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Capacity building for higher education institutions
Attention to learning and teaching (L&T) has increased in recent years, both at European higher education institutions (HEIs) and in European policy making. To enhance L&T, adequate staff development practices and approaches are needed, as well as recognition for teachers to continuously improve, through academic assessment and career paths. Across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the responsibility for organising staff development mostly lies with the institutions themselves.
Against this background, the ‘Staff development for learning and teaching at European universities’ (STAFF-DEV) project was launched in 2024. STAFF-DEV aims to analyse how staff development and academic assessment are conducted at European HEIs and to strengthen institutional capacity and strategies in this regard. Led by EUA in consortium with four universities from across Europe, the project is funded under the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission.
As part of its activities, STAFF-DEV offers a series of four masterclasses in 2025 and 2026, aimed at building and reinforcing HEIs’ capacity to offer insightful staff development opportunities, as well as embed it into a broader institutional framework for learning and teaching. Applications for the first masterclass closed on 7 March 2025.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
STAFF-DEV masterclasses will invite the participants to disconnect from their daily work and usual environment, in a retreat-like activity. Each masterclass will bring together a group of approx. 20 participants from different HEIs for a 2.5 day in-person event, hosted at one of the partner institutions.
The event will offer a mix of lectures by keynote speakers (researchers and highly recognised practitioners), and small group work with peers. Self-reflection will be encouraged throughout the event. As an outcome, each participating institution will be asked to design a possible action plan for their institution, to be discussed and tested back home – building on takeaways from the masterclass.
In addition to the on-site event, the project partners will offer a follow-up online workshop, to be held about two months after each masterclass (dates will be coordinated with and communicated to the participants of each masterclass separately).
The first masterclass will explore effective strategies for organising staff development and fostering a culture of teaching and learning. Drawing on practical examples, it will examine the positioning of staff development, its alignment with institutional strategies, and approaches to navigating transitions. Participants will critically reflect on the current organisation of staff development in their institutions and identify actionable steps to transform these practices to enhance teaching and learning.
This masterclass is particularly relevant for institutions aiming to strengthen their staff development and teaching enhancement initiatives or those revisiting their practices from a strategic perspective.
Applications for the first masterclass are open from 12 December 2024 to 7 March 2025.
Provisional programme
Day 1 – 26/05/2025 (Monday)
9:00 Welcome and introductions
11:00 Keynote: What works in staff development?
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Getting to know the host institution
14:30 Group work
15:45 Coffee break
16:00 Individual reflection
17:00 Free time
19:00 Dinner
Day 2 – 27/05/2025 (Tuesday)
9:00 Keynote: Growing your institutional T&L Culture
10:00 Group work
14:00 Keynote: Redirecting your staff development efforts in response to changing institutional needs: the Munster Technological University (MTU) story
15:00 Coffee break
15:20 Interim summary with peers
16:30 Individual reflection
Day 3 – 28/05/2025 (Wednesday)
9:00 Panel discussion
10:30 Group discussion
11:30 Coffee break
11:50 Individual reflection
12:40 Closing
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Cultural event (optional)
To ensure high quality interactions and in-depth reflections, each masterclass will gather up to 20 participants. The target audience is senior institutional representatives with responsibilities in developing and organising staff development and enhancing learning and teaching at the institutions (e.g. institutional leadership, directors of learning and teaching centres) from across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
The selection will be made according to the following criteria:
As of the second masterclass, if there is high demand, priority will be given to institutions that have not previously participated. There can be only one participant selected per institution per masterclass.
Selected participants must commit to actively taking part in the relevant masterclass and the follow-up online workshop (including writing of the action plan, its implementation or preliminary outcomes).
There is no participation fee for the events. Selected participants will take part on a self-funded basis and will be responsible for organising and covering their own travel and accommodation expenses. STAFF-DEV will cover the costs of joint meals (lunches, coffee breaks, and dinner) during the events. If relevant, participants should liaise with their home university’s international office to enquire about potential support, for instance via staff mobility schemes under the Erasmus+ programme.
To apply, please fill in this application form by 7 March 2025. Applicants will be informed by 21 March 2025 whether their application has been successful.
If you have any questions, please contact gohar.hovhannisyan@eua.eu
