8 ways to turbo-charge your teaching career at UCL

As the new academic year begins the next academic promotions round starts too.

Even if you’re not yet ready to build a case for promotion, there are plenty of things you could be doing this year to build your portfolio and develop your teaching career.

Under UCL’s Academic Career Framework, promotion criteria for teaching prioritise evidence of leadership, both within your subject and in the delivery and enhancement of education more broadly.

Dr Sam Smidt, Director of the UCL Arena Centre for Research-based Education, suggests eight ways to develop your teaching career.

1. Develop your teaching practice by attending Arena events and using the case studies and teaching resources on the Teaching and Learning Portal.
2. Champion inclusive education and reduce the attainment gap for students wherever it exists.
3. Work in partnership with your students to make positive change – for example, on a ChangeMaker project or in your Staff Student Consultative Committee.
4. Contribute to education administration, sitting on your teaching committee or exam board for example, or participating in the quality assurance process.
5. Join in with the Arena Programme - UCL's professional development pathway for teaching gives supports teaching and support staff to gain nationally recognised fellowships accredited by the Higher Education Academy.
6. Share your experience and innovations in teaching and learning – publish a case study on the UCL Teaching and Learning Portal, present your work at the UCL Education Conference or conferences further afield.
7. Innovate or step into a leadership role in your subject area , for example as a programme leader, delivering education excellence and curriculum reform.
8. Collaborate with other departments or external peers on education projects.