26% in 2016-17. In the same period, the number of Upper Second class honour degrees awarded improved from 45% to 49%. Across a ten-year period, this averages out to an annual improvement of 1.7% for firsts and a 0.8% for 2:1s awarded.

The improvement in degree outcomes between 2007-08 and 2016-17 is attributed to a number of factors alongside our commitment to teaching excellence. Student average tariff points on entry have risen steadily from 289 in 2007-08 to an average of 344 in 2016-17 (+55) reflecting the admission of increasingly highly motivated, highly qualified and focused students. Our high quality programmes of study are rigorously quality assured with the ethos of enhancement at their core. We have external examiners for all our provision and our staff are external examiners for other Universities.

A wide range of innovative assessment methods have been developed to inspire and motivate students to achieve, including reflective writing, presentations, patchwork text, research commentaries, journal style articles and pieces of contemporary research. We provide real-world assessments, for example the involvement of external bodies in the assessment of students, which includes problem-solving assessments with industry and assessment at clinical and other placement settings. College improvement plans are in place to respond to performance for a small group of full-time other undergraduate students (93) in teaching, and assessment and feedback, and from our part-time students for assessment and feedback.