Vision:

The ASDU seeks to provide effective academic development opportunities for all staff working on ASU programmes so that our students’ experience of learning that meets the highest international standards.

Mission/Philosophy :

To establish a distinguished environment within which teaching and learning are conducted to the highest level of quality standards.

Our approach is based on values developed by SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association). It supports the ASU Mission and Values.

How do we achieve our goals?

1. Collaborating with colleagues to develop academic practice and processes We engage with others to support their, and their students’ development, to develop ourselves and to contribute to the development of ASU as an organisation, and HE more widely.

2. Working in and developing learning communities For example Pedagogic interest Groups; and the UK HEA.

3. An understanding of how people learn The learning of all staff and students is on-going and continuous as is understanding how people learn. We engage proactively in the scholarship of learning and teaching; disseminating

others’ work, and undertaking our own in order enhance the learning experiences of our colleagues and students.

4. Scholarship, professionalism and ethical practice Scholarship enables us to adopt an informed, analytical and critical approach to what and how we learn. By drawing on competing theories, policies, models and research scholarship allows us to interrogate and challenge our practice. Ethical practice permeates all our work; it involves valuing the roles everyone in the University plays, and being aware of how differences in power can impact on work relationships, and not misusing that power; confidentiality; sustainability; trust and mutual respect all contribute to ethical practice.

5. Working effectively with diversity and promoting inclusivity We seek to ensure that each learner, and each colleague, has, as far as possible, the same or appropriately equivalent opportunity to learn, develop and succeed. We learn from and are enriched by this diversity in the staff and student body.

6. Continuing reflection on professional practice Interrogating what we are doing now; what works; what needs improving; rationale for change/meeting internal and external priorities. What can we do in the short and long terms