Excellent UQ teaching supported in Australian Government round

The education of health professionals, science undergraduate education and assessment of medical students are among University of Queensland projects and a fellowship funded this week by the Federal Government.

UQ has been awarded $936,000 in funding through the Australian Government’s Office for Learning and Teaching 2012 round.

UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Mick McManus thanked the Federal Government for supporting the promotion of excellence in learning and teaching in higher education.

“On a national basis our performance has been outstanding as we have won four of the 21 grants on offer – equal first nationally,” he said.

“In the Teaching Fellowship category we have won one of only 10 on offer.”

Professor McManus congratulated the winners and said the award of these grants was “a fitting acknowledgement of their innovative thinking in different aspects of teaching and how we can enhance the student learning experience.

“In particular, the awarding of one of only four National Senior Teaching Fellowships to Professor David Wilkinson is a rare accomplishment and very well-deserved.”

The Head of the UQ School of Medicine and Dean of Medicine, Professor David Wilkinson, was awarded a $250,000 Fellowship for a nationwide collaborative assessment of Australian medical students.

The Fellowship aims to study global models of sector-wide collaborative assessment of medical students and develop a shared assessment framework for Australia.

Professor McManus said he commiserated with academics who were unsuccessful in this round and looked forward to working with them to achieve success in a future round.

He said that in most cases, the ability to achieve at a high level in the OLT granting scheme necessitated the capability to work as part of a team.

“Therefore, while particularly acknowledging the leadership of the Chief Investigators, I also wish to congratulate all the successful participants in winning these grants that will enhance our learning program,” he said.

“I also wish to thank the Associate Deans Academic and staff at UQ’s Teaching and Educational Development Institute who do so much to enhance our learning programs around the University.

“This type of performance has been underpinned by a culture over the last two decades at the University that is seriously committed to improving student learning outcomes. “

Other successful grants went to the following UQ projects:

• $200,000 — Enhancing the secondary-tertiary transition in chemistry through formative assessment and self-regulated learning environments — Dr Gwendolyn Lawrie, UQ School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (Project Leader); (partner institutions QUT, University of Western Sydney, University of Wollongong).

• $220,000 — Work-based assessment of teamwork: an inter- professional approach — Professor Jill Thistlethwaite, UQ School of Medicine (Project Leader). Partner institutions are Central Queensland University, Curtin University, The University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney, University of British Columbia (Canada).

• $219,000 — Developing and resourcing academics to help students conduct and communicate undergraduate research on a large scale — Dr Susan Rowland, UQ School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences (Project Leader).

• $47,000 — Fair go in the field: inclusive field education for international students in the social sciences — Dr Gai Harrison, UQ School of Social Work and Human Services (Project Leader).

Media: Jan King 0413 601 248.