Reconceptualising Evaluative Practices in HE

A considerable amount of money is invested in an ongoing basis on large scale projects to enhance the quality of teaching and learning within the higher education sector. Examples from the UK include the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund and the creation of CELTS - Centers for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. Similar initiatives can be found in most other Westernized countries. These projects (and other, smaller institutional projects) require evaluation, but the higher education sector has not conceptualized such evaluation work and therefore the opportunity to understand the value of such projects is frequently missed.

Murray Saunders is Co Director of Here@Lancaster and Professor of Evaluation in Education and Work, in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University, UK. Paul Trowler is Co Director of Here@Lancaster and Professor of Higher Education, in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University, UK. Veronica Bamber is Director of the Centre for Academic Practice at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, UK.