An exciting new teaching and learning award is due to be launched by the National Forum, in partnership with the Irish Research Council, in January 2020. Ireland’s Teaching and Learning Research Fellowships will be the country’s most prestigious national individual teaching and learning awards. The Fellowships will
- recognise, reward and celebrate those who have demonstrated, through practice, scholarship and leadership, a deep commitment to the enhancement of teaching and learning in higher education.
- provide an opportunity for Fellows to share their knowledge and to expand their expertise in a variety of ways, including through research and scholarship, both nationally and internationally.
- provide a robust evidence base for future teaching and learning enhancement decision-making across the sector.
Applications will be invited from all those who teach in Irish higher education, with defined criteria outlined in the call. The call document and online application interface will be published during the week beginning 13 January, with an information webinar taking place on 23 January. A three-stage selection process will take place between January and June 2020, involving a panel of reviewers including students and national and international experts.
It is anticipated that up to five Fellowships will be awarded in this inaugural call and each will be valued at €45,000. Fellowship recipients will complete an individual teaching and learning research project which will be directly related to national higher education priorities. Fellowships will be completed during the period 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2021.
The establishment of the Fellowships, at this time, is a recognition of the substantial breadth and depth of teaching and learning experience and expertise that exists in Irish higher education. The scholarly evidence generated through these Fellowships, by those who have been recognised for their commitment to enhanced teaching and learning practice, will contribute to a valued and informed teaching and learning culture in Irish higher education.
