Jackie demonstrates the value of shaking things up
25 Aug 2016
Colleagues tell their stories from the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education
“I became unstuck,” Dr Jackie Carter says of her time spent doing the University’s Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education.
“I had been in a rut for a long time and this gave me the chance to shake things up – and it proved really valuable in terms of both me and the University understanding my role and where I fit in.”
The PGCert programme was launched in 2014 and is available to both academic and PSS staff. It aims to introduce staff to relevant literature and theory so that they can: think critically about their contribution to the University; develop a deeper understanding of the national and global Higher Education context; and progress in terms of their professional confidence, personal effectiveness and long-term career strategies.
Course leader Steve Jones, of CHERIL, says: “We will not tell you how to become better at your job; rather, we will challenge and develop the ways in which you think about Higher Education to ensure that you undertake your role efficiently and successfully.”
And that’s exactly what Jackie, Director for Engagement with Research Methods Training at the School of Social Sciences, found.
On the course, she was able to analyse data from her Q Step internships programme – and found that the cohort was reflecting the balance of students on campus and inclusive of students from non-traditional backgrounds, as hoped.
She was able to reflect on her own practice and see how she fitted in at the University: “I realised that I didn’t fit neatly into the University’s structure; that the strengths and attributes I have reach across its goals of teaching, research and engagement. But that knowledge allowed me to develop my role and progress my career.”
Finally, she able to put together a book proposal, about experiential learning and moving from the classroom to the workplace: something she had been thinking about – and gathering data for – for two years.
“It was good to get time to think about my work and HE in general, although it was challenging to find that time on top of my day job,” she says.
“But I was surprised by how much I enjoyed going back to learning and producing essays. I also enjoyed meeting colleagues from across the campus, who I wouldn’t normally meet, and the new conversations that opened up – which could result in a new research agenda.
“The course was also really well run by Steve and his team.”
She adds: “The PGCert was a great catalyst and I would recommend it to any colleagues wanting to explore their role – to think about what they do here, why and where they want to go.”
More information
For more information or to apply for the course, visit: