Catherine McConnell

As a Principal Lecturer specialising higher education learning and teaching my role encompasses a range of research and practice. I work directly with undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic staff and central professional services in the areas of student engagement, student-staff partnership, transition, employability, retention and success. In 2014 I was awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

My role is to provide learning and teaching leadership in the areas of student engagement and partnership, embedding skills development within the curriculum, and peer learning. I currently hold the national role of Co-Chair for International Academic Peer Learning (IAPL) - a network of over 400 colleagues working in the field of peer learning in higher education. I was the institutional lead for a nationally funded HEFCE Catalyst project 'Changing Mindsets - Reducing Stereotype Threat as a Barrier to Student Success', and have recently completed a UKCISA research grant into Creating Communities of Practice for International Student Transitions.

I currently teach on the PGCert in Academic Practice, the Introduction to Learning and Teaching in HE, and am a personal tutor to postgraduate students.