University of London Centre for Distance Education
Teaching & Research Awards, and Fellowships 2009
Research and professional development opportunities from the Centre for Distance Education
The Centre for Distance Education has a number of initiatives relating to Research and Professional Development including Fellowships,
Teaching Awards and Research Awards.
For information and application forms for any of the opportunities described below please email cde@london.ac.uk or
telephone +44(0)20 7862 8404.
Distance Education Fellowships
The Distance Education Fellows are integral to the work of the Centre and the External System.
The Fellowship brings together an academic group of specialists, who provide expertise to programme
and project teams, and help to integrate academic and professional expertise in the Colleges
with the development expertise of the Centre. A new Fellowship Scheme is being established with
a target of recruiting at least 20 people who can offer proven expertise and experience in distance
education and closely‐related specialist areas.
Fellowships are open to staff in the Colleges and the University who are engaged with the External System, and to those working outside the University who are similarly qualified and experienced and can demonstrate substantial engagement with the University’s distance education provision. The Fellowship meets once a term and organises an annual research conference, working groups and collaborative projects.
Appointment as a Fellow entitles individuals to represent the Centre, develop proposals and to undertake additional paid work for the Centre. Fellows can claim up to £1,500 per annum for the costs of participating in the activities of the Fellowship.
For more information on future Fellowship opportunities please email cde@london.ac.uk.
Research Awards
The Centre offered a number of Research Awards in 2009 to support original pedagogical
studies that can provide evidence for innovative and effective practice in learning, teaching
and assessment in the University of London’s External System.
The Research Awards are a continuation of the Centre’s Teaching and Research Awards Scheme that
provided support from 2005 - 2008 for research to enhance knowledge about, and methods of implementing,
distance learning and teaching. The Awards are open to staff throughout the University of London
and have a value of up to £5000. Proposals must be fully-costed and be supported by the Head of
the proposers' Department or Faculty.
For more information on future rounds of Research Award opportunities please email cde@london.ac.uk.
Teaching Awards
Teaching Awards are a new development to promote scholarship and to inform innovative practice
and theory within the University of London External System. The Awards can be used to support
innovations and investigations in teaching and learning practice. They can include pilot studies,
field trials, desk/literature research, evaluation studies and research scoping exercises. Priority
will be given to projects and studies which focus on improving the quality of personal support
and academic guidance for learners at a distance.
The Awards are open to staff in the Colleges, Institutes and the central University who are
engaged in the External System. For more information on future rounds of Teaching Award opportunities please email cde@london.ac.uk.
CDE 2009-2012
The Centre’s workplan was developed by the CDE Advisory Sub-Committee, following an evaluation
and extensive consultation with stakeholders. The Centre is now a well‐established component
of the External System, supporting an active community of practice in the Colleges and Institutes and
working with academic development centres to provide development expertise. The full workplan and accompanying
evaluation report can be downloaded from the University
of London External System website -
(look for papers 5/9 and 5/10).
Research and Professional Development Working Groups The Centre’s working groups play a key role in developing and implementing agreed strategies and plans, reporting to the CDE Advisory sub-Committee. They help to ensure that issues are considered in‐depth, bringing a broad spectrum of views to the task and enabling other perspectives to be sought from within the Colleges. They also provide an opportunity for practitioners to become involved in the work of the Centre.
Two working groups are currently being established to take forward planning for Research and for Professional Development. These groups will be led by Fellows, but will also include representation of Programme Directors and central EISA Directorates, together with specialist inputs where needed. If you are interested in joining one of these working groups, which will involve attending meetings in central London at least once a term, please contact the CDE.