University lecturer awarded prestigious international scholarship
A Plymouth University lecturer has been awarded one of just five prestigious scholarships from a national education body.
Dr Suanne Gibson, who leads the University’s BA Education Studies programme, has today been awarded an International Scholarship from the Higher Education Academy (HEA).
Each of the five recipients will be given funding to undertake research investigations outside of the UK and to share their findings within the UK sector at the end of the scholarship.
This is Dr Gibson’s latest accolade, after she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship from the HEA in 2012. She said: “This scholarship raises the profile of my work on the question of inclusive education to an international level. I hope my aim to develop a critical pedagogy for relationship in inclusive education will make a difference to the education experiences of all our students, nationally and internationally. It also complements the University’s internationalisation agenda, which is resulting in our world class research and teaching being recognised across the globe.”
Dr Gibson specialises in disability, special educational needs (SEN) and critical pedagogy. She tutors and lectures undergraduate, masters and PhD students and has published widely in the area of SEN and teaching and learning in higher education.
With this latest award, she plans to visit key academics and practitioners in her field of inclusive education, studying effective learning relationships between tutors and students, particularly those at risk of exclusion.
The scholarship awards, which mark the second year of the scheme, have this year been renamed the Professor Sir Ron Cooke International Scholarship Awards, in recognition of his distinguished leadership in learning and teaching in higher education.
Professor Craig Mahoney, Chief Executive of the HEA, said: “The award winners will work closely with the HEA over the coming months and years to help us to make a real difference to the learning experience of potentially thousands of students. Higher education in the UK has an enviable reputation and our International Scholars will visit many countries to share learning. As a global community we can each learn from the success and challenges experienced by our colleagues throughout the world, so that students, both at home and abroad, can benefit from the best possible learning experience.”
