Abstract:
Humboldt's concept of ‘zero differentiation’ between institutional teaching and research objectives (Schimank and Winnes, 2000) suggests an inextricable link between the two domains. Yet, the unity and definition of teaching and research, often referred to as ‘research-informed teaching’ (RIT), remains elusive. Nevertheless, the relationship between teaching and research in higher education institutions (HEIs) is considered symbiotic albeit the precise benefits of this relationship, and more specifically the translation of research into teaching, remains complex, underexplored, and lacking in conceptual clarity.
Universities are however diverse in their focus: some emphasize research, others prioritize teaching, and many strive to balance both. Variability inevitably exists, extending to how student exposure to research informed teaching, influenced by institutional financial and policy pressures, is manifested within their learning experiences. Healey’s (2005) framework, which categorizes the relationship between teaching and research into research-led, research-oriented, research-tutored, and research-based approaches, attempts to examine the semantics and exemplification of the terminology but falls short of capturing the full complexity of the research and teaching nexus. Despite the existence of such frameworks, the translation of research into pedagogical content and practice remains under-theorized. Furthermore, this conceptual haziness is embedded within UK higher education policy documents, including the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), Universities UK, Russell Group universities, Office for Students (OfS), Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), and Advance HE, where references to RIT are frequent but lack clarity in application and conceptual translation into improving the student experience.
Notwithstanding the purported advantages of integrating research into teaching, the literature reveals a paucity of detailed analysis on how the ‘benefits’ of research are effectively transformed to enhance student learning. This paper therefore endeavours to examine how RIT is articulated and exemplified within the high-stakes summary statements made by universities as part of England’s 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework submissions. In particular, thematic analysis will examine the presence and patterns within the submission statements of Russell Group universities, a group of 24 ‘world-class’ research-intensive universities. The analysis will allow the interpretation of unstructured qualitative data for a cluster of institutions, chosen as representative of a homogenous group of universities, who through their statements are endeavouring to articulate the relationship between research and teaching in pursuit of ‘teaching excellence’.
Universities are however diverse in their focus: some emphasize research, others prioritize teaching, and many strive to balance both. Variability inevitably exists, extending to how student exposure to research informed teaching, influenced by institutional financial and policy pressures, is manifested within their learning experiences. Healey’s (2005) framework, which categorizes the relationship between teaching and research into research-led, research-oriented, research-tutored, and research-based approaches, attempts to examine the semantics and exemplification of the terminology but falls short of capturing the full complexity of the research and teaching nexus. Despite the existence of such frameworks, the translation of research into pedagogical content and practice remains under-theorized. Furthermore, this conceptual haziness is embedded within UK higher education policy documents, including the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), Universities UK, Russell Group universities, Office for Students (OfS), Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), and Advance HE, where references to RIT are frequent but lack clarity in application and conceptual translation into improving the student experience.
Notwithstanding the purported advantages of integrating research into teaching, the literature reveals a paucity of detailed analysis on how the ‘benefits’ of research are effectively transformed to enhance student learning. This paper therefore endeavours to examine how RIT is articulated and exemplified within the high-stakes summary statements made by universities as part of England’s 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework submissions. In particular, thematic analysis will examine the presence and patterns within the submission statements of Russell Group universities, a group of 24 ‘world-class’ research-intensive universities. The analysis will allow the interpretation of unstructured qualitative data for a cluster of institutions, chosen as representative of a homogenous group of universities, who through their statements are endeavouring to articulate the relationship between research and teaching in pursuit of ‘teaching excellence’.