Strategy 2009-10 to 2013-14
Faculty Academic Strategy
Humanities and Comparative Studies
The
Faculty fosters creative and critical thinking applied to human practices
and the creative arts, taking an interdisciplinary approach to applying
fundamental theoretical and practice-led inquiries to the ethical and
cultural challenges of the twenty-first century. The Faculty’s world-class
research strength was confirmed by the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise,
with particular success in History, Philosophy and Art History and Theory, which
feature amongst the top ten UK departments in their respective disciplines.
In order to maintain this success, and acknowledging an increasingly
competitive climate, the Faculty aims to:
- Maintain and develop research strength.
- Improve research grant application success rates.
- Develop interdisciplinary collaboration, both within and outside of
the institution.
- Encourage applications for practice-led and creative and performing
arts awards that have the potential to widen participation in research.
- Address the Higher Education Funding Council for England requirement
of user-valued economic and social impact of research.
- Develop and maintain international links and research to raise the
Faculty’s profile and impact.
- Encourage knowledge transfer, acknowledging that this is often a
two-way process.
Amongst other departmental priorities, the Faculty will focus on
strategically significant projects identified by the Global Challenges
initiative, such as the Transitional Justice project. Faculty members have
been active in contributing to creative industries, knowledge transfer and
public engagement but further potential exists for externally-funded
activity.
We will also encourage applications for seedcorn funding initiatives,
such as the Knowledge Transfer Innovation Fund (KTIF), ‘Iceni’ and East of
England Development Agency (EEDA)
‘Proof of Market’ schemes, which can be used to leverage larger funding
awards.
Humanities
and Comparative Studies delivers a unique and highly-valued
research-informed student experience across a broad range of undergraduate,
postgraduate and research programmes. Students are taught by internationally
recognised academics, and research and professionally active support staff.
The Faculty’s primary learning and teaching objectives are:
- To maintain and improve the Faculty’s above-average scores (both
nationally and at a University level) for the quality of student
experience.
- To increase international student recruitment and exchange,
especially from Anglophone countries and through bilateral study abroad
opportunities.
- To diversify and innovate in its provision of degree programmes with
reference to relevant market research and University planning
objectives, including both development of new degrees and introduction
of new delivery mechanisms, such as accessible part-time structures for
postgraduate taught courses.
- To engage actively with current University career development and
employability initiatives and embed discipline-relevant employability
skills within degree programmes.
- To promote engagement in student enterprise initiatives that are
designed to develop entrepreneurial skills and awareness.
- To introduce opportunities for students to gain relevant
discipline-related work experience through internships, voluntary
activity, group projects and increased links with regional business and
creative industries.
To achieve these objectives:
- The Faculty will actively engage with current University career
development and employability initiatives and embed discipline-relevant
employability skills within degree programmes.
- A variety of new degree programmes are being introduced.
- Future phases of curriculum review will be more explicitly linked to
market research and planning, and may include rationalisation and
harmonisation of provision, as well as new developments and regional
collaboration with partner colleges.
More information on the Faculty of
Humanities and Comparative Studies, its Departments and Centres