Research-led Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: A case

This paper reports on one aspect the Research-led Teaching and Learning (RLTL) Project, which set out to investigate the reality of the university rhetoric concerning the relationship of research to teaching. The university, like many others, bases some of its claims to the excellence of its teaching and the quality of the learning experience enjoyed by its students on the close connection that is made between its research, and teaching and learning. The project was initiated to explore this relationship through evidence from students, academics and other members of the university. In doing so, we hoped to gain a clearer and deeper understanding of what the university means by research-led teaching and learning. The findings of the research and the report covered a wider range of issues than had been originally envisaged. This paper focuses on the first part of the report: what academics and undergraduate students understand and experience as research-led teaching and learning.