Academic Development Coordinator – Dubai Campus

Academic Development Coordinator – Dubai Campus

Contract: Full time (35 hours per week), Open-ended

Grade 8

The Dubai campus is seeking to appoint an Academic Development Coordinator (Assistant Professor Grade 8) . The postholder will play a key role in delivering the work of the University’s strategic learning & teaching objectives across our global community and will be a key role in supporting learning and teaching enhancement on Dubai campus, led by the Deputy Vice Principal (Dubai). The postholder will work simultaneously with, and be part of, our Learning and Teaching Academy and will promote as well as be part of the activities of our LTA. The Academic Development Coordinator will support staff in all areas of Learning & Teaching enhancement & development.

The post holder will be expected to contribute across the breadth of the Learning and Teaching Academy’s enhancement and academic development activity for staff as well as offering specialist expertise in line with their skills and competences. They will particularly focus on delivering this support on Dubai Campus, and supporting the Deputy Vice Principal (Dubai). Working across the whole University, the appointee will be a confident communicator and trainer, adept at harnessing the opportunities offered by blended and digital learning to work in a truly global context. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with academic colleagues and schools to enhance student engagement and delivery.

The successful candidate will share the University and the Learning & Teaching Academy’s commitment to fostering collaboration and global working, and to creating an environment that nurtures, facilitates, and celebrates inspiring teaching.

The post is based on our Dubai campus, with flexible / hybrid working possible. As a global university, a flexible working schedule may be required to meet all key duties and responsibilities. Moderate travel is anticipated (including to HWU campuses in Scotland and Malaysia)

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Learning and Teaching

• Provide tailored support and guidance to Schools and campus groups.
• Design, develop and deliver high quality, innovative, and effective learning opportunities in the area of Higher Education pedagogy and practice. This includes:
  • Contributing to the development, teaching and leadership of the LTA taught programmes across all our campuses, making effective use of blended and online pedagogies.
  • Develop and support pathways to HEA Fellowship at all levels, including designing Masterclasses and programmes of support for staff.
  • Design and deliver flexible, targeted learning and teaching CPD provision in line with School and University strategic priorities. These will be delivered globally, making use of a range of technologies and delivery models to ensure parity of opportunity for staff at all campuses.

  Contribute specialist learning and teaching expertise and support to LTA, School, University & Campus based learning and teaching initiatives. Contribute to the development and effective dissemination of the LTA

  • ‘s suite of learning and teaching resources, good practice guides and Toolkits.

Scholarship and Research

Engage in horizon-scanning research, scholarship and networking to ensure Heriot-Watt

• ‘s approach to learning and teaching is pioneering, globally relevant and locally effective.
• Engage in pedagogical research and scholarship linked with institutional priorities for learning and teaching, including dissemination through appropriate routes.
• Design and deliver initiatives to support others to undertake research and scholarship in learning and teaching.

Seek opportunities for external funding of research, scholarship, and learning and teaching development activity, in line with University priorities to support staff & PGR community.

Strategic Projects and Enhancement Initiatives

Contribute to

• : and lead as appropriate – learning and teaching projects enhancement initiatives, in line with LTA, and University strategic priorities and context-specific need. This will include engagement with specific national learning enhancement initiatives such as supporting CAA accreditation and ensuring staff support needs for L&T in this area are met.

Contribute to the monitoring, evaluation and continued enhancement of the Learning and Teaching Academy

• ‘s programme of work.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Academy and wider University to ensure the delivery of strategic objectives in learning and teaching.

Manage projects and related resource (staff and budget), as appropriate.

Collaboration and Communication

Participate as a member of relevant internal and external committees, networks and working groups in the area of learning, teaching and academic practice as required;

• Build and support internal and external networks to support the development and delivery of LTA and University Strategic priorities.
• Liaise with and support supervisors within & PGR students in student-led development activity related to learning and teaching.
• Represent the Learning and Teaching Academy and the University effectively in institutional, national and international contexts.
• Contribute to the resource planning of the LTA.
• Collaborate and communicate professionally with staff and students from across the University and with a wide range of external stakeholders to support the delivery of the University Learning and Teaching Strategy.

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve. A flexible working schedule may be required to meet all key duties and responsibilities.

Education, qualifications and experience

Essential :

• Fellowship of HEA (or evidence of nearing submission)
• Educated to completed PhD or equivalent level
• Significant knowledge and experience of the UK higher education sector including an extensive understanding of pedagogy and practice in HE and the professional standards relevant to learning and teaching as well as significant knowledge and experience of UAE requirements , including CAA accreditation , MoHE.
• Substantial experience of teaching and supporting student learning in higher education , including areas of blended and online contexts.
• Experience of design and delivery of staff CPD and organising/undertaking learning enhancement events in an HE context.
• An ability to model inspiring practices in learning and teaching to staff and students across the University and demonstrable experience of developing effective partnerships and collaborations with staff and student stakeholders to support learning and teaching enhancement.
• Experience of development, delivery and evaluation of learning enhancement projects.
• A clear personal scholarship / research focus aligned to the interests of the Learning and Teaching Academy and University Strategy.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences in writing and in person. The role holder needs to have strong & inspiring presentation skills
• Strong team player, committed to collegial approach to achieving strategic goals.
• Excellent time and workload management skills.

Commitment to working in ways consistent with Heriot-Watt values https://strategy2025.hw.ac.uk/our-new-values/

Desirable :

• Senior or Principal Fellowship of HEA.
• Evidence of effective engagement in higher education / learning and teaching networks at a national or international level.
• A record of impactful dissemination of scholarship and research in learning and teaching.
• Evidence of gaining and managing funding for education development, research or scholarship projects.
• Impact evaluation experience.

Evidence of successful working across a multi-location, global context.