The Senior University Teaching Qualification (SUTQ), known in Dutch as Senior Kwalificatie Onderwijs (SKO), is a nationally recognised qualification for experienced university teachers.
At the University of Twente, it is developed in collaboration with 4TU-CEE. The SUTQ supports teaching staff in deepening their educational expertise through a structured and research-informed project. It aligns with the UT Career Framework for Recognising and Rewarding Teaching, supporting the development from a Skilled and Collegial Teacher (Level 2) to a Scholarly Teacher (Level 3).
Programme overview
The SUTQ is a project-based learning trajectory. You identify a relevant educational challenge within your own teaching context and explore it using educational design research. Through this process, you design, implement, and evaluate an evidence-informed innovation in your teaching practice.
You will attend monthly workshops, engage in peer exchange, receive personalised coaching, and reflect on your development. The trajectory concludes with a portfolio and assessment interview, in which you demonstrate how your project has contributed to scholarly teaching and educational improvement.
In our SUTQ magazine recent participants share their experiences.
Your Time Investment
The SUTQ takes about 200 hours over 1–1.5 years, with monthly sessions that include workshops, inspiration sessions, and peer feedback. Additional meetings and self-directed work are also part of the journey.
Foundations of the SUTQ
The Senior University Teaching Qualification (SUTQ) is designed for teachers aiming to advance their professional development and engage with the university's teaching community. The University of Twente follows Ruth Graham's Career Framework for University Teaching, which includes four levels of professional development. T
Figure: Spheres of impact. Taken from The Career Framework for University Teaching by Ruth Graham. https://www.teachingframework.com/framework/spheresofimpact/
Core Concepts of SUTQ:
- Learning and development towards becoming a Scholarly Teacher.
- Educational design research.
Obtaining the SUTQ certificate could help in progressing on the UT Teaching Framework for Recognising and Rewarding Teaching Achievements from Level 2 (Skilled and Collegial Teacher) to Level 3 (Scholarly Teacher).
Educational Design Research
The scholarly teacher, should be able to conduct educational design research to work evidence informed and to generate new knowledge from research in teaching practice. This approach involves iterative development of evidence-informed solutions to practical educational problems, providing a basis for scientific inquiry. It aims to solve significant issues while generating new knowledge to benefit others facing similar challenges. This methodology forms the basis of the SUTQ approach and will be explained to you in a series of workshops, and be practiced in a SUTQ project.
Key Benefits of SUTQ
- Promotes evidence-informed innovative teaching practices.
- Enhances the quality of education within programs.
- Recognizes and rewards experienced teachers.
- Fosters the development of educational expertise.
- Builds a community among experienced teachers.
- Improves peer guidance for new and UTQ teachers.
- Facilitates knowledge sharing across educational programs.
Publications about the SUTQ trajectory
Veen, J.T., Hahnen-Florijn, M.E., Poortman, C.L., Schildkamp, K. & McKenney, S.E. (2017). Senior University Teaching Qualification via Engineering Education Research and Design. Paper presented at the 45th SEFI Annual Conference, 18-22 September 2017, Azores. Paper
Poortman, C. L. , Rouwenhorst, C. , ten Voorde-ter Braack, M. , & van der Veen, J. T. (2020). The Senior University Teaching Qualification: Engaging in Research, Design and Building Community in Engineering Education. In J. van der Veen, N. van Hattum-Janssen, H-M. Järvinen, T. de Laet, & I. ten Dam (Eds.), Engaging, Engineering, Education: Book of Abstracts, SEFI 48th Annual Conference University of Twente (online), 20-24 September, 2020 (pp. 1053-1063). University of Twente. Paper
Previous SUTQ Projects
Year | Researcher | Title | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
2021-2023 | Wietske Bijker | Shared success criteria and effective feedback for successful visits to organisations. International module of the Master’s Spatial Engineering. | |
2021-2023 | Saskia Lindhoud | Developing blended learning in chemical education | Lindhoud, S. (2023). Hoe peer-learning blended learning kan versterken. SURF communities. Available at: Peer-learning, Online Learning, Poster |
2021-2023 | Alieke van Dijk | Co-creating assessment criteria to enhance students’ intrinsic motivation and autonomy | |
2021-2023 | Cheryl de Boer | Increasing Argumentation Skills for Sustainability in the Master of Spatial Engineering | |
2021-2023 | Janine van Til | Improving argumentation skills of first-year students health sciences | |
2019-2021 | Rainer Harms | A diary-based reflection to assist STEM students in gaining clarity on the technology entrepreneurship professional identity aspirations | |
2019-2021 | Pascal Wilhelm | Fostering quality of reflection in first-year honours students in a bachelor engineering programme technology, liberal arts & science (ATLAS) | |
2019-2021 | Mireille Hubers | Developing students’ higher-order thinking skills | |
2019-2021 | Marcus Pereira Pessoa | The use of socially shared learning regulation for teaching engineering project management | |
2019-2021 | Tracy Craig | Making knowledge networks visible | Craig, T.S. (2021). Peer curation of Supplemental Materials. Herenga Delta conference, Auckland NZ. |
2019-2021 | Anna Bos Nehles | Co-created 360-degree peer feedback process | |
2019-2021 | Klaasjan Visscher | Theatrical technology assessment | |
2019-2021 | Frank Ostermann | Learning scientific reproducibility through peer assessment | |
2019-2021 | Armağan Karahanoğlu | Act like a user, work like an expert | |
2019-2021 | Hil Meijer | Reinforcing modelling in the applied mathematics curriculum | |
2019-2021 | Richard Loendersloot | Redirecting the learning process of students toward self-directed learning | |
2018-2019 | Tanya Bondarouk | Enhancing intercultural sensitivity of UT Bachelor students | |
2018-2019 | Brigit Geveling | Team-based learning in a fundamental math course | |
2018-2019 | Wouter Eggink | Design research in design education | |
2018-2019 | Frans de Jongh | How to implement student-driven learning in the bachelor phase of technical medicine | |
2018-2019 | Suhyb Salama | Entrepreneurship in geospatial education: a bridge towards sustainable development | |
2017-2018 | Cora Salm | Why students plagiarise? | |
2017-2018 | Andreas Hartmann | To play or not to play: on the motivational aspects of serious games | |
2018-2019 | Alberto Martinetti | Optimising student-driven learning (SDL) through framework for tailoring personal student paths | |
2018-2019 | Roy Damgrave | The impact and dependencies of different stakeholders in the development of a learning environment | |
2018-2019 | Iris van Duren | Lessons learned from teaching international students | |
2018-2019 | Javier Martinez | Design of a computer-supported collaborative learning approach to promote positive interdependence in a group assignment | |
2018-2019 | Kees Venner | How to solve IT? | |
2018-2019 | Anne Leferink | On the integration of soft and academic skills in the BSc. program of technical medicine | |
2018-2019 | Leon Olde Scholtenhuis | Flipped micro-lectures: more enjoyable and higher performing classrooms? | |
2018-2019 | Raymond Loohuis | Exploring opportunities for revising enterprise education in the IBA program: a practice-driven approach | |
2018-2019 | Robin de Graaf | Improving learning outcomes of small groups working on an assignment during lectures | |
2017-2018 | Harry Aarts | A hybrid test for mathematics | |
2017-2018 | Thomas Groen | Is student-centred teaching always fair? | Duren, I. C. van, & Groen, T. A. (2020). Appreciations of teaching methods across cultures: Lessons learned from international students. In: J. van der Veen, N. van Hattum-Janssen, H-M. Jarvinen, T. de Laet, & I. Ten Dam (Eds.), SEFI 48th Annual Conference: Engaging Engineering Education, Proceedings (pp. 1257-1263). Societe Europeenne pour la Formation des Ingenieurs (SEFI). Paper Video |
2017-2018 | Jan van der Meij | Towards practical and effective video intervision routines | |
2017-2018 | Mark van der Meijde | Taming the wicked education | |
2017-2018 | Carine Doggen | Effect of the flipped classroom in learning clinical research methods |
Application and admission
The SUTQ is intended for UT teaching staff who have obtained the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) or an equivalent certification. Details on the procedure and selection can be found in the brochure (to be published in 2026) or obtained from the SUTQ coordinator.
A new run of the SUTQ will be announced mid-2026.
