Teaching & Learning Support Centres - Update

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

The Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell is writing to students today about the planned Teaching & Learning Support Centres launching from 1 August 2016.

The Centres are a significant, new long-term investment. The aim is to give every single student, regardless of the course they are on, equal access to the same quality support from placements to timetabling to course administration. This is in addition to Academic and Personal Tutors and the full range of services available out of the Carrington Building.

There will be three new centres (in addition to the existing centre with Henley Business School) based across the campus near to their relevant Schools - HumSS, JJ Thomson and Agriculture, with satellite centres being proposed for London Road and Foxhill House.

Each centre will put all primary teaching and learning services to students and staff under one roof. This will include:

• a lead Support Centre Manager, who will report into each School's Teaching & Learning Committee and will be the main point of contract for Heads of School and RUSU's course representatives.
• dedicated programme managers and administrative staff specialising in subject disciplines, courses and programmes, to retain expert knowledge.
• new 'front of house' Student Support Coordinators to deal with general non-course enquiries, advice and support.
• dedicated timetable and placement co-ordinators, who will be managed in a 'hub and spoke' model by dedicated central services.

The vast majority of roles in the Centres have been offered to experienced staff now based in School offices. The remaining vacancies are also being filled where possible from other existing University staff who may wish to take on additional or different responsibilities.

The University will provide all the necessary support and guidance to all these colleagues including professional development, training and opportunities for career progression beyond what is possible in the current in-School model.

We are also confirming today that we are taking additional measures to smooth the transition to the new arrangements.

For the next 12 to 24 months, additional interim Support Centre posts will be placed in individual schools, where required, to assist with the transition to the new Centres. The new roles will be line managed by the Centres and will phase out as the new operation beds in.

The University will monitor progress carefully over the next 12 months and review the Centres at the end of the 2016-17 academic year, so further improvements can be made where necessary.

UEB is discussing this with Heads of Schools. Human Resources will inform UCU and Staff Forum, and publish updated information on the specific on Teaching & Learning Operations workstream webpages in due course.

The University has responded in full to RUSU paper to Student Experience Committee on 7th March setting out questions about the centres' operation. The University has also published an FAQ.

For any staff queries relating to PAS, please continue to talk to your HR business partner or email pas@reading,ac.uk

Read the Vice-Chancellor’s letter to students