Beyond the Benchmark

In 2012, NAWE was commissioned by the Higher Education Academy to investigate the current state of Creative Writing teaching and research in higher education and to determine key areas for investment (of time, energy and pedagogical research) following the rapid and sustained growth in Creative Writing degree programmes over the last decade.

The aim was to produce a major report that collates examples of current best practice and identifies the issues facing the subject over the coming years, not least on account of the introduction of a Creative Writing A-Level by AQA in 2013. 27 universities contributed to the research.

The report was published in November 2013 and launched at the NAWE Conference in York.

There were a number of recommendations emerging from the report, which are not included in the publication. We are however publishing them here below.