Two Newcastle University lecturers have been rewarded for excellent teaching.

Dr Sue Robson, Head of the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences and Dr Jarka Glassey, a Reader in Chemical Engineering Education, have been made National Teaching Fellows.

Fellowships are awarded for excellence in higher education teaching and support for learning from the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Fifty five fellows have been announced nationally this year.

Dr Robson champions the importance of good teaching at Newcastle and is carrying out research for the HEA looking at how higher education recognises and rewards good teaching. Her work includes research and practice development in the internationalisation of higher education and redefining teaching excellence in the sector. 

She led a team from the Research Centre for Learning and Teaching which developed the Equal Acclaim for Teaching Excellence (EQUATE) research and development programme for university teachers. She convenes a Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Research Group and a national Special Interest Group on Internationalising the Curriculum. 

She said: “I'm delighted at this acknowledgement of my contribution to the leadership and delivery of high quality teaching, learning and student experiences both in, and beyond, my own institution.

“I look forward to joining a national network of Teaching Fellows and the opportunities this will present to discuss and debate academic roles, identities, and education for the 21st century and to influence the range of activity that is recognised and rewarded as teaching excellence in the sector.”

Dr Glassey  has dedicated her academic career to improving chemical engineering education institutionally, nationally and internationally. She is a passionate believer in more interactive, hands-on approach to engineering education and led the successful modernisation of the chemical engineering degree at Newcastle University, introducing industrial case-study supported enquiry based learning.

Her unique teaching style encourages natural student curiosity and creativity to achieve the development of strong foundations of chemical engineering principles as well as sector-critical professional skills – innovative problem solving, team working and communication. Her students clearly appreciate this interactive approach and say: ‘I like the questions, the voting system, etc. because they engage the students and improve learning’

She said: “She said: “It gives me great pleasure to receive this recognition of my efforts in improving chemical engineering education and student experience at Newcastle; but also in recognition of my leadership in these areas  nationally and internationally through the  IChemE education special interest group and European Federation of Chemical Engineering.
“It is really good to see Newcastle University recognised for the high quality of its teaching it well as the excellent research it undertakes.”

Professor Craig Mahoney, Chief Executive of the HEA, said: “Becoming a National Teaching Fellow is a great honour and will undoubtedly lead to many new and exciting challenges, but I believe that it is students who will benefit most from these awards. Our students deserve the best possible learning experience and it is colleagues like those we celebrate today who can make a real difference to their futures. I congratulate all the successful Fellows and wish them every success in their own learning and teaching experiences.”

Pictured: Dr Sue Robson

published on: 27 June 2013