The University of Cumbria has bagged a ‘silver’ rating for teaching quality and student outcomes as part of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

The national scheme, operated by the Office for Students (OfS), encourages improvement and excellence in areas such as teaching, learning and achieving favourable student outcomes.

Silver certifies a high-quality student experience with potential standout characteristics.

University of Cumbria Vice Chancellor Professor Julie Mennell said: “By achieving a silver rating, we demonstrate to our students and prospective students that whatever their background, they can have confidence that they will receive a high-quality higher education and positive outcomes.

“This is an excellent result for us and is a significant improvement on our bronze rating, which we achieved during the first round of the TEF in 2017.

“Improving our TEF rating from bronze to silver was a key aim of our Towards 2030 strategy, and we have achieved it four years earlier than planned. This is testament to the dedication of our teaching and support staff in delivering the best possible teaching, learning and student outcomes for our students.”

Initially developed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and later the Department for Education, the previous TEF exercise ran from 2017 to 2019.

The ratings typically last four years, but the ratings from 2017 had to be extended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Towards 2030 scheme outlines the university's goals, including new campus projects in Barrow and Carlisle, and a novel medical school with Imperial College London.

TEF results can be found on the OfS website.