The QAA, Benchmarking and the Teaching/Research Nexus

National systems can support or hinder the link. See the positive model of New Zealand where in 2000-2001 a national audit of all universities required and supported all universities in examining and strengthening the nexus.

Descriptors of Academic Levels

In the UK, the Quality Assurance Agency's (QAA) Framework for Hhigher Education Qualifications and Awards offers clear pointers to ensure that students know about and are able to carry out research.

A proposed framework to operate from 2003 sets out a 'descriptor ' of academic levels, and these descriptors provide institutions with a reference points to use in internal and external audits.

In the context of teaching/research nexus it challenges and supports course teams and institutions to make more explicit and transparent - particularly for students - what these course teams and institutions profess about the teaching /research nexus.

more.....

Benchmarks

Linked to programme specifications are national subject benchmarks which 'define' the core features of a discipline and many of these focus on the nexus.

Thus, that for English states that honours graduates "will be able to conduct research through self-formulated questions, supported by the gathering of relevant information and materials and organised lines of enquiry, resulting in a sustained piece or pieces of work of sustained argumentative and analytical power"

more.....