Dr Sam Smidt to lead Arena Centre

Dr Sam Smidt has been appointed Director of the Arena Centre for Research-based Education with immediate effect.

Sam takes up the role after her predecessor, Professor Dilly Fung, left UCL to become Pro-Director for Education at LSE.

A particle physicist by background, Sam joined UCL in 2016 with many years’ experience in online and distance education at the Open University, where she worked on developing and implementing learning and teaching policy.  Sam also has several years’ experience working in a large consortium developing e-learning platforms and pedagogies in Central Asia. Since arriving at UCL, she has focussed on Academic Support and on Postgraduate matters.

Sam said:

"It’s very exciting to have the chance to build on Dilly’s work, developing connections between research, learning and the deeper engagement of students with their studies. There is some fantastic teaching going on at UCL and it is the Arena Centre’s job to provide support and training to staff who teach or support teaching, and to create resources for our students, so that we deliver consistently great education across the university. Our current priority, working with Careers and the Office of the Vice-Provost (Education and Student Affairs) is to meet with every department to discuss how we can support them."

Professor Anthony Smith, Vice-Provost for Education and Student Affairs, said:

"UCL teaching and learning has attracted interest from around the world, since Dilly Fung established the Connected Curriculum, our framework for research-based education. Dilly is a hard act to follow but Sam has an impressive track record in educational change, and I look forward to working with her and her Arena colleagues to continue to develop a truly world-class education for our students."