Supporting Part-Time Teaching Staff in Higher Education

within the Fields of Business,Management, Accountancy and Finance; and Health Sciences & Practice

January 2007 - July 2008

 

The Project is now complete and the reports are available here.

 

Background

This is the title of a Higher Education Academy funded project, led jointly by BMAF and the Health Science and Practice Subject Centre, with support from the Association of Business Schools. It is part of the HEA's UK-wide review of issues relating to the employment of and support for Part-Time Teaching staff in Higher Education.

While some research across all sectors has already been published, this project recognises that there are particular issues for the disciplines within the two Subject Centres:

  • A significant proportion of staff are employed on part-time/variable hours
  • The disciplines included in the two Subject Centres represent a significant proportion of overall student numbers

The focus is on part-time teachers who are mid-career professionals, experienced managers, consultants and practitioners - a group that is considered essential to learning, teaching and assessment in both subject areas.

The Project

The project has three main elements:

  • Analysis of HESA data of the disciplines represented by both Subject Centres to identify the population characteristics of the way in which staff are employed;
  • Interviews with senior managers, programme managers and part-time staff themselves in 6 institutions across the UK in both their Schools of Business and Health to identify support arrangements provided, the extent to which they are taken up and the perceived needs of this staff group;
  • Development and dissemination of exemplar case studies to share those interventions that have improved access to and use of learning support for part-time teachers.