Senior University Teaching Qualification (SUTQ)

*** This website will be updated with information about new runs to start in 2025 soon!!***

Teacher professionalisation is at the heart of the Centre of Expertise in Learning and Teaching. We offer the UTQ, courses, individual advice, tailor-made support, and the SUTQ. We are proud that we can offer you the SUTQ trajectory and hope that you are interested to join us and the SUTQ community.

The SUTQ is the follow-up trajectory of the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ), for teachers who want to develop themselves further into an evidence informed educational innovator. The SUTQ offers you the opportunity to develop yourself as a scholarly teacher by working on an educational innovation project of your own choice. Through conducting this project, you will develop competencies in using evidence-informed approaches in education, and in participating in a community of practice where ideas and experiences are shared with peers.

Below you can find more information on the context and contents of the SUTQ. There is also a separate page with an overview of previous SUTQ projects for inspiration. This is the recording of the SUTQ closing session on 1 April 2021 (for UT only).

  • The SUTQ in a nutshell

    Two main concepts form the heart of the SUTQ trajectory at the UT:

    • Learning and development towards a Scholarly teacher, and
    • Educational design research.

    The scholarly teacher, following the Career Framework of University Teaching of Ruth Graham, should be able to conduct educational design research to work evidence informed and to generate new knowledge from research in teaching practice. 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.

    Educational design research is a genre of research in which the iterative development of solutions to practical and complex educational problems provides the setting for scientific inquiry. The solutions can be educational products, processes, programs, or policies. Educational design research not only targets solving significant problems facing educational practitioners but at the same time seeks to discover new knowledge that can inform the work of others facing similar problems. Working systematically and simultaneously toward these dual goals is perhaps the most defining feature of educational design research.McKenney &Reeves, 2014.

    The workload of the SUTQ is 200 hours, spread over one and a half year. Because the SUTQ requires a considerable time investment, the participants should seek permission to participate in the SUTQ from their supervisor. The programme director should be informed about the plans to conduct the SUTQ project in the chosen course or programme.

  • Is the SUTQ something for you?

    The SUTQ is meant for teachers who want to develop themselves further as a teacher, participating in the teacher community of the university and beyond.

    Are you interested in what really works in education, want to try out new things, want to share and learn from others, want to build up a network? Then the SUTQ could be interesting for you.

    Obtaining the SUTQ certificate could help in progressing on the UT Teaching Framework for Recognising and Rewarding Teaching Achievements (based on the Career Framework of Ruth Graham). Having the UTQ is a requirement for entering in the SUTQ. More information about applying for this trajectory is to follow soon!

    The skilled and collegial teacher

    “The skilled and collegial teacher takes an evidence-informed approach to their development as a teacher and provides mentorship to their peers to promote a collegial and collaborative educational environment across their school or discipline. Their sphere of impact encompasses their academic colleagues (as well as students).”

    Ruth Graham, https://www.teachingframework.com/framework/spheresofimpact/

    The scholarly teacher

    “The scholarly teacher makes a significant contribution to pedagogical knowledge by engaging with and contributing to scholarly research which, in turn, influences educational practice within and beyond their institution. Their sphere of impact encompasses ‘educational knowledge’, at their institution and within the community in their pedagogical fields of interest (as well academic peers and students).”

    Ruth Graham, https://www.teachingframework.com/framework/spheresofimpact/

  • What is the university context of the SUTQ?

    The University of Twente has adopted the Career Framework of University Teaching of Ruth Graham, as a guideline for teacher professional development. This framework consists of four levels of professional development, where the SUTQ is situated in between Level 2 (Skilled and collegial teacher) and level 3 (Scholarly teacher). The purpose of the SUTQ is to help teachers make the transition from level 2 to level 3.

    Figure: Spheres of impact. Taken from The Career Framework for University Teaching by Ruth Graham. https://www.teachingframework.com/framework/spheresofimpact/

    Through the SUTQ, the university establishes:

    • More evidence-informed innovative teaching practices;
    • More attention to (-the importance of-) the quality of education within educational programmes;
    • University/Faculty recognition of achievements of experienced teachers;
    • Promotion of the development of educational expertise by experienced teachers;
    • Community building among experienced teachers;
    • Improvement of the quality of peer guidance of beginning teachers and UTQ teachers;
    • Knowledge sharing between educational programmes in the field of education.

For more information on the SUTQ, please contact: