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Academic Practice team

We provide professional development and recognition opportunities for UAL staff. Our focus is enhancing teaching and learning related activity.

Dr Sergio Fava is Acting Head of Academic Practice (to June 2023).

Contact him for any general queries about the team’s work. Sergio also chairs the Educational Ethics Sub-Committee.

Teaching qualifications

  • Catherine Smith is the Programme Director for Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communication, and Course Leader of the MA Academic Practice.
  • Dr Lindsay Jordan is Course Leader of the Higher Education Academy-accredited PgCert Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communication.
  • Dr Frederico Matos is Senior Lecturer in Learning and Teaching in Art and Design (working Monday-Wednesday).  As well as teaching on the MA and PgCert in Academic Practice, he leads Supervising Research Degrees, a stand-alone unit for new supervisors.
  • Dr John O’Reilly is Senior Lecturer in Learning and Teaching in Art and Design (full-time) teaching on the MA and PgCert in Academic Practice.
  • Rahul Patel is Senior Lecturer in Art and Design (working Monday- Wednesday).  He teaches on the PgCert and MA in Academic Practice.
  • Mark Armstrong is the Programme Lead Administrator for Academic Practice.

Reward and Recognition

  • Dr Neil Currant, Educational Developer: Reward and Recognition, oversees the Professional Recognition programme leading to Advance HE Fellowships at UAL. He supports colleagues interested in applying for the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and teams interested in the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence.  Neil leads Thinking Teaching, a two-day introductory course for those new to UAL.
  • Santanu Vasant, Educational Developer: Reward and Recognition, supports the Professional Recognition programme, National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence.

Educational Development

  • Laura Knight, Educational Developer: Climate Justice joined the team in May 2022.
  • Tim Stephens, Educational Developer (Curriculum) Assists collaborative provision for Registry and reapproval and validation advisor, leads on the UAL Education Conference. He also sits on both Research and Education Ethics subcommittees and leads on staff development resources on ethics.