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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > FY2003 White Paper on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology >Part1 Chapter4 Section3.2

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Part 1   Higher Education to Support a Knowledge-Based Society Full of Creative Vitality - New Developments in Higher Education Reform
Chapter 4   Higher Education Reform in Other Countries
Section 3   United Kingdom
2   Vitalizing Education and Research, and Assuring Quality


Students' educational records and motivations for learning have diversified along with the expansion of higher education. As social and economic needs (demands) rapidly change, improvement of universities' educational capabilities is desirable from the standpoint of maintaining educational standards. One measure to improve educational capabilities was the government's commencement of university educational evaluations by external institutions. For each major course of study, evaluations of curriculum, instruction and evaluation of students, student performance, student aid, etc., are carried out. Evaluation results are expressed on a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 the highest, and are utilized towards improving education. In addition, the creation of screening standards for higher education is being advanced towards improving the educational capabilities of teachers. The goal is to have all newly appointed teachers fulfill the criteria by 2006. Moreover, designation as a "Center of Excellence" is planned for institutions that offer outstanding education. Seventy institutions are to be designated by 2006.

For universities, research evaluations commenced earlier than educational evaluations, and are being widely carried out with the objectives of vitalization research activities and improving standards. Begun in 1986, research evaluations are conducted every few years by the Higher Education Funding Council, a subsidy-allocating organ of the government. It performs evaluations based on such items as teachers' research records, R&D plans, research resources and the number of graduate students, according to a 7-point grading system. Research subsidies are allocated on a sliding scale based on evaluation results. Although educational evaluations are not directly reflected in subsidies, subsidy reductions are possible in significantly poor cases.

Another measure to vitalize research at universities is the introduction of various types of cooperation between universities and industry in addition to research evaluations. Among these is the Fund for Innovation in Higher Education introduced in 2001, which executes subsidy programs for projects where universities cooperate with companies or communities through knowledge and technology transfer. The Department for Education and Skills, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Office of Science and Technology participate in the fund. For each case, £200,000 to £5 million (about ¥40 million to ¥1 billion) are granted.


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