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ARU lecturers recognised for quality of teaching

Published: 6 August 2020 at 10:00

Lord Ashcroft Building in Cambridge

Two academics receive National Teaching Fellowships from Advance HE

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) lecturers Dr Beatriz Acevedo and Siân Shaw have both received National Teaching Fellowships thanks to the quality of their teaching.

The National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) scheme, organised by Advance HE, celebrates and recognises individuals in higher education who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession.

Beatriz is part of the Faculty of Business and Law and works within Anglia Learning and Teaching, which provides support and professional development for teaching staff at ARU. 

She has championed “action learning” and art-based methods in education, by empowering students to rekindle their creativity for problem solving, sustainability and ethical behaviour. Beatriz said: 
“The National Teaching Fellowship is a recognition of Anglia Ruskin University's commitment to innovative education.  I have been given support and creative freedom to merge my artistic practice with my work as an academic to enhance the students' experience. 

“This strategic creative freedom is the key to empowering and equipping our students for the challenges of an uncertain world.”

Siân, Director of Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care, has a particular interest in technology-enhanced teaching and learning to better support students. 

In 2016, she developed the MyProgress app to allow student nurses to record their progress on placements using mobile tablets. Siân said: 
“I am honoured to be awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. I am grateful to the faculty for giving me the space to be innovative and for the support of colleagues and students willing to try out new ways of teaching, learning and assessment.”

Alison Johns, CEO of Advance HE, said: 
“I am sure I am joined by the entire sector in congratulating the 2020 awardees. All of the winners should be extremely proud of their achievement of what are prestigious, national teaching awards. Their work epitomises the outstanding commitment to teaching in the UK higher education sector, which this year has been more demanding than ever before. Well done to each and every one of them.”