HE Peer Review Process
About the HE Peer Review Process
The University asks its academic and workshop staff to review their teaching practice on an annual basis. This helps to assure itself and its students that the quality of their experience is underpinned by a commitment to enhance the learning and teaching environment in which they study.
The HE Peer Review Process aligns with established good practice adopted by other Higher Education Institutions, following similar approaches that focus on the observation of one member of staff by another and of professional dialogue around practice. It is intended to be developmental in nature and allow the sharing of good practice across disciplinary boundaries. Staff are expected to discuss outcomes from reviews with their line managers as part of the individual Annual Review Process. The HE Peer Review Process is aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework 2023.
Academic Board receives a report on the number of participants who complete the review annually, along with a digest of the range of practice reviewed and (anonymised) typical comments received.
Peer Review can now be conducted through either an observation of a teaching/workshop session or through a peer dialogue with the reviewer focused on a specific aspect of the reviewee’s educational practice. Each reviewee must include at least one observation and one peer dialogue in each rolling three year period of annual peer reviews - staff will be informed which options are available for the coming year when pairings are issued.
People paired for HE Peer Review do not have to pick the same review method.
Please see the Guidance for Conducting HE Peer Review of Teaching for full advice on:
- Choosing the focus for your review;
- Choosing the type of review (observation or peer dialogue);
- Conducting the review (guidance for both reviewee and reviewer);
- Writing up the review with the HE Peer Review form.
Changes for 2023-24
For 2023-24, four institutional priority themes: employability and employability skills; inclusion; academic and professional writing skills and digital curriculum have been selected by Academic Board for consideration within your Peer Review. This means that for at least part of your Peer Review you should consider how your educational practice, as exemplified by what you have selected for review, connects with AT LEAST ONE OF these themes. The HE Peer Review form has been updated to accommodate this.
This is an opportunity for you to share innovation and effective practice in these areas. You are encouraged to revisit resources and presentations from our recent Learning, Teaching and Enhancement conferences to support your discussion and reflection. Please look out for a call for contributions for the 2024 conference.
Process for 2023-24
- Staff will be paired by the Academic Development Manager.
- Pairings will be published in October 2023 via email.
- The timing of the Peer Review should be determined by the pairs but must be completed to allow for submission of your completed HE Peer Review no later than 1 May 2024.
- Once you have agreed the dates for your observation/review, please notify academicdevelopment@leeds-art.ac.uk
- The process of the review should follow that outlined in the Guidance for Conducting HE Peer Review of Teaching
- Return your completed review form within two weeks of completing your review, and no later than 1 May 2024. Return your completed form to academicdevelopment@leeds-art.ac.uk
Forms
Higher Education Peer Review Process Form.