Inspiring knowledge share on Learning and Teaching
The start of a new academic year is always an exciting time as we prepare for the arrival, or return, of our students.
It serves as a reminder that education and the student experience underpin everything we do. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on the ambitions in the University Vision 2030 and Strategy 2025, and indeed two of these (the first two) are directly related to Learning and Teaching: ‘Engage every student in a life-changing experience’ and ‘Meet changing demand and widen participation’.
Over the past 12-18 months we have been championing our distinctive approach to Learning and Teaching, including externally through higher education sector media and conferences. You can read some of these articles in Times Higher Education (THE), Wonkhe, University Business and Inside Government, and this work will continue. However, we feel there is an opportunity to articulate more clearly, and present more coherently, exactly ‘how’ we are doing this through our website.
Education Matters launch
Today we're delighted to launch ‘Education Matters’, a new blog and online resource which showcases our University strategy in action. We've invited written contributions from academic and professional staff across the institution giving their insight on delivery of the institution’s Learning and Teaching priorities. I would like to thank those who have already provided content and we would very much like to receive further article suggestions from University staff and student leaders going forward.
These could focus on the core Learning and Teaching positioning that the University is taking around the Blended and Connected learning environment: supporting understanding around what this means in practice, how it is different to online learning, and the benefits/impacts of that. It may also be linked to the themes under the two ambitions e.g. ensure student experience is consistently outstanding, inspire and challenge our students, reduce attainment gaps, champion access and inclusivity, and meet future and employer skills needs, as well as our ‘Being, Belonging and Becoming’ approach.
Call for submissions
If you have an idea for an article around your/your team’s work in delivering the Learning and Teaching priorities in the University Vision 2030 and Strategy 2025, please send me a 50-100 word synopsis of what you would like to write about. We'll then review this, and potentially invite you to develop an 800-1,000-word blog with drafting and editing support from our communications colleagues.
Our objective is to use ‘Education Matters’ as a platform to build internal understanding and share knowledge on how we are delivering on the University’s Learning and Teaching priorities, and over time also use this as a showcase externally (including with current and prospective students) about the ‘Portsmouth way’. This will become even more important as we work with you to develop, and implement, a new Education Strategy for the University of Portsmouth.
Author: Dr Harriet Dunbar-Morris is Dean of Learning and Teaching and a Reader in Higher Education at the University of Portsmouth.