UQ celebrates being a centre of higher learning

The University of Queensland’s focus on student engagement and high impact learning will be highlighted next week in it’s annual Teaching & Learning Week.

Professor Deborah Terry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), said the week featured a number of events and seminars allowing UQ teachers to share ideas and be exposed to the latest teaching techniques.

One of the highlights of the week will be when the University honours its outstanding teachers at the 9th UQ Excellence in Teaching & Learning Awards at Customs House on November 2.

Professor Terry said the awards were designed to recognise, encourage and reward excellence in teaching, as well as excellence in the learning environment and provision of student services.

“The awards recognise our inspirational teachers and teaching teams,” Professor Terry said.

“Making the learning experience rewarding and exciting for students depends on not just what happens in the classroom but the quality of their interactions both with teachers and with one another.”

She said many past winners of the UQ awards have gone on to win national teaching awards. Australian Learning & Teaching Council (ALTC) winners for 2009 include Dr Victor Galea, who was honoured for teaching excellence, a team from the School of Political Science and International Studies was honoured for programs that enhance learning and Professor Paul Memmott received the prestigious Neville Bonner Award for Indigenous Education.

The result for the 2009 ALTC awards continued UQ’s record of winning more national awards for teaching than any other Australian university.

The UQ awards event will also feature guest speaker Professor Randall Bass, Executive Director of the Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship at Georgetown University. He will also present a keynote address on his work on November 5

Professor Bass has being working on the integration of new technologies, pedagogy, and educational change since 1986 and is nationally recognised in the USA as a leader in this field.

For more information about what is happening during UQ’s Teaching & Learning Week visit: www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning/week/2009/

Media: Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (3365 2802 or 0433 364 181).