36.6% of QMU teaching staff are recognised Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. The percentage has steadily increased over the last three years and also compares very favourably with an average of 20.1% for HEIs in Scotland and 19.9% for the UK (source: HEA Annual Institutional Report for QMU 2012-13)

Another email has come through for teaching/ learning support staff. 

HEA are running a series of writing retreats, with one being held in Edinburgh in December. 

The retreats are designed for colleagues who would like to understand the UK Professional Standards Framework and write an application for any category of Fellowship (Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow)

Further details and booking information is available on the HEA website:  http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/recognition-events

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Enhancement Themes - Year two synthesis

We have received an email from QAA regarding a synthesis of activity from the second year of the current Enhancement Theme, Developing and Supporting the Curriculum. As with the first year report, it is based on updates and submissions from Scotland's Higher Education institutions, and discussions with sterring group members.

The synthesis can be found on the DSC Resources section of the enhancement themes website.


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Workshop Programme 2013/2014 Academic Year

After meeting with Deans, Heads of subject, and programme leaders, our tutors have come up with a workshop programme for the current academic year.  It can be found either through our intranet site (Services -> Centre for Academic Practice -> Workshops) or on our website.
There is always room for more to be added, so please feel free to contact one of the team to discuss your needs.

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External Seminar: Reassessment and Progression– Thurs 21st November 2013

We've received the email below regarding a seminar which staff may find of interest.

 

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We are very pleased to announce the details for the SACWG 2013 seminar (Student Assessment and Classification Working Group) – the event will be held on Thursday 21^st November 2013 and will be entitled:

“Reassessment and Progression: a survey of Level 4 regulatory practice”

SACWG will be reporting on their project ‘Student academic failure and reassessment: policy and practice in UK Higher Education’ which has been underway for a year. This should be of interest to academic staff and professional administrators working on institutional assessment policies and regulations.  The event will be held at Liverpool John Moores University and bookings can be made via the weblink https://secure.worc.ac.uk/sacwg/. 

Contemplative Practices and Mindfulness

 

There is accumulating evidence that contamplative practices, including mindfulness and other forms of meditation can have a range of positive effects on people's lives. See for example a recent meta-analysis in Psychological Bulletin (Nov 2012).

 

Some of the potential benefits of mindfulness practices include:

• improved ability to manage stress, tension and anxiety
• handling thoughts, moods and emotions more skillfully
• more insight into emotions
• enhanced attention and concentration
• more self-acceptance and improved relationship with others 

CAP currently offers the following opportuntities for you to experience contemplative practices: 

1. Weekly Mindfulness and Contemplation sessions with Dr Avinash  from http://www.mindfullybeing.co.uk/  on Tuesdays from until 21st May 2013, 12:15-13:15 (room 0050)
2. Self-led meditation/contemplation sessions drop-in Thursdays until 9th May 2013, 12:15-1:15 pm (room 065)
3. Eight-week Mindfulness Foundation Courses with Dr Avinash (staff) and Dr Michele Hipwell (students) (these started in February, but we hope to offer these again next semester).Please email CAPadmin@qmu.ac.uk to express you interest, so that we can estimate the viability of running these courses again next semester.

Further information about any ofthese activities, please email Iddo Oberski on ioberski@qmu.ac.uk

CAP workshops Spring 2013

Peer assessment? PAT system? Enhancement Themes? Effective Assessment? Programme Leaders Network? Employer engagement? Plagiarism and TurnitinUK? Mindfulness? Validation and Review? ‘Masterness’? Feedback? Supporting enterpreneurialism? Curriculum for Excellence?

The Centre for Academic Practice offers scheduled workshops on all these topics and more. These are usually 60 or 90 min sessions, often over lunch, where we share practice, discuss hot topics, unpack challenges and celebrate successes.

See our programme for details.

Book now ^{(thin client only)}

or contact us at CAPadmin@qmu.ac.uk

CAP workshop programme - semester 2

The CAP programme of workshops for semester 2 is now available.
Please follow this link to have a look and see the workshops we have on offer:
http://www.qmu.ac.uk/cap/LandTWkshopsHome.htm