Full marks for Teaching Excellence

The University's world-renowned Department of Peace Studies has been awarded top marks for the quality of its teaching - making it the sixth consecutive Department at the University to receive an 'excellent' score.

The Department was given an exceptional mark of 24 out of 24 in the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education's (QAA) Subject Review.

The QAA is an independent body which reviews the performance of UK universities and colleges of higher education in England and Ireland carried out on behalf of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

The Department was praised for its well-articulated and high quality teaching with clear evidence of a range of teaching methods. The assessors noted a steady rise in the entry qualifications of students but also a significant number of non-standard entry students, which is in line with the University's widening access initiative.

Assessors were impressed by the careful attention paid to the development of key and transferable skills and students personal development, which is reflected in the curriculum. The Department was also praised for its high standard of degree results, where the high level of student achievement, knowledge, understanding and critical analysis is commendable.

Head of Department, Professor Oliver Ramsbotham, said: "This secures the Department's reputation as the largest university peace studies centre in the world, internationally famous for the excellence of its teaching and research on all aspects of peace and conflict."

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Bell, said: "This result reflects the Department's international reputation. Since 1973, it has grown progressively and now has over 20 academic and research staff at the forefront of research and policy discussion. Students are taught by leading specialists in their field and frequent demands are made on staff from the media.

"The mark not only reflects the quality of the Department's teaching and research, but the staff's commitment to all aspects of student achievement and support."

The Department draws on the traditional disciplines of politics, sociology, history, philosophy and international relations, in order to study how conflict arises, and how it might be prevented or mitigated.

The University now holds six successive 'excellent' results in the Subject Reviews. The others are: Pharmacy; Physiotherapy, Radiography and Optometry; Nursing and Midwifery; Interdisciplinary Human Studies; and Archaeological Sciences.

Subject Review - previously known as Teaching Quality Assessment - was introduced by the Government six years ago. Assessment covers six areas: curriculum design, content and organisation; teaching, learning and assessment; student progression and achievement; student support and guidance; learning resources; and quality management and enhancement.

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