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University of Reading

New Centre for Quality Support and Development

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

teaching

The University has recently created a new Centre for Quality Support and Development (CQSD), responsible for supporting:

  • development and enhancement of teaching and learning
  • quality assurance and development of policies in relation to teaching and learning
  • training and development for all staff across the University

The new Centre has been created from a merger of the Centre for the Development of Teaching and Learning (CDoTL), Quality Support Office (QSO) and Centre for Staff Training and Development (CSTD) and became operational as a unified service in September.  (Please note that the old units are not sub-divisions within the new Centre and their names are no longer in use.)

The quality of the University's teaching and of its students' learning experience is underpinned by quality assurance processes, the continuing development of effective approaches to teaching and learning, and the commitment of staff to their professional development. 

The new Centre, by bringing together the support for these different areas, will be able to provide a more integrated service and more effective support to colleagues in their delivery of a high quality learning experience.

The Director of CQSD, Keith Swanson said: "Working in partnership with academic and other staff and with the student community, the Centre seeks to inspire innovative and creative approaches to teaching and learning and to support staff in developing their practice and gaining professional recognition. 

"We are committed to ensuring that our quality assurance processes are fit-for-purpose and efficient, and inform the enhancement of the University's teaching and learning. These values and our commitment to excellence are also central to our wider provision of development opportunities for all staff".

The range of CQSD's work includes:

  • informing and taking forward relevant aspects of the University's strategy
  • providing advice and guidance on teaching and learning
  • co-ordinating a programme of teaching and learning seminars, workshops and other events
  • delivering HEA-accredited programmes on academic practice for academic and support staff
  • supporting researcher development
  • supporting the development of technology enhanced learning
  • co-ordinating an extensive programme of staff training and development for all staff across the University
  • developing academic policy related to teaching and learning
  • supporting quality assurance processes, including those relating to UK and international partnerships
  • servicing University Board for Teaching and Learning and other committees and working groups related to teaching and learning

Supporting teaching and learning

In order to support Schools and staff more effectively and to contribute to the delivery of the University's enhancement priorities for teaching and learning, members of the CQSD team are currently working on the following areas:

  • Providing timely and effective support to colleagues in implementing new teaching and learning policies, through workshops, seminars and guidance;
  • Ensuring that the range of staff development opportunities support the range of roles within the University, as existing roles evolve and new ones are introduced
  • Introducing the new Academic Practice Programme (APP), which replaces the Postgraduate Certificate of Academic Practice and will be more sharply focussed on practice and better accommodated to the responsibilities and workload of new staff
  • Introducing, alongside the APP, an accredited continuing professional development scheme, which will enable academic and support staff to develop further their expertise in teaching and learning and gain formal HEA recognition
  • Reviewing (in collaboration with ITS) the University's existing technology services, such as Blackboard and Turnitin, in order to meet current and future needs, and also reviewing TEL (technology enhanced learning) support and engagement with academic staff and Schools
  • Working with a number of Schools on teaching and learning developments, which they identified during the SPELT process
  • Providing a rich programme of workshops and staff training to support the needs of the University in a period of rapid change
  • Reviewing aspects of academic policy in the light of the QAA's Quality Code, which is nearing completion
  • Providing a forum for discussion of teaching and learning

Keith Swanson added: "We wish to strengthen further our engagement with Schools, services and staff, and look forward to developing new ways of working closely with you.

We are located on the second floor of Whiteknights House (our reception desk is in Room 207). We very much welcome staff to come and discuss the support and resources available. 

We can be contacted at (0118) 378 7097 and Cqsd-enquiries@reading.ac.uk.  Our website is at http://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/cqsd-homepage.aspx