Centre for Innovation in Higher Education (CIHE)

Collaborative Pedagogic Research Symposium

 International Pedagogic Research Network logo

The Centre for Innovation in Higher Education (CIHE) at Anglia Ruskin University proudly co-hosted the Collaborative Pedagogic Research Symposium on Friday, 10 July 2026. This important online event attracted 188 participants, including leading academics, dedicated learning developers, and innovative researchers from a wide array of disciplines, creating a vibrant atmosphere for sharing research, knowledge, and ideas.

Attendees represented 12 countries, showcasing international collaboration, and included representatives from 52 UK universities, highlighting the diverse geographic and institutional backgrounds of the participants.

The symposium featured an engaging keynote address from Dr Anna Serbati, from the University of Trento in Italy. Her presentation, titled ‘Research Without Borders: Cross-Cultural Partnerships for Educational Change’, offered inspiring insights into how global collaborations can effectively foster educational advancements and transformative change in teaching practices.

In addition to the keynote, the event included 28 lightning talks, which allowed speakers to present their research and innovative ideas in a concise and impactful format. Participants were also able to engage in six interactive workshops, designed to foster hands-on learning and collaborative discussion among attendees on various pedagogic topics.

One of the key highlights of the day was the official launch of the International Pedagogic Research Network. CIHE is a founding member of this exciting initiative, alongside the Universities of Bath and Bristol and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This network aims to facilitate ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing among educators and researchers across the globe.

Presentations and session recordings from the Symposium are available below.

If you are interested in becoming part of this growing community, please follow these links…

Welcome and introduction

Keynote: Associate Professor Anna Serbati

Lightning Talks

Theme 1: Collaboration

Theme 2: Teaching and Learning

 

Theme 3: AI and/or Assessment

 

Closing Plenary

Theme 1: Collaboration

Enhancing Collaborative Learning in Life Sciences: Integrating inquiry-based labs and data-driven analysis, Dr Diane Guo (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

How Collaborating with Artists Crystalises the Value of my Teaching (that is not yet replaceable by AI), Dr Yang Yeung (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Bridging Theory and Practice Through Student-Led Service Learning in E-Health and Chinese Medicine, Hung Hing Yu Ada, Dr Hua Heyu, Siu Sheung Yuen Shane and Hu Ziqi (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

The Invisible Doctor of Social Science: Pedagogic identity, recognition and precarity in collaborative higher education, Dr Nelia Koroleva (University of Westminster / Oxford Brookes University)

From Practitioner to Researcher: Supporting inclusive pedagogic research engagement through structured Educational Development pathways, Assoc Prof Lynne Wyness, Dr Emma Scanlan, Chloe Courtenay, Sarah Falcus and Dr Caroline Fleeting (Plymouth Marjon University)

Collaborating to Recognise Values-led Education: Exploring education-focused identities across disciplines and career stages (Stacey Mottershaw and Dr Amandine Hostein, University of Leeds)

What makes academic staff development impactful? Comparing Italian and British perspectives, Dr Uwe Matthias Richter, Dr Mark Warnes, Elena Benini and Assoc Prof Anna Serbati (Anglia Ruskin University) 

Working with Research Postgraduates to Unlock their Potential as Excellent Peer Educators, Dr John Alexander Wright (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Inclusive Pedagogy Training: Staff-Student co-created programmes for racial equity and neurodiversity, Nina Cupric and Jade Wigley (University of Staffordshire)

Theme 2: Teaching and Learning

Escape the Ordinary: Unlocking Active learning in Ophthalmology, Dr Aneesha Fonseca, Prof Rashmi Mathew and Prof Narciss Okhravi (Moorfields Eye Hospital, London) 

Vygotsky’s Zones of Proximal Leaping: A clinical board game to teach constructivist theory, Jack Wilby (NHS Education for Scotland & Royal Navy)

Pedagogic Research and Collaboration: Lessons from Jazz, Dr Pedro Agua (Portuguese Naval Academy)

Collaborative Pedagogic Research in Translation: Co‑creating resources and extending learning beyond the classroom, Dr Barbara Jiawei LI, Dr Lily Li Li and Dr Chester Chung Cheng (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)  

Theorising Simulation-Based Learning: ‘The Square’ as an immersive pedagogical space for graduate readiness, Melissa Schuessler, Dr Andrew Wilson, Dr Cliff Li and Ashley McCoy (Leeds University Business School )

The Mature and Commuter Student Experience at Loughborough University, Prof Hilary McDermott, Dr Laura Houldcroft and Dr David Maidment (Loughborough University) 

Exploring the Impact of Academic Imposter Syndrome on the University Experience of Widening Participation Students, Amy Morrell (Nottingham Trent University)

Digital Confidence: Increasingly mentioned, underexplored, Rachel Bancroft, Bethany Witham, Dr Rosemary Pearce and Assoc Prof Rachel Challen (Nottingham Trent University)

HE Educators' Experiences of Undertaking the Advance HE Fellowship Programme: Getting a badge or establishing collaborative pedagogic enquiry as a core, everyday feature of practice? 
Dr Alyson Lewis, Heather Pennington and Dr Alexandra Morgan (Cardiff University)

Theme 3: AI and/or Assessment

Use of AI in Question Writing for Healthcare Students Dr Amy Lebby (East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust)

From Visible Error to Invisible Misunderstanding: How AI reshapes cognitive engagement in pharmacokinetics programming assessment, Dr Nicola Jennings (Loughborough University)

AI-assisted Reflective Writing in Masters Modules: Pilot Study, Dr Seibu Mary Jacob and Simon Patterson (Teesside University)

Developing AI-resilient Assessments, Dr Olakunle Olayinka and Dr Bayode Ogunleye (University of Sheffield)

Mini-Vivas as Inclusive and Authentic Alternatives to Written Assessments, Dr Helen Leggett (University of East Anglia) 

Democratizing Artificial Intelligence in Business Education: Enhancing Learning through applied AI assignments, Dr Panos Fitsilis and Dr Vyron Damasiotis (University of Thessaly)

Beyond AI Adoption: The emerging role of educators as critical and ethical mediators in AI-enhanced higher education, Maite Moya Espinosa, Dr Simon Pratt-Adams and Dr Leo Callealta Oña (Universidad Europea de Madrid)   

Can Authentic Assessment Bridge the Gap between Academia and Clinical Practice? Postgraduate healthcare student perspectives: a qualitative study, Marian Hepburn-Barnes (Anglia Ruskin University)  

Data-Driven Assessment Innovation to Enhance Student Success, Prof Kelly Edmunds (University of East Anglia)

From Research Methods Feedback to Dissertation Ideas: Helping Year 2 students improve and find a dissertation topic, Dr Fawaz Khaled (Oxford Brookes University)

Workshops (these were not recorded)

Designing Meaningful Assessment with AI, Constantine Andoniou (Abu Dhabi University) 

A New Beginning: Exploring educational innovation through emergent story telling, Chris Mitchell (Royal College of Art) and Tom Sowden (Boomsatsuma) 

Laughter by Design, Not by Luck: Strategic humour for better learning, Alex Chun Koon (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) 

Designing Inclusive Viva Voce Assessment in AI-responsive Curricula: Towards a collaborative pedagogic research agenda, Fabio Aricò and Ritchie Woodard (University of East Anglia) 

Building Engaged Online Learning Communities through Collaborative Pedagogic Research: Student voice, appreciative inquiry and cross-disciplinary partnership, Linda Wilkinson, Heather Ellis and Jayne Finlay (University of Sheffield) 

Optik-i: A student-led wiki as collaborative pedagogic research in practice, Gloria Gomez and Costantinos Petsoglou (University of Sydney)