Academics should receive research funding only if they agree to teach their discoveries to undergraduates, it was suggested this week, writes Jessica Shepherd.
Paul Ramsden, the chief executive of the Higher Education Academy, argued that grant applications should include a line that obliged academics to describe how they would link research to teaching.
Speaking ahead of a conference titled Bringing Research and Teaching Together , he said: "The standing of individual academics increasingly depends on research accomplishments and less on teaching skills. There is a danger that teaching gets left behind because of the prestige accorded to research. Then our position in the UK would be left behind too."
Mr Ramsden said: "Universities have altered their promotion and appointment policies to give more weight to teaching performance. They have introduced financial incentives at faculty and school levels. We have also seen funding initiatives to provide for the introduction of accredited teaching programmes."
He added that he hoped the HEA would become a voice on policy and a source of advice for the Government and funding bodies. He also suggested that academics with the title "professor" should teach as well as carry out research.