Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has ranked 11th in a global study on recognizing and rewarding university teaching and its impact. The study was led by renowned educational innovator and researcher Ruth Graham.
"I am incredibly proud that our educational innovation is being recognized and appreciated far beyond the boundaries of our own university. We will continue to focus on fostering a vibrant 'learning culture' that values everyone's unique qualities and provides space for innovation, experimentation, reflection, interaction, and, above all, being yourself in relation to the diverse teams you are part of," said Rector Magnificus Jeroen Geurts.
Recognition and Reward
The challenges of today demand close collaboration between scientists with diverse backgrounds and skills. At VU Amsterdam, the university prioritizes providing space for these varied talents and recognizing and rewarding their unique contributions to both research and teaching. The VU Centre for Teaching & Learning (CTL) plays an active role in this by offering development opportunities for educators, enabling them to further develop their expertise and creative approaches. Globally, there is also increasing focus on rethinking the recognition and reward of academics. To map this development and identify best practices in education, a large-scale global study on teaching culture was initiated under the leadership of researcher Ruth Graham, with VU also participating.
Honeycomb Model
One of the initiatives highlighted in Graham's research is the "Honeycomb Model" developed by the VU CTL. This model enables educators to select professional development pathways tailored to their specific needs and learning questions while offering a comprehensive view of their continuous development. This allows them to chart their own development path. As a pioneer in this field, VU CTL, led by director Janneke Waelen, has collaborated with Graham and representatives from more than 120 universities to share insights and refine approaches to recognizing teaching contributions. The results of Graham’s research have been made available and serve as a tool to improve systems for recognizing teaching efforts. Additionally, the findings can help create valuable and impactful career opportunities for educators, focused on teaching development.
Curious about the Honeycomb Model and the VU Centre for Teaching & Learning? Visit the website.