How to Submit a Teaching Proposal

When first considering a teaching and learning related potential link (UK or overseas) developers are asked to complete an Initial Proposal Template (IPT) for review by the University.

This form should be filled in prior to any funding applications.

The proposal form is intended to ensure that proposers have the opportunity to discuss initiatives and obtain appropriate advice with the right people in the early stages of development. Early discussion ensures that the right path is taken from the outset, that key services are fully consulted, and that proposals are routed through the appropriate channels quickly.

The IPT is an important part of the University's decision making process, therefore enough information should be provided to ensure that the University can make an informed judgement on whether to pursue a proposal and before too much preliminary and possibly abortive work has been undertaken.

To ensure that appropriate advice is available in time for developers to meet bid and other deadlines, as much time as possible should be allowed for consultation. A minimum of four working weeks is recommended to allow the initial approval to be sought. It is appreciated that some funding opportunities do not provide a long lead time and such proposals will be dealt with as quickly as possible.

The Teaching and Learning Projects Operational Group (TALPOG) is responsible for the management of Initial Proposal Template. The Group consists of a range of professional support staff from Research and Enterprise Services (RES), International Office, QuILT, ISS, Library, Student Progress, Human Resources and Finance who can offer advice and guidance on a range of topics to assist in the development of your proposal.

The Initial Proposal Template can be accessed at Initial Proposal Template.

1. Should I complete an Initial Proposal Template?

If you are considering the development of the following types of activity an Initial Proposal Template should be completed:

  • Assistance to another organisation to develop a Newcastle-inspired programme
  • Cooperation with another organisation over the delivery of a Newcastle programme (the second organisation providing some element of support)
  • Joint promotion of an activity
  • Cooperation with other organisations in bids to support teaching-related activities, e.g. EU funds such as Erasmus Mundus, Tempus or UK funds such as JISC, Higher Education Academy and the British Council
  • The development of new awards with partner organisations, including the development of Joint PhD programmes

The following types of activities would not be expected to complete an IPT where the arrangement is wholly related to:

  • Individual research supervision arrangements
  • Visiting staff arrangements
  • Internal University funding opportunities
  • Student Exchanges
  • Internships

2. How will the Initial Proposal be assessed?

Important factors in deciding whether or not to pursue an initiative will be:

  • The nature, standing and experience of the organisation with which it is intended to work relative to the work to be undertaken
  • The country risk both in terms of the political climate and the compatibility of what is proposed with the strategy for that particular region (University-wide) and in comparison with other planned initiatives
  • Compatibility in general of what is proposed with Academic Unit, Faculty and University plans, strategies and policies
  • The business case, including the following if relevant: capacity, sustainability, use of resources and likely costs / risks vs likely income / other benefits

Should the initial proposal be approved for further development, the above will have to be taken fully into account in the final business plan. If your bid might involve access to specialist software or information resources by external partners, please ensure that you read Access to library and ISS facilities for preparing bids.

3. Initial Proposal Template Process

Once an IPT has been received the following process is followed:

  1. The IPT is circulated to members of the Teaching and Learning Projects Operational Group (TALPOG) for initial comments. A Lead Adviser from TALPOG will be identified who will be responsible for managing the IPT process and will liaise with the proposer to inform them of progress and to discuss any issues arising from the consultation process.
  2. Once comments from TALPOG have been collected the IPT with these comments are forwarded onto the Head of Academic Unit for consideration and an indication of their support or otherwise.
  3. On receipt of comments from the Head of School, the comments form, the IPT and any additional information is sent onto the relevant Faculty Dean for Faculty approval. The Faculty will make one of the following recommendations: Approved with unreserved support / Approved with conditions / Not approved. If the IPT is approved with conditions these must be resolved prior to submission for institutional approval. The Lead Adviser will assist the proposer in resolving the conditions of approval.
  4. The final stage of the process is consideration by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching) for UK based projects and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for international projects for approval on behalf of the institution – this gives permission to go ahead with the submission of the funding bid (if appropriate) or to the next development and approval stage.

If successful the appropriate members of TALPOG and Faculty will help to support the development of the full proposal.

View the process flowchart

4. Late Submissions

Where an IPT is received less than four weeks prior to any funding deadline it may not be possible to give the proposal the appropriate consideration and approval and therefore in some cases the institution may decide that at this stage it is not possible to take the proposal forward. IPTs submitted less than one week before the deadline will not be considered.

5. Re-submission of Bids for External Funding

In the cases where an IPT has previously been submitted and approved for an external funding opportunity a TALPOG Lead Adviser will review the proposal against that previously submitted and if no major changes are identified a new IPT will not be required and the Head of Unit, Faculty and Deputy Vice-Chancellor/PVC (Learning & Teaching) will be consulted for re-confirmation of support.

If major changes to the bid are proposed, such as the addition of new partner or the development of a Newcastle award a revised IPT will be requested from the proposer.

6. Next Steps

Proposals with external funding

If approval for the IPT is successful support for the development of the bid submission will be available from appropriate members of TALPOG. Final proposals must be submitted at least one week in advance of the external funding date. The Lead Adviser for your IPT will provide you with this deadline on confirmation of approval of the IPT. The University cannot guarantee that any applications submitted after this date will be signed at institutional level by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching), as appropriate.

Proposals leading to an award or credit of Newcastle University

If approval for the IPT is successful the appropriate members of TALPOG and Faculty will help to support the development of the full proposal. More information on the next steps in the process can be found in the University's policies and procedures for the approval of education partnerships: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/quilt/partnerships/collaborative.htm.

7. Useful Information