A senior university teaching in the Department of Chemisty has been given professional recognition for her effective strategic leadership in academic practice and contributions to high quality student learning.
Dr Jenny Burnham is one of five University of Sheffield staff who have Principal Fellows of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), following recent panels.
Here, she explains a bit more about her approach to leadership education.
My leadership takes the form of advocacy for teaching and teaching quality to create a nurturing environment in which anyone can gain recognition for excellence. I have sought to raise the profile of teaching as an activity by influencing and championing others through networking, mentoring, supporting, encouraging, and providing a stage on which they can reach a wide audience.
My approach to strategic leadership is one of empowerment and I create and facilitate opportunities for colleagues to grow and develop their teaching careers and to showcase their work. Community is a key part of this and my application for PFHEA focussed on my work with the teaching networks I have led nationally, as well as in Sheffield. The assessment panel commended me for my passion for supporting others. They saw to the heart of what I do and have praised me for it.
I am proud of my networks. I am really pleased that my facilitative, bottom-up approach to leadership has been recognised with this award and I hope it encourages other teaching-specialists to seek similar recognition for their work.
Dr Jenny Burnham
