Meet our National Teaching Fellows
We are fortunate to have several National Teaching Fellows working here at the university. National Teaching Fellows must demonstrate evidence of:
- Individual excellence: of enhancing and transforming student outcomes and/or the teaching profession, demonstrating impact commensurate with the individual’s context and the opportunities afforded by it.
- Raising the profile of excellence: of supporting colleagues and influencing support for student learning and/or the teaching profession; demonstrating impact and engagement beyond the nominee’s immediate academic or professional role.
- Developing excellence: of the nominee’s commitment to and impact of ongoing professional development with regard to teaching and learning and/or learning support. If you would like to gain some inspiration and find out more about past winners review the Directory of NTFs below.
All our NTFs are members of the Association of National Teaching Fellows (ANTF), which aims to enhance and embed their impact in promoting excellence in teaching and learning. Below you can discover more about their award-winning practice, areas of expertise, selected news and blog articles in which they feature, and information on what they are doing now:
Raj Ariyaratnam (NTF 2020, PFHEA)
Raj Ariyaratnam (NTF 2020, PFHEA, BDS, MDS (MAN), FDSRCS (ENG), FFGDP (UK), FCGDent (UK))
Professor of Dental Education and Global Oral Health
School of Dentistry
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
NTF 2020 Senathirajah Ariyaratnam | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Service Learning
- Internationalisation
- Pedagogy
Raj is currently the Faculty (FBMH) Co-Lead for Service-Learning, Clinical-Academic Lead for the Oral Medicine Teaching Programme, and Lead for Global Oral Health Initiatives at the University of Manchester. He is also a senior examiner at the Royal College of Surgeons, England.
News and further information:
Jill Barber (NTF 2014, SFHEA)
Jill Barber (NTF 2014, SFHEA, MRSC CChem, LGM)
Reader in Pharmacy
School of Health Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
NTF 2014 Jill Barber | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Assessment and feedback
- Pedagogy
- Technology enhanced learning
Jill now works part-time and with a focus on research.
News and further information:
Jennie Blake (NTF 2018, CATE 2024, PFHEA)
Jennie Blake (NTF 2018, CATE, PFHEA)
Head of Teaching and Learning Development
The University of Manchester Library
NTF 2018 Jennie Blake | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Students as partners
- Pedagogy
- Flexible learning
Jennie is currently the university’s Academic Lead for Student Success, and also leads the University of Manchester Library Student Team (UMLST) which won a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence in 2024. Jennie initiated and convenes the university’s annual Teaching and Learning Conference in partnership with Professor Hannah Cobb (NTF).
News and further information:
- Meet the people driving teaching and learning excellence at our university
- Agency and advising: a model for conversation
- Two recognised for contributions to teaching excellence at Manchester
Jennie is a member of the NTFS Allyship scheme and can support nominations from: Professional Services colleagues and Disabled colleagues
Caroline Bowsher (NTF 2018, PFHEA)
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Caroline Bowsher (NTF 2018, PFHEA)
Professor of Biology
School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
NTF 2018 Caroline Bowsher | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Assessment and feedback
- Staff development
- Technology enhanced learning
Caroline is now the university’s Academic Theme Lead (Flexible Learning) for the Digital Learning Environment Project, and has served as Deputy Associate Dean and Associate Dean for Pedagogical Development in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health.
News and further information:
Isobel Braidman (NTF 2011)
Isobel Braidman (NTF 2011)
Professor of Medical Education
School of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
NTF 2011 Isobel Braidman | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Pedagogy
- Employability
- Technology enhanced learning
News and further information:
Jackie Carter (NTF 2020, PFHEA)
Jackie Carter (NTF 2020, PFHEA)
Professor of Statistical Literacy
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities
NTF 2020 Jackie Carter | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Inclusive practice
- Education for sustainable development
- Employability
As well as her ‘day job’ as a Professor of Statistical Literacy in the School of Social Sciences, where she created and now co-directs Q-step Manchester, Jackie is now the university’s EDI Disability Academic Lead and launched the Let's talk series that encourages members of our diverse University community to have an open and honest discussion about topics right across equality, diversity and inclusion.
News and further information:
Hannah Cobb (NTF 2022, PFHEA)
Hannah Cobb (NTF 2022, PFHEA, MCIfA, FSA., FSA Scot.)
Professor of Archaeology and Pedagogy
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Faculty of Humanities
NTF 2022 Hannah Cobb | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Inclusive practice
- Technology-enhanced learning
- Staff development
Hannah is now the university’s Lead for Academic Development, and initiated and convenes the university’s annual Teaching and Learning Conference, in partnership with Jennie Blake (NTF).
Hannah is passionate about advancing scholarship and enabling teaching-focused staff to share and grow their expertise. She is co-lead of the university Teaching and Scholarship Network (with Jenni Rose) and co-originator and lead of the National Learning and Teaching Focused Network (with Emmajane Milton, Kathryn Jones, Earle Abrahamson, Julie Hulme, Ceri Morris, Nick Weise, James Brooks, Heather Pennington and Katy Burgess).
News and further information:
- Hannah’s Personal Profile (Research Explorer)
- Manchester academics awarded National Teaching Fellows 2022
- How I learned to stop worrying and love the LEAP
Hannah is a member of the NTFS Allyship scheme and can support nominations from: colleagues on part-time contracts.
Adam Danquah (NTF 2022, PFHEA)
Adam Danquah (NTF 2022, PFHEA)
Professor of Clinical Psychology
School of Health Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
NTF 2022 Adam Danquah | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Inclusive practice
- Staff development
- Belonging
Adam became a National Teaching Fellow in 2022, and was almost simultaneously shortlisted for Most Innovative Teacher of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards. He is now Associate Dean for Inclusive Education and Engagement in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and created the Higher-Education Anti-Racism Training (HEART) programme, which created spaces where inter-cultural dynamics and power differentials could be discussed in thoughtful and brave ways.
News and further information:
Sarah Dyer (NTF 2016, PFHEA)
Sarah Dyer (NTF 2016, PFHEA)
Professor of Digital Education
Manchester Institute of Education, SEED
NTF 2016 (when working at the University of Exeter) Sarah Dyer | Advance HE
Faculty of Humanities
Key topics and themes:
- Students as partners
- Staff development
- Human-centred design
Sarah is Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning (Flexible and Distance Learning) in the Faculty of Humanities, creator of the Student Change Lab and creator and host of the Good Practice in Teaching podcast series.
News and further information:
Peter Kahn (NTF 2014, PFHEA)
Peter Kahn (NTF 2014, PFHEA)
Professor of Digital Education
Manchester Institute of Education, SEED
NTF 2014 (when working at the University of Liverpool) Peter Kahn | Advance HE
Faculty of Humanities
Key topics and themes:
- Pedagogy
- Staff development
- Digital Education
Peter is Professor of Digital Education in the School of Environment, Education (SEED) and Development and has published extensively on higher education. He is Editor of the journal Teaching in Higher Education. His current role is primarily focused around developing digital education within SEED, including work around generative AI.
News and further information:
Iain Mackie (NTF 2004)
Iain Mackie (NTF 2004)
Emeritus Professor
School of Dentistry
NTF 2004
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
In 2005 Iain blazed a trail by becoming the first member of staff to gain promotion to Professorial Teaching Fellow at the University of Manchester.
News and further information:
Jennifer O’Brien (NTF 2023, PFHEA)
Jen O’Brien (NTF 2023, PFHEA)
Professor of Sustainability Education
School of Environment, Education and Development
Faculty of Humanities
NTF 2023 Jen O'Brien | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Education for sustainable development
- Assessment and feedback
- Student as partners
Jen is now the university’s Academic Lead for Sustainability Teaching and Learning, and creator of the University Living Lab which enables the application of students’ energy and expertise to real-world sustainability challenges. She works in public engagement with social responsibility, the Institute of Teaching and Learning and Sustainable Futures.
News and further information:
Jennifer Silverthorne (NTF 2023, SFHEA)
Jenny Silverthorne (NTF, PFHEA, FRPharmS)
Reader in Clinical Pharmacy
School of Health Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
NTF 2023 Jennifer Silverthorne | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Assessment and feedback
- Employability
- Flexible learning
Jenny’s commitment to inclusive practice in the classroom, programme design and assessment has changed the University’s approach to pharmacy teaching and influenced the practice of colleagues, while her reach into the sector through work with professional, statutory and regulatory bodies has transformed pharmacy education to deliver a highly skilled, reflective and progressive workforce fit for the future.
News and further information:
Simon Thomson (NTF 2014, PFHEA)
Simon Thomson (NTF 2014, PFHEA)
Professor of Hybrid Learning
Faculty of Humanities
NTF 2014 (when working at Leeds Metropolitan University) Simon Thomson | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Technology enhanced learning
- Flexible learning
- Academic staff development
- Hybrid learning
- Curriculum Design
Simon is the university’s Director of Flexible Learning and leads the Flexible Learning Programme’s workstream on Embedding Flexible Learning.
News and further information:
Minjie Xing (NTF 2024, PFHEA)
Dr. Minjie Xing (NTF 2024, PFHEA)
Senior Language Tutor (Chinese)
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Faculty of Humanities
NTF 2024 Minjie Xing | Advance HE
Key topics and themes:
- Pedagogy
- Technology enhanced learning
- Students as partners
Minjie is a Senior Language Tutor and Director of Joint Programmes in the Division of Modern Languages, and is passionate about promoting evidence-based approaches to language teaching and fostering the development of learning communities, as well as being active in pedagogic research, both as author and editor, to share expertise and good practice.
News and further information:
Alumni
The following achieved NTF while working at the university and have since retired or moved to a new institution:
- Ged Byrne (NTF 2009) Ged Byrne | Advance HE
- Tim Dornan (NTF 2006) Tim Dornan | Advance HE
- Bhuvana Kirshnamurthy (NTF 2020) Bhuvaneswari Krishnamoorthy | Advance HE
- Wendy McCracken (NTF 2014) Wendy McCracken | Advance HE
- Marcia Ody (NTF 2015) Marcia Ody | Advance HE
- Judy Williams (NTF 2017) Judy Williams | Advance HE
- Jocelyn Wyburd (NTF 2002) Jocelyn Wyburd | Advance HE