HERC survey of academic staff

Launch of HERC survey of academic staff at the All Ireland Society for Higher Education (AISHE) Trinity College Dublin, March 28 2014.

A new report exploring the professional development interests of academic staff across four universities and four institutes of technology in the Dublin region was recently published by the All Ireland Society for Higher Education (AISHE). The report is based on a survey undertaken by HERC with support from the Strategic Innovation Fund of the HEA. Authored by Professor Maria Slowey, Director of HERC, Dr Ekaterina Kozina, previously Postdoctoral Researcher with HERC and Dr Eloise Tan, previously Educational Development Officer in the Learning Innovation Unit, the analysis places an emphasis on listening to what academics identify as the opportunities and barriers in relation to professional development. It also explores levels of engagement in professional development and respondents’ perspectives on the changing nature of the student body. In the context of increasing- often competing- demands on academic staff, an overwhelming majority (92%) reaffirm teaching as a source of job satisfaction to them.

The full report is available on a Creative Commons basis in PDF version at the following link: http://www.aishe.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Voices-of-Academics-in-…

Professor Sally Brown, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Emerita Professor, Leeds Metropolitan University, had the following to say at the launch:

"It was a real privilege to be part of the launch of a great new publication, 'Voices of Academics in Irish Higher Education: Perspectives on Professional Development' at a workshop I led on the topic 'From Dissertation to Dissemination'. Having worked for more than two decades with colleagues in Irish Universities and IoTs, it's apparent that there is a vibrant community of academic and educational developers who work hard to foster a student-centred learning environment. This publication offers an authentic opportunity for the voices of academics working with developers to be heard, and for this to inform future activities both for AISHE and for the national community. Congratulations to the authors: I look forward to hearing how the publication is received and to seeing in practice its powerful impact on practice."

Photo:

Left to right. Front row (authors): Professor Maria Slowey, Director Higher Education Research Centre, DCU and Dr Ekaterina Kozina, previously Post Doctoral Researcher HERC (not in photograph: Dr Eloise Tan, Educational Developer, National Forum for the enhancement of Teaching and Learning )

Back row: Helen Guerin, AISHE Publications Committee, University College Dublin; Professor Sally Brown, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Emerita Professor, Leeds Metropolitan University; Saranne Magennis, AISHE Publications Committee, National University of Ireland Maynooth