The Academic Staff Induction is designed for new members of academic staff at the University of Bedfordshire, who have teaching and assessment responsibilities. The programme uses a range of synchronous and asynchronous activities to support you during the initial stages of your time at the University of Bedfordshire. The academic induction will run at least three times a year and will cover aspects of learning, teaching, assessment and evaluation. Each synchronous session will delivered online and will focus on how the university processes link to the focus of that session. There will be accompanying asynchronous content to further support your introduction to teaching at the University of Bedfordshire.

New members of academic staff will be contacted by the Teaching and Learning team to invite them to the sessions.

Details of future academic induction sessions are available via the Academy’s events calendar

More information via: academy@beds.ac.uk

The Academy for Learning and Teaching Excellence offers a number of training and development sessions that are open to all University of Bedfordshire staff. Indicative topics include:

• BREO (digital learning systems)
• Embedding EDI in the curriculum
• Curriculum and assessment design
• AdvanceHE recognition

Details of upcoming sessions are available via the Academy's events calendar.

We are also able to provide bespoke training and support for faculties. For example:

• Supporting course/ unit/ assessment development and review
• Providing tailored academic development opportunities (e.g. for a course team or group of academic staff)
• Participating in faculty teaching and learning committees and project groups

Bespoke sessions for faculties should be requested via Academy Faculty Partners

Academic leadership plays a crucial role in promoting teaching and learning in higher education. Effective and inspirational academic leadership is essential to the delivery of an excellent, personalised student experience.

We endeavour to provide developmental training opportunities to teaching staff and course teams that are aligned with their role, responsibilities, and institutional expectations and priorities.

More information via clio.spanou@beds.ac.uk

Personal academic and pastoral support is central to providing students with a transformational learning experience. The University of Bedfordshire's personal academic tutoring approach aims to enhance student success through a proactive, structured and sustained engagement with our academic staff. Personal Academic Tutor time is focused on developing a valuable professional relationship with students.

We recognise that our students may need support in managing their student experience effectively, and whose requirements for support vary significantly. The role of the Personal Academic Tutor is in addition to the support provided by academic staff at the unit and course level and from the personal support provided to students by specialists within the central student support services. Where required, Personal Academic Tutors will also provide guidance around accessing specialist support from university professional service teams.

Personal Academic Tutoring Policy

The University Personal Academic Tutor Policy details associated expectations and processes (such as meeting frequency, and allocation of students to tutors). The policy and associated forms are available via the Academy's document library

Student-facing information on Personal Academic Tutoring can be found at Student Experience - Personal Academic Tutoring

Training

The Academy works in partnership with the Associate Deans for Student Experience to provide training for Personal Academic Tutors. This is delivered within faculties.

The Personal Academic Tutor Handbook is available via the Academy's document library

Further information

Contact the Academic Development team via AcademicDevelopment@beds.ac.uk

We are keen to promote and develop learning and teaching excellence by facilitating and

championing and sharing best practices and innovation and supporting collaboration.

Indicative areas of activity:

• Professional Communities and Networks; we understand the multiple value and benefits of collaborative approaches to staff development and promote and coordinate groups of staff who aim to develop professionally in whatever group configuration or model best suits their objectives and aspirations. It also provides support to staff to establish and run professional communities or networks through tailored advice and scheduled activities.

To discuss how the Academy can work with you to establish a new professional community please email academy@beds.ac.uk

• Peer Support of Teaching: review of policy and offer asynchronous training to facilitate meaningful engagement.