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Higher Education Academy (HEA)
The Higher Education Academy's (HEA) mission is to help institutions, discipline groups and all staff to provide the best possible learning experience for their students. The HEA’s strategic plan for 2005-2010 can be found here.
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is responsible for distributing public money for teaching and research to universities and colleges in England. In carrying out this role, it aims to promote high-quality education and research.
Every March, HEFCE announces the grants for the following academic year to each university and college it funds. In allocating the funding it follows a number of key principles. A formula is adopted that takes account of certain factors for each institution, including the number and type of students, the subjects taught, and the amount and quality of research undertaken there. HEFCE funding is allocated in block grants to individual institutions, which spend the resources according to their own priorities and within the broad guidelines set out by HEFCE [28].
The quality of teaching and learning at each university is assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). Research funding is determined by the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) which rates the research quality of universities’ departments. April 2003 saw the completion of a review of the research assessment process. This is likely to precede changes in the way in which RAE ratings are determined. HEFCE will then need to design a funding system which fits effectively with the new system of assessment.
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales is concerned with the funding of colleges and institutions of higher education in Wales. It also funds higher education delivered through further education colleges. HEFCW administers funds to support education, research and associated activities. In addition to its funding responsibilities the Council provides advice to the National Assembly for Wales on the funding needs, aspirations and concerns of the higher education sector in Wales.
The Scottish Funding Council is Scotland’s equivalent of the HEFCE and HEFCW.
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