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Excellent education in research-rich universities: Professor Dilly Fung launches paper in Brussels

6 February 2017

Universities and funding agencies must ensure research findings and practice translate into effective educational opportunities for students, says UCL's professor of higher education development.

Student using pipettes in lab

Professor Dilly Fung, Academic Director of UCL Centre for Advancing Learning and Teaching (CALT), was speaking in Brussels last week at the launch of a new position paper, Excellent education in research-rich universities, commissioned by the League of European Research Universities (LERU).

As lead-author, Professor Fung gave an overview of the paper, which illustrates the diverse ways in which LERU universities are changing their approach to education for the benefit of students and wider society and makes recommendations to policy-makers and universities about how to foster excellent education.

A survey of LERU members shows that opportunities for both undergraduate and postgraduate students to benefit actively from research are growing at research-rich universities across Europe. It is now recognised that students’ engagement with research contributes to the development of skills much needed by society today, including critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis of evidence and ethical awareness. However, research also benefits from researchers’ involvement in teaching and from students’ inputs to investigations and analysis, especially in courses where students are actively engaged in research and inquiry throughout their studies.

The LERU position paper shows that there are barriers affecting the teaching-research relationship and excellence in student education more generally, both within universities and outside. Research activities are typically much better funded, and universities have traditionally valued and rewarded research more highly as a result. Recommendations include funding educational innovations that enable both students and wider communities to benefit from the exciting research taking place.

LERU advocates that in striving for excellent education it is crucial to recognise, support and celebrate educational leadership. The paper recommends that teaching and professional development for teaching should become part of an academic career as early as possible, and promoted wherever appropriate, for example through research funding schemes.

“Educational leaders are not just excellent teachers” said Dilly Fung, “They can motivate and involve others. They show vision and have the capacity to implement changes in practice. University leaders at all levels should ensure that educational leaders have stimulating opportunities for development and for creative collaboration with their peers, and that they are rewarded highly for their contribution.”

UCL’s distinctive approach to research-based education, the UCL Connected Curriculum initiative, was launched by Professor Fung in 2014. A connected, research-based education is at the core of UCL's Education Strategy 2016-21 and UCL 2034, the university's 20-year institutional strategy. The Connected Curriculum aims to ensure that all UCL students are able to learn through participating in research and enquiry at all levels of their programme of study. Engaging in research and enquiry takes students to the edge of knowledge, and through changing the nature of the dialogue between staff and students, UCL will offer an even richer and more rewarding education experience.