Advance HE has co-delivered a short teaching programme with the HEAT (teaching excellence team) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) for members of its PhD community.
The ‘Foundations in Learning and Teaching Programme for Ph.D. Students’ is part of a wide-ranging portfolio of work that Advance HE has conducted with the University, investing in teaching capacity, as well as promoting, recognising and rewarding teaching excellence.
The programme was designed to support PhDs setting out on their teaching careers. As well as exploring areas such as ‘Incorporating Learning Theories into Course Design’ and ‘Student-centred teaching and active learning’, the programme included sessions led by the HEAT team on the Professional Standards Framework, introducing the delegates to the opportunity of applying for Associate Fellowship.
In feedback from the PhDs about the programme, 90% of delegates ‘strongly agreed’ and 10% ‘agreed’ that “my knowledge and skills have increased as a result of the training”; and that they “will apply the knowledge and skills gained at my institution”. Wen-Li Chang, one of the PhDs, said, “The entire professional team literally introduced a strong sense of community among all participants in the workshop, as having been desired in educational settings. The necessary self-reflection that could have been scary was made clearly understandable and possible to practice – or even to form a habit of doing so.”
NYCU has been an Advance HE member since 2018 and has already run four Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (CLTHE) programmes with another anticipated in the near future. These programmes, among other teaching experiences, have offered significant numbers of staff at the University robust evidence to support Fellowship applications. The University now has 83 Fellows, including two Principal Fellows, 19 Senior Fellows, 56 Fellows and six Associate Fellows.
Regine Lin, NYCU Programme Leader, said, “Our delivery team of NYCU faculty were delighted to be working with Advance HE to support this talented group of PhDs as they embark on their teaching careers and develop professional knowledge and skills informed by higher education theories and best practices.
"More significantly is that two former PhDs participants having been awarded Fellowship returned to share their experience and journey to the Fellowship. This exemplifies our colleagues’ active engagement in their continuing professional development, positive perception of their role as an educator, commitment to effective teaching, supporting student learning, and most importantly, their willingness to contribute back to their teacher communities through teaching mentorship and leadership.”
Ian Hall, Advance HE Head of Membership (International), said, “The feedback from this programme has been very encouraging. The programme is an example of the sustained effort the University is making to enhance teaching and it’s clear that this is having a positive impact on the student experience, the reward and recognition of staff, and the University’s reputation for teaching excellence.”
NYCU was formed in 2021 as a result of the merger of National Chiao Tung University and National Yang Ming University. The University has more than 20,000 students, with 19 colleges and 74 university/college-level research centres.
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Fellowship demonstrates a personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education. Across four categories, from Associate to Principal, Fellowship provides individuals with recognition of their practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning. Find out more here.