The Teaching Excellence (TEF) is periodic exercise undertaken at institution-level by the Office for Students (OfS) as part of its regulatory framework.
A range of data are used, including:
- National Student Survey (NSS) outcomes
- Student continuation, completion and progression data
These combined with a written submission are assessed by a panel and given an overall rating.
Participation in the TEF is compulsory for all English institutions registered with the OfS as one of the conditions of registration.
The University of Oxford was first assessed in the TEF in 2017, receiving a Gold award. It made a second submission in early 2023, again receiving a Gold overall rating, based on Gold ratings in both of the sub-categories of student experience and student outcomes – one of only four Russell Group institutions to achieve this outcome.
Further information on the TEF can be found on the OfS website.
