Dr Diana Pritchard, Curriculum Developer, was named Principal Fellow in December 2020, having evidenced the impacts of her leadership on the quality and relevance of student learning at Bedfordshire and within the UK’s wider higher education sector, as well as her international research and evaluation work for a network of overseas universities.

The Higher Education Academy Fellowship scheme, implemented by Advance HE, serves to recognise practitioners who can demonstrate personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in higher education learning and teaching and the impact of their practice. 

As part of the award process for the position of Principal Fellow – a title which makes up less than 1% of the total Fellowship population world-wide, according to Professor Sally Bradley of Advance HE – applications are subject to an external peer review process. Academic applicants must evidence sustained strategic leadership in practices, policies and strategies which contribute to high quality student learning.

Discussing some aspects of her work with Bedfordshire’s Centre for Learning Excellence, Dr Pritchard said:

Given the challenges of health and wellbeing, climate change and sustainability, there is a growing need for universities to prepare students from a range of backgrounds with knowledge, skills and attributes for paid and community work that is relevant for these risks. 

We have developed experiential learning practices to do this at the University of Bedfordshire by drawing on the expertise and creativity of colleagues across disciplines, building on the lived experiences of our diverse students and engaging with local communities and practitioners. 

The fact that this work has been recognised by Advance HE is a reflection of the growing recognition in higher education of the urgency to develop civic responsibility and agency amongst students to address these agendas and of the value of such co-creation and collaborative practises.

This is not the first time Dr Pritchard’s cross-disciplinary leadership has been recognised as part of her contribution to the development of twenty-first century learning. Since 2013, she has coordinated the University’s Sustainability Forum. Alongside existing lecturers Dr Tamara Ashley, Dr Helen Connolly and David Jazani, she won Advance HE’s Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017. The ongoing work of the Sustainability Forum – which focuses on topics ranging from climate change to human rights –  has since expanded to include, Amanda Egbe, Dr Mohamed Saeudy, Dr Paul Rowinski, Dr James Bishop and Anthony Greenbank, amongst others.

Dr Jayne Mitchell, interim Pro-Vice Chancellor of Education & Student Experience, commended Dr Pritchard on the Principal Fellowship award and the integral role she plays within the University’s Centre for Learning Excellence. Dr Mitchell said:

Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy is a significant personal achievement and an important recognition by peers of the contribution Dr Pritchard has made to teaching and learning at the University of Bedfordshire, nationally and internationally. Dr Pritchard’s work plays an important part in improving the learning experience and outcomes for our students.

Dr Pritchard’s work at the University’s Centre for Learning Excellence will continue to engage students, staff and management, and to support and develop active and inclusive learning pedagogies to enhance graduate outcomes.

For further information about the Higher Education Academy Fellowship, visit the Professional Teaching Scheme webpage via the Centre for Learning Excellence: www.beds.ac.uk/cle