National Seminar Series 2021/22

Supporting institutions to implement the National Professional Development Framework for All Staff Who Teach in Higher Education is a key initiative of the National Forum which is supported by associated resources for professional development, including open-access professional development short courses though opencourses.ie

This funding stream supports the implementation of the Professional Development Framework across Irish higher education. It will support seminars that enable:

• middle and senior management to become familiar with the professional development framework to make informed, forward-thinking decisions about teaching and learning in their institutions.
• discipline/programme teams to use the Framework to identify professional development needs and goals to develop staff capacity for change.
• HR departments and staff development units to make connections between broader staff development initiatives, and teaching and learning enhancement activities
• HE colleagues and professional bodies to identify and explore the synergies between their respective professional development frameworks
• networking and peer learning opportunities guided by the Framework for those who are engaged in their own professional development.
• delivery of professional development short courses leading to National Forum digital badges. Please check opencourses.ie to view all available courses

This funding stream aims to support those who learn, teach, and support learning to consider the potential of digital technologies with the goal of enhancing learning, teaching, and overall digital capability. It will support seminars that:

• enhance understanding of how staff and students are currently engaging with digital technologies, as well as their needs and concerns.
• share innovation in learning, teaching and assessment with a focus on using technology to maximize learning impact.
• support conversations around policy development in an open digital world.

Recognising that disciplines are a key unit of change in higher education, this funding stream focuses on disciplinary excellence in learning, teaching and assessment (DELTA). It will support seminars focused on one or more of the five elements of the National Forum DELTA Framework. The Framework aims to help heads and leaders of disciplinary units to capture, articulate and support teaching and learning enhancement plans through:

• strategy and capacity building
• learning design
• teaching and learning practice
• assessment of/for/as learning
• evidence-based approaches

This funding stream provides the opportunity for higher education institutions, their schools and/or departments (academic or service) to discuss how the national understanding of student success can supported within their context and to share good practice within and between institutions. It will support seminars that:

• foster dialogue across the sector regarding what constitutes student success in different contexts, for different student groups, and at different times in students’ learning journeys.
• explore how to embrace student engagement in the articulation and realisation of student success.
• share lessons learned on how data can be used to support student success.
• explore innovation in learning, teaching and assessment approaches to support student success.
• consider how institutions can be supported in the development of strategies for student success.

1. Relevance to the seminar funding stream
2. Does the seminar relate explicitly to the funding stream?
3. Does the seminar encourage debate within or across key aspects detailed above?
4. Quality of submission
5. Is the submission complete?
6. Are the seminar‚ content and learning outcomes informed by ongoing developments in teaching and learning in higher education?
7. National significance of seminar
8. Is the seminar of interest to participants outside the host institution and how will the organisers actively ensure that cross-sector participation will be achieved?
9. If the seminar is aimed at staff within an institution is this appropriate to the funding stream?

In addition, where the number of applications is high, the selection committee will be aiming to ensure:

• A spread of seminars across the four key strategic priorities of the National Forum 2019-21
• That seminars covering topics not included in past seminar series are prioritized for funding
• Where a number of seminars on a very similar topic are submitted by different institutions, that only one seminar on the topic is funded
• That all institutions have the opportunity to deliver at least one seminar that meets criteria 1-3 above
• That no institution has a disproportionate number of seminars funded
• That the seminar does not duplicate other opportunities to engage in conversations on the topic that would be available for staff during the academic year

Funding of up to €1000 is available to cover the costs of hosting a Face to Face seminar, which may include paying for a guest speaker* and their associated travel/subsistence costs, catering costs, printing of resource packs for your event and costs associated with recording the event.

Applicants who are planning to host an online only seminar should indicate this on the application form and provide a breakdown of the costs associated with the event – these may include, for example, costs relating to accessibility (see below) and/or the recording and editing of their event.

Event organisers are advised to consider the accessibility of their seminars and the use, for example, of captions and/or Irish sign language interpretation (additional funds may be available on a case by case basis for support relating to increasing inclusivity).

*Funding cannot be used to purchase equipment or buy out time from lecturers/staff employed at the hosting institution or another publicly funded institution.

Where a seminar is collaboratively organised by more than one institution, one lead institution must be clearly identified. This institution will be responsible for managing the funding.

Funding for National Seminar Series events is paid retrospectively and funding can only be transferred to an institution associated with the National Forum.

The National Seminar Series is a key element of the work of the National Forum. Seminars have run since 2013. Details of the 2020/2021 seminar series are available here.

We look forward to receiving your application.