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Sustaining SoTL in a Challenging Higher Education Climate

Activity: Participating in or organising an event typesParticipation in workshop, seminar, course

21/05/2025

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has become a vital part of our academic identity, enabling us to evolve our teaching practices, better understand our learners, and evaluate our impact in meaningful, evidence-based ways. Through SoTL, we’ve created a platform for reflection, innovation, and dissemination—building a vibrant, supportive community of educators committed to excellence in business and management education.
For many, engaging in SoTL has brought renewed purpose, new collaborations, and a sense of belonging among like-minded colleagues. It has allowed us to move beyond compliance and toward a culture of curiosity, critical thinking, and continuous improvement in teaching.
However, recent challenges across the higher education sector are placing this momentum at risk. Institutional redundancies, financial constraints, and urgent pressures to redesign curricula have dramatically reduced the capacity of educators to engage with SoTL. The already demanding workload of teaching, administration, and research is compounded by uncertainty and resource cuts. As a result, SoTL engagement is declining, and only a small group of committed individuals are able to continue.
At a time when the sector demands ever-higher standards in teaching and learning—measured through student outcomes, satisfaction, and employability—the space and support for SoTL is shrinking. Without collective action, we risk losing the very practices that empower educators, enhance student learning, and foster institutional innovation.

Event (Workshop)

TitleSustaining SoTL in a Challenging Higher Education Climate
Date21/05/2521/05/25
LocationLancaster University
CityLancaster
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom