ENQA. (2014) The concept of excellence in higher education . The concept of excellence in higher education, ( ). pp. 1-46.
Abstract
This paper records the discussions of a working group over a period of two years and reflects the progress made in describing, evaluating and defining the concept of excellence in higher education. The group took the view that excellence is a concept that can be applied to all types of institutions and subject disciplines. It defines a goal to be achieved and can be recognised in terms of the value and worth of institutional practice. A criterion-referenced model defines excellence in relation to defined standards that in principle can be attained by all institutions. The criteria identified for excellence could be incorporated and referenced within the methods used for the conduct of quality assurance activities. Some relate directly to the European Standards and Guidelines, others deal more generally with the context for the support and development of academic programmes. The specification of expectations for excellence would provide a focus for the development of strategies for quality enhancement. The methods currently used by quality assurance agencies are not primarily focused on identifying excellence. Agencies could include explicitly in their missions a statement such as 'identifying and developing excellence'. Consequently, the current set of standards could be re-organised and/or revised to make a definite distinction between the 'normative part', used for licensing or accreditation and the developmental part which could eventually lead to excellence. The overall intention would be to raise the level of institutional performance beyond the threshold standards set for the minimum requirements of common practice in academic quality and standards.
Official URL: http://www.enqa.eu/indirme/ENQA%20Excellence%20WG%20Report_The%20Concept%20of%20Excellence%20in%20Higher%20Education.pdf. More...

By Philip G. Altbach. Peking University will soon open its Yenching Academy, a new one-year masters program in Chinese studies open to both Chinese and international students and taught in English. According to the New York Times, the program has engendered considerable dissent on campus—surprising in an environment that, to say the least, does not encourage complaining about academic decisions. The Yenching Academy will renovate several of the original buildings at the center of the campus and add other buildings. It will provide an all-expense paid interdisciplinary program. In fact, it is similar to the Schwartzman Scholars initiative at cross-town, arch-rival Tsinghua University. More...

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The Chronicle Review asked Harry R. Lewis, a professor of computer science at Harvard University, former dean of Harvard College, and the author of Excellence Without a Soul (PublicAffairs, 2007), and Deresiewicz to discuss Excellent Sheep. More...

1. I am writing to inform you that we intend to allow limited early access to enable analysis of the impact case studies submitted to the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014).
2. All institutions that submitted to the REF provided impact case studies as part of their submissions. These will be published alongside other REF submissions data at the end of the exercise; we currently expect this to be in early 2015.
3. The case studies contain a wealth of evidence concerning the benefits that result from research in UK higher education institutions. HEFCE, on behalf of the four UK funding bodies, intends to release the REF impact case studies to third parties before 2015, on a strictly confidential basis, for further analysis. More...

1. I am writing to inform you that we intend to allow limited early access to enable analysis of the impact case studies submitted to the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014).
2. All institutions that submitted to the REF provided impact case studies as part of their submissions. These will be published alongside other REF submissions data at the end of the exercise; we currently expect this to be in early 2015.
3. The case studies contain a wealth of evidence concerning the benefits that result from research in UK higher education institutions. HEFCE, on behalf of the four UK funding bodies, intends to release the REF impact case studies to third parties before 2015, on a strictly confidential basis, for further analysis. More...