The Teaching Excellence Framework: what does it mean for academic libraries?

Abstract

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) can be seen as both a reaction to and a symptom of current changes in the higher education sector. These changes include the emergence of the so-called Generation Z, for whom mobile technology is a historical fact and active partnership a given; the introduction of flipped and blended learning; and the ‘consumerization’ of the market and subsequent focus on value for money. What role do academic libraries have to play in both the delivery of excellent teaching and the TEF itself? This article considers the background to the TEF and poses the question: do those responsible for the TEF in our universities recognize the role of libraries in ensuring an excellent student experience? It suggests some key actions that academic libraries should lead, including the use of learning analytics, the provision of learning resources and the development of appropriate staff skills, and it challenges library leaders to engage more actively in the strategic discourse of their institutions.