Double success for Huddersfield with two National Teaching Fellowships

Two inspiring academics from the University of Huddersfield have been named as National Teaching Fellows. The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education. 

Recognised for their teaching excellence are Head of Computer Science in the School of Computing and Engineering Professor Richard Hill and Pedagogic Lead Dr Jane Wormald, from the School of Education and Professional Development.

The NTFs have been running for over 20 years and recognise the very best in teaching excellence. Recipients must meet a range of strict criteria which clearly demonstrates their individual excellence, their support of their colleagues and ongoing professional development. The University of Huddersfield has received 20 awards since 2008, a figure matched by only one other University.

The University of Huddersfield’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Professor Jane Owen-Lynch, was delighted with the news:

“Richard and Jane should be extremely proud of their achievements, which clearly demonstrate their commitment to teaching excellence. This is testament to their hard work and dedication ensuring that our students receive the best learning experience during their time at Huddersfield.”

With over 20 years’ experience of transforming teaching and research in the UK, Professor Richard Hill is committed to inclusive higher education.

Richard’s formative years as a Chartered Engineer leading project teams in the automotive industry shaped his outlook on the potential of people. He became increasingly involved in staff development and the use of technology to create opportunities for people.

Richard joined Sheffield Hallam University in 2000 as a Lecturer in Computing, starting a part-time PhD in 2003. He introduced a number of innovative postgraduate programmes that focused on transforming graduates into highly skilled employment, doubling the intake in two years and completed his PhD in 2007. 

In 2010 he went on to become a Senior Manager at the University of Derby, where he received a Professorship (2012) and led institutional projects on learning and teaching, facilities, research transformation and the intelligent use of resources for organisational intelligence, for inclusive education and to widen participation.

Richard joined the University of Huddersfield in 2017 as Head of Department of Computer Science and has continued to innovate with the curriculum, develop research capability in staff, manage academic performance and champion inclusivity. He became a Fellow and Chartered Manager of the Chartered Management Institute in 2017, and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2019.

He has published in excess of 150 peer-reviewed research articles which have accrued over 2,000 citations and is affiliated to the ATLAS project at CERN.  Richard is regularly invited to speak at leadership events and presents his research in Cloud Computing and Industrial Digital Technology at international conferences.

Dr Jane Wormald is a Senior Lecturer in Education and Professional Development, whilst also being Pedagogic Lead in the Strategic Teaching and Learning Team, working across the University with the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Teaching and Learning.  

Jane began her career in contemporary dance and performing arts, specialising in dance notation and worked for 10 years as a performer, FE lecturer and GCSE examiner. Jane was Learning Support Coordinator at the University of Huddersfield for four years during which time she began working and studying in the School of Education and Professional Development. Here she led a team that was shortlisted for the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (2017).

Jane coordinated a HEFCE funded project (2017-19) which included 'Flying Start', an initiative that was winner of the Guardian HE Awards 2018: Course and Curriculum Design, and which was awarded the Justice Prize at the SCUTREA Conference 2018.  

Jane is the Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Education and Professional Development specialising in lifelong learning with a research interest in atypical educational career trajectories. She is passionate about widening participation and transitions to Higher Education, leading the University's 'Starting University' initiatives: 'Flying Start', 'Ready, Steady, Study' and ‘Huddersfield Essentials’. A current interest is in exploring and enabling inclusive learning conditions and in forming ways to address differential achievement.  

Teaching Excellence

In 2017, the University won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award recognising its commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy).

The University was the first and is the only university in the UK where 100% of permanent teaching staff* are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

 

(*permanent staff, after probation: some recently appointed colleagues will only obtain recognition in the months after their arrival in Huddersfield, once they have started teaching.)