Conference Presentation Topic Guidance

inclusive Engagement

Guidance: topics could include (but are not limited to):

This could relate to adopting, implementing and evaluating emerging pedagogies to support inclusive engagement in learning and assessment including for neurodiverse learners, online learners, learners with care or work responsibilities etc. This might include the use of Universal Learning Design, Compassionate Pedagogies, SPARQS Learning Experience Model, UHI Strategy or Professional Standards Framework etc.

This could include approaches to learning and teaching and curriculum design and development that recognise and celebrate diversity and diverse voices, including in the resources and readings we direct our students to engage with, in the examples that we use in our teaching and materials, and in the assessed work we ask our students to undertake. This could also extend to considerations of challenging and addressing forms of social bias, including gender bias, and forms of underrepresentation.

This might include the role of student support teams and professional services to support students to positively engage in learning through their learning journeys.  This might include the use of PLSPs, inclusive and accessible learning resources and learning spaces, access to services and support to engage in learning on their journeys, recognising diverse learning journeys.

This could relate to how you engage with Student Voice Reps, HISA elected officers and/or with your students to design and implement learning and teaching which is informed and co-designed with students.

This could include how you facilitate peer learning activities within learning environments to ensure inclusive and positive engagement from all learners.  This might include through different learning environment including the VLE, field trips, student conferences, student-student mentoring etc.

This might include the role of HISA and local social clubs.  It could also include community – networking linkages and might also highlight the role the hidden curriculum has to support student engagement in their learning journey.

Positive Progression

Guidance: topics could include (but are not limited to):

This could include the role of admissions, support teams, college-school linkages (including S6 courses), bridging courses and study skills, and student inductions that ensure students have a positive and inclusive start to their learning journey at UHI.  This could also include initiatives to support transition from informal and open forms of learning into formal study at various levels, and might also include the use of digital spaces and technologies to support progression into UHI.

This could relate to how unit, programme, curriculum and professional services teams work collaboratively to ensure students’ experience coherent, equitable and inclusive learning environments, learning design and support throughout their whole learner journey across different units, modules and programmes. 

This could also relate how students are supported by HISA, PATs, student support teams and wider professional teams to progress positively through their learning.

This could relate to how students are supported to positively prepare and progress beyond UHI.  This might include the role of career teams, student-industry linkages, work-based learning and/or apprenticeships, integration of meta-skills and/or graduate attributes.  It might also include embedding sustainability into learning for societal benefits.

This could include initiatives at a university and college level at a strategic, programme and individual level that positively and proactively enact retention measures through policy, procedure and personalised interventions.

Future Proofing

Guidance: topics could include (but are not limited to):

This might include considering UHI post-transformation and as a single tertiary institution.  Consideration of shared values, strategic vision, the learner journey and staff professional identity.

This might include the direction the sector is moving in and/or the introduction of the TQEF. What might this mean for professional standards, enhancement and values in relation to our students’ learner journey.

Including through and beyond transformation, this might include projects, initiatives and partnerships that are already working towards stability within a challenging sector environment in colleges and universities.  This could include conceptualising potential future initiatives, ways of working and partnerships to ensure our future stability of UHI and a positive learner journey for all students.

This might include how we ensure the learning journey remains equitable, positive and empowered by the appropriate use of Gen AI, and the use of digital approaches to support open online learning and open access to educational resources. It might also consider the role that the VLE has in the future to support learning journeys within the context of our different modes of delivery.

This could be in relation to what role UHI has within communities, industry and society going forward and how this is informed or impacts the learner journey through and beyond UHI.  This might include in relation to sustainability, community growth and partnerships, and forms of public education offered within and across our communities.

This might consider what are we recognising now in relation to our students needs and how that might influence the student learning journeys of the future.  What can we do now to anticipate, support and prepare for the future needs of our students on their learning journey?