Roles and Responsibilities

Lecturer

Lecturers, whatever their contract (hourly-paid, part-time, full-time), teach and support learning on modules which make up UH programmes of study.  They keep themselves up-to-date on disciplinary matters and, working with colleagues in their Schools, adopt approaches to prioritise student learning. They may work in a range of settings from running laboratories and workshops to leading seminars and giving lectures. They’ll work with many colleagues whose positions are noted here, sharing experience and ideas, and seeking to understand how their personal role and responsibilities fit in with the overarching task of guiding UH students’ journeys.

Module Leader

Module leaders set clear expectations for staff and students on their modules. They’re responsible for establishing the tone, offering guidance on how to teach and study as well as handling administration, organising their Canvas website, assessment briefing and marking arrangements. It’s their job to make sure the module is inclusive and welcoming for UH’s diverse community. They’ll lead reflection on the module each year and have a key role in assuring academic standards and leading quality enhancement.

Personal Tutor

UH is committed to providing every student with a named personal tutor.  These roles are organised differently on each programme but all share concern for students’ personal and professional development was well as their academic progress, sense of well-being and belonging, and career planning to help make use of opportunities for personalisation within a programme. Personal tutors are an important point of contact for the learner and help them make sense of their university experience as well as signposting a wide range of available support services.

Explore our Personal Tutor Handbook packed with information and support ideas.

Programme Leader

The programme leader works collaboratively with colleagues and students to provide guidance, direction and academic leadership.  They have responsibility for quality standards and the enhancement of learning, teaching and assessment in line with our Herts Learning curriculum design principles. This includes everything from planning the programme through recruitment, induction and timetabling to oversight of assessment and marking, reflection and ongoing developments.

The university has a thriving Programme Leader community and offers structured development in the role. Explore our Programme Leader handbook for more information and support.

Learning and Teaching Lead

Some of the larger Schools appoint an academic member of staff with particular disciplinary expertise in learning and teaching to help support colleagues in design and delivery of the learning experience on their programmes. They’ll work with their Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching) and the Learning and Teaching Specialist linked with their School to offer advice and practical support as well as ideas for innovation and insight into new developments.

Academic Quality Lead

Some of the larger Schools appoint an academic member of staff with particular knowledge of local programmes and academic quality to help support colleagues in quality assurance and enhancement including offering guidance in meeting formal internal and external regulatory requirements. They will work closely with their Associate Dean (Academic Quality Assurance) and the Associate Director AQA who is linked to their Academic School.

Academic Integrity Officer

All Schools appoint a member of academic staff to advise and support colleagues in embedding good academic practice into their assessment and teaching approaches. The Academic Integrity Officer will help teams design skills development into modules, offer advice on authentic assessment and handle both formally and informally matters of academic misconduct.

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Champion

TEL champions are appointed in the School to support staff in harnessing technology to enhance their teaching practice and the learning experience.  They also help module leaders to bring the concept of the Guided Learner Journey to life.  They support the design and review of Canvas module sites, help with setting up effective electronic reading lists and the use of analytics to support the student experience. They liaise with central teams from Library and Computing Services as well as the Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre.

Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching)

The Associate Dean provides strategic leadership to embed effective educational practices within their Academic School. They are a key link with central teams who work with them to secure a vibrant, sustainable and effective culture of learning. They’ll have a good grasp of disciplinary approaches to teaching and learning and will be across available data on the student experience within their School (for example on recruitment, continuation, achievement, awarding gaps, progression and information from public surveys)

Find out who your Associate Dean is from the UH Academic Schools Organisation chart

Associate Dean (Academic Quality Assurance)

The Associate Dean provides strategic leadership on quality assurance and enhancement within their Academic School. They are a key link with the Centre for Academic Quality Assurance keeping abreast of important changes to regulatory demands and enhancement initiatives both internally and externally. They often liaise with relevant professional bodies within their discipline. They also supervise matters of academic integrity and appeals across all programmes in their School.

Find out who your Associate Dean is from the UH Academic Schools Organisation chart

School Community Organiser

School Community Organisers (SCOs) are paid, student leadership positions. They are recruited and trained each year by Hertfordshire Students’ Union (HSU) to enhance the community of students and staff within each School. They organise social events, collaborate with Student Reps and Elected Officers in driving positive change, and represent students’ interests to both the Students’ Union and University as senior Student Leaders. Find out more, including who your School SCOs are from this HSU page.

Educational Technologist

Educational technologists work with staff across the university to harness technology for the most effective learning experience possible. They have vast expertise from the design and production of video-based learning resources to e-assessment and digital exams. They work in a range of ways including supporting staff to use the many tools available from Canvas to video capture software. They also pioneer and research new options and work on specific projects.  Each academic School has a named partner in the central TEL team, and some of the larger Schools also have additional educational technologist posts within the school.

Find out more about the Technology Enhanced Learning Team and use this chart to see who links with your School

Learning and Teaching Specialist

Learning and teaching specialists within a central team are available to all staff to support development of an excellent educational experience. Each School has a named partner in the team who works in a range of ways including facilitating bespoke sessions, in one-to-one conversation and with teams designing their curriculum. The team also support individual staff with applications for professional recognition and run a post graduate certificate for colleagues new to UH.

Find out more about continuing professional development and use this chart to see who links with your School.

Associate Director (Academic Quality Assurance)

Associate Directors work with their partner Schools to support, advise and guide on all matters of quality assurance and enhancement. They work particularly closely with the Associate Dean (AQA) to embed effective academic standards and quality processes which promote a culture of enhancement. They’re closely involved with the formal processes of approval and review for each academic programme and the proper conduct of assessment, including the training of staff to run examination boards.

Find out who works with your School.

Information manager

Information managers work with staff and students to develop key skills in locating and handling disciplinary and specialist databases, books and journals. They help staff plan module resources and offer support in a range of ways from consultation over Canvas sites to running sessions for students at different stages in the programme. They have developed a self-paced study module Library SkillUP to help students get to grips with essential skills in finding, using and referencing information.

Find out more about the team and look at this chart to see who your information manager is.

Student Technology Mentor

Student Technology Mentors are key partners in supporting staff and students across the university to develop their digital capabilities. They work with senior teams to lead and inform strategy as well as with individual academic staff shaping curriculum design.  They are recruited and trained each year by specialists from a range of teams: digital capabilities, academic engagement, learning and teaching specialists and e-learning technologists.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Student Advocate

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) student advocates work in partnership with staff on a wide range of projects. They support and inspire students from BAME backgrounds and help the University to further understand their experiences. They work within academic schools and departments to help staff improve inclusive practices. They are recruited and trained each year by the Widening Access and Student Success Team.