LINK: Good Practice Resource Database

Welcome to the website for the FDTL Phase 3 project on Linking Teaching with Research and Consultancy in Planning, Land and Property Management and Building (LINK).

Linking Teaching with Research and Consultancy in the Disciplines of Planning, Land and Property Management, and Building (or 'LINK' for short) is a project undertaken by Oxford Brookes University, The University of the West of England, University of Westminster and Sheffield Hallam University, into the what, where and how of Linking Teaching with Research and Consultancy in the three disciplines.

It began in September 2000 and was completed by September 2003. From October 2003 the project entered a new phase of transferability where it began work with one other discipline (and its associated LTSN Subject centre) in each of the institutions to embed the findings of the project in those disciplines.

Project tips

Throughout the project a number of 'tips' have been published on how to develop and embed the LINK. You can view the tip archive here.

Evaluation reports

The following project evaluation reports are available to download:

• First Stage Evaluation of FDTL phase three project 65/99: January 2002
• Second Stage External Evaluation September 2000 – September 2003
• Evaluation Project LINK: Transferability phase September 2004

The project was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Department for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment under the Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning.

What is the project about?

Learning about research and consultancy is central to the quality of student experience. The Quality Assurance Subject Overview Reports praised departments where there was clear evidence of LINK happening:

• "The wide variety of courses…well supported by research, scholarly activity and professional consultancies" (Town and Country Planning and Landscape 1998);
• "examples of best practice use research…to inform curriculum innovation and teaching" (Building 1998);
• "research and analytical skills…in the best practice…explicitly structured within the curriculum" (Land and Property Management 1998).

Linking teaching to research and consultancy enriches students' knowledge of their subject. Linking teaching to research and consultancy embeds skills and capabilities which enhance graduate employability.

For more detailed information on the project you can review the original bid document (in MSWord) submitted to HEFCE.