The project aims to establish online tools to support the University's approval processes and to enable robust costing of teaching.
Why and how has this project been established?
The University has set up a subgroup specifically to look at the costing methodology for teaching as we are keen to further understand the true cost of our teaching programmes. By knowing and understanding the costs in more detail our decision makers will be more able to plan and budget for the activities Departments or Faculties choose to engage in. The subgroup have been working on this for some time and have developed an on-line unit costing tool which was launched in 2009.
There are also external pressures to look at the full economic cost of teaching; in December 2003 HEFCE decided that it will be moving towards a system of funding teaching that is informed by TRAC costs - just like research is now funded based on TRAC. Following this some pilot universities implemented fEC for Teaching and the resultant case studies are now available.
A second subgroup is currently developing an on-line tool for the approval of new and revised units and programmes. This tool would replace the current paper-based system of approval and would feed directly into the student record system and the unit and programme catalogues.
The two areas are linked through the need to accurately cost new provision and to ensure both the costing and the academic content is approved by the relevant academic committees.
Details of the project structure are available.
Over the next period the project aims to:
The University's unit costing tool for teaching activities was released in 2009.
We are very happy to organise bespoke sessions with departments so please do use the email address above to contact us to arrange.
Some frequently asked questions about the unit costing aspect of the project have been developed and these will be added to as the approval tool is developed. If you have any further queries please contact costing-teaching@bristol.ac.uk.
I hope that you will find this site helpful.
If you have any feedback on the site or any queries please contact Jo Strong. We would be delighted to hear your views.