STAFF-DEV

The Staff development for learning and teaching at European universities (STAFF-DEV) project aims to analyse how staff development and academic assessment are conducted at European higher education institutions (HEIs) and to strengthen institutional capacity and strategies in this regard.

In doing so, STAFF-DEV seeks to contribute to policy making in reforming academic assessment and careers in Europe.

STAFF-DEV is led by EUA in a consortium with four universities from across Europe. The project partners bring together strong expertise and complementary profiles in the area of staff development in teaching, teaching enhancement, institutional strategy and capacity building in learning and teaching, as well as a shared interest in the role of teaching in academic careers.

The project runs from January 2024 until December 2026. It is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission.

University leaders, such as rectors, vice-rectors, heads of L&T centres, may be interested in the STAFF-DEV project’s activities and outcomes. Participation in the its activities will be possible through open calls, which will be advertised through EUA’s communication channels and featured on this project webpage.

For further information about the project, please contact ella.picavet@eua.eu.

Co-funded by the European Union 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 builds on a series of activities on learning and teaching conducted by EUA in the past years, all of which confirmed the need to increase exchanges of practices to enhance and accelerate positive developments. Among other measures, staff development in teaching has been identified as one of the drivers for further enhancing learning and teaching at HEIs. Notably, EUA’s Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group (TPG) reports have pointed to the need to offer adequate (continued) professional development to teachers, and motivate them to engage in it through adequate recognition for teaching.

The main project objectives are to: Offer a thorough knowledge and evidence base on how staff development in teaching is being implemented at European higher education institutions, as well as how it is embedded into institutional and national strategies for learning and teaching and academic assessment. Provide peer learning and capacity-building opportunities for higher education institutions. Contribute to policy making in reforming academic assessment and careers in Europe, by providing practice-based recommendations towards the end of the project.

January 2024 – January 2025 Under this first strand, the project partners will build a Europe-wide knowledge and evidence base. Activities under this strand include: Desk research and literature review on the state of play in staff development in teaching. A survey of European higher education institutions on the topic, conducted in spring-summer 2024. A series of focus groups, to complement findings from the survey. Outcomes from this strand will include two publications.

June 2024 – September 2026 In its second strand, STAFF-DEV will engage higher education institutions in peer-learning and capacity building activities: Three Thematic Peer Groups (TPG), to explore various aspects related to staff development in teaching. The groups will run from February 2025 to February 2026. A series of four Masterclasses, to be organised in 2025 and 2026.

2025 and 2026 Under this strand, project partners will translate outcomes and lessons learnt from STAFF-DEV activities into practice-based, policy recommendations on how to enhance learning and teaching through staff development capacities, academic assessment, and appropriate recognition for teaching. Outcomes from this strand will include key messages and a final conference.

European University Association (project coordinator) University of Oslo University College Cork Utrecht University Ruhr University Bochum