Academic Development

Working with students and staff across the University to support learning and teaching excellence

Our ambition is to transform student learning and enhance education. We support students directly with our courses and teaching sessions, international student support and Peer Learning schemes.

We also provide development opportunities to support academic staff to deliver high-quality learning and teaching with teaching qualifications, guidance, advice and training.

Change Agents Network Conference 2025

We are proud to be the host of the 12^th Change Agents’ Network (CAN) Conference in May 2025, supported by Jisc.

The conference theme is ‘The impact of student-staff partnerships on learning in an ever changing higher-education environment’ and we welcome contributions from students and staff, new and returning to CAN.

Sub-themes:

Celebrating and recognising students as experts by their experience and involvement in educational activities.
Students as change agents in the community and the role of universities in civic responsibility.
Use of AI in the educational experiences of diverse students however they study with us.
Shaping the evolving offer of education with students, codesigning and rethinking curriculum design.

Save the date

27 May 2025: Conference day 1 (online)
29 May 2025: Conference day 2 (in person at Plymouth)

Call for papers open – submit an abstract

In September 2023, the University of Plymouth was rated TEF Gold across the board. The TEF rating lasts for four years from September 2023, and full details can be found on the Office for Students website.

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national scheme run by the Government’s Office for Students (OfS) to encourage higher education providers to improve and deliver excellence in the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning, and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.

The OfS evaluation gives universities an overall rating as well as two underpinning ratings – one for the student experience and one for student outcomes.

Our services

Student academic skills

Digital Education

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Teaching and Learning

Teaching resources and guidance

Peer Assisted Learning

Teacher Development

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English Language Centre

The English Language Centre is proud to host the biennial BALEAP (British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes) Conference from 14 – 17 April.

While EAP practitioners share a commitment to enhancing the international student experience, we may find ourselves differently positioned and/or valued by our institutions. BALEAP 2025 invites an exploration of unique positionings, ‘third spaces’ and collaborative projects that reach across and beyond the University.

The conference aims to explore what it means to engage in co-creation in EAP teaching and research, how participation, voice and agency are linked and what the conditions of possibility for collaboration are across disciplines and among participants within institutions or society.

Find out more over at the BALEAP 2025 information page .