This event is part of the School of Education's Bristol Conversations in Education research seminar series. These seminars are free and open to the public.

Hosted by: Centre for Higher Education Transformations (CHET)

Speaker: Professor Nicola Dandridge (Professor of Practice in Higher Education Policy, University of Bristol)

In this discussion I will consider UK and Westminster government policies towards the relationship between teaching and research. In particular I will explore how those policies have changed over time, shifting from an implicit acceptance of the indivisibility of teaching and research, to one where separation at the level of national policy, in England, is regarded as necessary in terms of government strategy and accountability. I will contrast this with the sector’s approach towards the relationship where – at least in some respects, for some disciplines, and for some institutions – the relationship still has meaning but is articulated in a myriad of different ways.

I will approach the question from the perspective of students and ask whether these different and fragmented approaches to the relationship, where such a relationship exists, are disadvantaging students.

Nicola joined the University of Bristol as a Professor of Practice in Higher Education Policy in October 2022 where she will be researching higher education governance with a specific focus on the relationship between teaching and research and its impact on students, on other university activities, and on broader political objectives. She was previously chief executive of the Office for Students, the higher education regulator for students in England. Before that she was chief executive of Universities UK, the membership organisation for UK universities.

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