Courtesy, University of Bradford
Staff in the pharmacy department at the University of Bradford have won a national award for ‘transforming the student learning experience’.
An overhaul of teaching by the university’s pharmacy curriculum team has seen a move away from traditional lectures and practicals to ‘active, student-centred, team-based learning’.
Now the Higher Education Academy has recognised the ‘pioneering implementation’ of the team-based approach — which involves students and academics working together — and awarded the team with a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence.
The award, which comes with a three-year grant to support the project, is designed to celebrate collaborative working and creative and innovative practice.
The methods used by the Bradford team are now being adopted in other universities across the country in subjects as diverse as law, agriculture, psychology and systems engineering.
Marcus Rattray, head of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at the University of Bradford, said he was delighted that the team work to make the changes had been recognised nationally.
“I am enormously proud of our team of dedicated staff who have worked so hard to transform the pharmacy curriculum.”
Sue Jones, senior lecturer in pharmacy practice, added that their team-based learning approach applied to curriculum development was unique in the UK.
“Because we use collaborative working, problem-solving, critical thinking and communication throughout our pharmacy curriculum, our students are better equipped than ever before to enter the world of clinical practice and work with patients,” she said.
