Clare Saunders Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire, Gb

• Provide leadership, vision and strategic direction for learning and teaching.• Coordinate implementation of the University’s Academic Strategy for learning and teaching.• Advise the University Executive Board and Senior Leadership Team on cutting-edge developments in the sector; initiate change in response by innovating and piloting new practice in collaboration with our Schools/Institutes, Departments and other partners.• Lead the Academic Quality and Development Directorate, comprising Academic Development; Academic Projects; Academic Quality Service; Digital Pedagogies and the Teaching Innovation and Learning Enhancement Hub (TILE); Careers and Employability.

Greenwich, London, Gb

Greenwich, London, Gb

Led University Directorate of Learning and Teaching – encompassing academic practice and development, quality enhancement and assurance, and institutional policy and projects – promoting a culture of placing the student experience at the heart of all learning and teaching activity, and leading quality enhancement across the University’s four Faculties and three campuses as well as an extensive portfolio of collaborative provision UK-wide and internationally. Developed and delivered institutional strategies, policies and initiatives including TEF, BAME inclusion and achievement, and embedding wellbeing in the curriculum.• Created the Greenwich Learning and Teaching Directorate (25 academic and professional staff, +£1.5m p.a.) by merging of the Academic Quality and Educational Development Units to provide a home for the leadership of learning and teaching, and integrated support for quality enhancement. • Led the University’s NSS enhancement programme: a 2019 pilot delivered the strongest improvements in 2020 and has been rolled out University-wide.• Led the University’s TEF preparations to a standard commended as ‘admirably well prepared… the University’s prospects… should be significantly enhanced’ (Prof Debby Cotton, TEF panellist).• Revised the University’s quality processes and structures to ensure they are enhancement-led, risk-focused and aligned with changing regulatory requirements and the planning cycle.• Led implementation of the Academic and Student Experience Strategy, with an external audit endorsing its design and operational effectiveness, and finding no areas for improvement. • Co-led the learning and teaching brief on the COVID-19 strategy group – developing university-wide principles and standards for blended learning and teaching; providing support for the pivot to blended delivery, and a streamlined process for making course changes in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Twickenham, Greater London, Gb

Provided strategic oversight of academic development and learning and teaching enhancement across the University; led the academic practice team; and represented the University with sector networks and bodies such as Advance HE, QAA and SEDA. Achievements included:• Acted as academic lead for a strategic institutional initiative to launch an online programme portfolio.• Led a major review and relaunch of personal tutoring policy and practices to underpin strong student engagement, retention and success; improve governance and consistency; streamline processes; and embed alignment with related policies including safeguarding, bullying and harassment.• Developed sustainable enhancement provision for the University’s rapidly-growing portfolio of collaborative partners.• Led the introduction of a programme of structured support for curriculum design in the programme approval cycle.• Led the inclusive practice workstream of the University’s Race Equality Charter self-assessment team.• Relaunched the University’s CPD portfolio to provide accessible, holistic academic staff development opportunities aligned with institutional and local priorities.• Reaccredited teaching qualifications pathways to enable delivery of an ambitious target of 90% qualified staff by 2025/26.

Birmingham, West Midlands, Gb

The University’s senior professional in relation to learning and teaching (reporting to Director of Registry and Academic Affairs), responsible for leading academic practice, pedagogic research and development, and quality enhancement and policy across the University’s five Colleges. Led team of ten academic-related staff and managed non-staff budgets including the University-wide educational enhancement fund (£300k p.a.).• Developed and implemented the University’s accredited professional recognition scheme to increase staff opportunities to gain teaching qualifications.• Revitalised the College partnership scheme to provide tailored educational development and enhancement activities across the University, including support for curriculum development. • Co-led the restructure and expansion of technology-enhanced learning support teams across the University.• As part of the University’s team for QAA Higher Education Review (2016), achieved commendations for the quality and enhancement of student learning opportunities, and receiving the Vice Chancellor’s Award 2017.• Co-founded (with the Deputy PVC Education) the University’s Teaching Academy: a forum to share and celebrate good practice, innovation and leadership in teaching.• As part of the University’s project team to develop a new £40m collaborative teaching laboratory, led work with STEM disciplines and Learning Spaces to develop physical and virtual spaces and curricula to maximise its value.

Birmingham, West Midlands, Gb

Provided expert support for academic practice across the University, including both central courses and bespoke interventions for Colleges, and led or contributed to various University-wide programmes of work to implement the Learning and Teaching Strategy.

The Higher Education Academy’s Subject Centre network was funded by the UK funding councils (HEFCE, HEFCW, SFC and DELNI) to provide subject-specific learning and teaching support and leadership to academics and departments in universities UK-wide. This role was based in the Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies (run by the University of Leeds).Led the Subject Centre's academic development, research and policy activities, including events, publications and projects. Acted as advocate for, and consultant to, the Subject Centre’s communities (philosophy; theology and religious studies; history and philosophy of science, technology and medicine) on learning and teaching issues UK-wide; and worked with a broad range of UK HE networks and stakeholders.• Expanded the Centre’s remit to include support for postgraduate research students, leading the development of a UK-wide professional development programme for PhD students which has been widely imitated.• As an external member of the management team advising on UK-wide liaison and reach, evaluation and impact, secured funding for and establishing the Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning – one of the few such Centres to become self-sustaining beyond its original funding lifespan.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Philosophy

Master'S Degree, Philosophy

Bachelor'S Degree, English And Philosophy