Writtle University College and ARU have merged. Writtle’s full range of college, degree, postgraduate and short courses will still be delivered on the Writtle campus. See our guide to finding Writtle information on this site.

Staff teaching qualifications and recognition

Logo for TEF 2023 gold

Here at ARU, we're proud of our teaching quality, which has been recognised by external commendations and awards, including our Teaching Excellence Framework Gold award.

In the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023, we're rated outstanding in the areas of 'transformative education and how we support students at all levels to achieve their full potential'.

Staff teaching qualifications and recognition 

  • We were recognised twice in the 2022 Teaching Excellence Awards, receiving a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence and a National Teaching Fellowship. Both awards recognise a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning.
  • In 2023 we were nominated for Nurse Education Provider of the Year; and Best Student Experience – thanks to our simulated placements for child nursing students which make use of extended reality scenarios to help students practice their skills in a safe environment.
  • Professor Catherine Lee received an MBE for services to education in King Charles’ first New Year Honours List, in recognition of her dedication to promoting inclusivity.
  • Lindsey Rose, a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, launched a new app that will help practitioners screen for health conditions at birth. Originally developed for students at ARU, it is now available on the Google Play and Apple stores.
  • Professor Lee Smith, who supervises PhD candidates at ARU, was named as one of the world’s most influential researchers on the Highly Cited Researchers 2022 list, produced by experts from the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate.
  • Our academic teaching staff are among the most qualified and recognised in the country, with many being senior or principal fellows of Advance HE which promotes excellence in higher education.
  • A number of our teaching staff have been awarded a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship. Run by Advance HE, the award recognises individuals who are judged to have made an outstanding impact on the student learning experience.
  • According to figures provided by the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE), in 2017-2018 the percentage of our teaching staff who were recognised by the HEA was over 78%, against a sector average of 42%.
  • Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (2015-16) put us in the top 16 institutions in England for the percentage of staff holding a teaching qualification: 76% against a sector average of 51%.

Supporting teaching excellence

We have a thriving community of academics who are committed to improving learning and teaching practice. They're supported by Anglia Learning & Teaching, which offers resources, training and recognition for all those engaged in learning, teaching and assessment at ARU.