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Creating Academic Leadership through a Fellowship Programme

Creating Academic Leadership through a Fellowship Programme. Elizabeth Noonan Professor Bairbre Redmond University College Dublin . This paper:. Examines the background factors leading to the creation of a Fellowship scheme Looks at the guiding principles behind the scheme

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Creating Academic Leadership through a Fellowship Programme

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  1. Creating Academic Leadership through a Fellowship Programme Elizabeth Noonan Professor Bairbre Redmond University College Dublin

  2. This paper: • Examines the background factors leading to the creation of a Fellowship scheme • Looks at the guiding principles behind the scheme • Charts the development of the Fellowships so far.

  3. Context 1: Internal Structures • Major re-structuring of university within 3 years (2004- 2007) • 11 Faculties into 5 Colleges; • 80+ Departments into 35 Schools • Full modularisation of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes • Strong institutional focus on research

  4. Context 2: External & Internal Factors • Change in student demographic • Drop in student attendance • Academic difficulties arising from introduction of modularised/semesterised curriculum • Clear rewarding of research output • Unclear benefit for being involved in teaching.

  5. Context 3:University approaches to T&L • Teaching Support Unit working with individual enthusiastic teachers, little change/movement in this population • Unrelated small T&L projects in existence, little general dissemination • New Heads of Teaching appointed in each school (department) to support new structures.

  6. School Teaching Heads 2005-7

  7. Head of Teaching Roles Chores • Timetabling, updating module descriptor forms, other tedious admin chores • Admin side very burdensome due to ‘teething’ problems with computer systems • T&L overwhelmed by the mechanics of modularisation rather than the substance And lack of authority • “Absolute lack of authority combined with absolute responsibility”

  8. Frustrations: • “We’re overwhelmed by the mechanics of modularisation rather than the substance” • “We haven’t had time to devote more time to sharing experiences and insights about teaching” • “Absolute lack of authority combined with absolute responsibility” • “This work won’t get me promoted”

  9. Combined to Create: • Working in a time of significant change • Significant T&L issues needing to be addressed: assessment, engagement etc • Motivated staff but either dispersed or focused on “chores” • Lack of clarity as to how teaching-focused effort would be rewarded.

  10. Philosophy and Opportunity • National strategic fund (SIF) for Higher Education • Key concept to join up emerging leaders and find a way of connecting them & their interests to the institution’s agenda • Emphasis on rewarding current and future contributions • “Developing the Learning University” (Martin, 1999) • Wenger’s (2002) concept of “communities of practice” • Fellowships in Teaching and Academic Development

  11. Fellowships in Teaching & Academic Development • 2 year funding stream to support 8 Fellows • Communications strategy “snap effect”: high visibility and high quality branding • Project commenced May 2007 • A hybrid model incorporating: • Teamwork on institutional themes • Individual activity in subject area • Institutional link: University of Limerick

  12. Fellowships in Teaching & Academic Development: Progress • Two project teams and 10 individual projects established • Colloquium with University of Limerick scholars • Initial dissemination of projects: Universitas 21 Conference February 07 • Future conference papers identified: FYE Experience, EAIR, SRHE • Website established to promote internal/external visibility

  13. Fellowships in Teaching & Academic Development: Benefits • Collaborative working: crossing the discipline boundaries • Increased visibility of the Fellows as a group of experts within the University • Purposeful relationship between practice research and future policy • Strengthening of individual identity • Future benefits?

  14. Contact: • Bairbre.Redmond@ucd.ie • Elizabeth.Noonan@ucd.ie • Fellowship website: www.fellowship.ie

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