Teaching & Learning Network

The idea of a U21 network for senior staff with responsibilities in relation to teaching and learning dates back to 2006. A conference on e-learning was held at the Guadalajara campus of Tecnológico de Monterey in 2006 at which the U21 TLN was launched. This was followed in 2008 by a conference in Glasgow looking at issues of whether teaching and learning translate and then in 2009 a third conference was held at the Ningbo campus of the University of Nottingham with the theme of “Teaching and Learning for Employability in a Global Economy”. Recognising that there are particular challenges and opportunities relating to T&L in research-intensive universities, we believe there is genuine scope for collaboration to identify and share good practice in a number of areas.

TLN Grand Challenges

• Leadership of educational change
• Curricular and pedagogical reform
• The teaching-research nexus
• Student engagement
• Broadening the educational experience
• Internationalisation

A Steering Group has been appointed to oversee collaboration in this area and the following specific activities have been identified for the medium term. We believe this initiative will build on our existing success in mobility and related activity and will support U21’s position as a leader in international higher education.

Goals

• Cataloguing and linking existing work done across the U21 network with respect to best practice in teaching and learning;
• Promoting opportunities throughout the network to learn from the experience of others and building links between individuals with shared interests;
• Organising a successful annual conference on a theme of interest and relevance;
• Encouraging the development of position papers and thought-provoking articles relating to U21 TLN initiatives;
• Developing and supporting a practitioner community;
• Evaluating and capitalising on opportunities for greater shared/multi-partner delivery

The U21 TLN has recently launched a fellowship scheme to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills within the U21 TLN and to encourage the sharing of best practice.  Details can be found by clicking on the "more information" link below.

The U21 TLN is a cross-network partnership, open to all interested members of U21. Lavinia Gott at the University of Virginia is the U21 TLN coordinator. Please contact Lavinia if you have any questions regarding the group’s activities or if you wish to receive further information.