LITE Initiator Fellowship

This is a secondment opportunities are open to University of Leeds Professional and Technical Service employees only.

Are you interested in fulfilling a project on teaching innovation, scholarship or pedagogy? Are you looking to set an aspirational standard of teaching excellence and pedagogic scholarship? Are you interested in fulfilling a project exploring the student learning and teaching experience?

We are inviting applications for LITE Fellowships to join the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE).

LITE embodies the University's commitment to excellence and innovation in education through its investment in a community of fellows, giving colleagues the opportunity to develop and implement projects and establish a culture of high-quality teaching innovation, scholarship and leadership.

During your fellowship, you will carry out a project that explores an aspect of the student education experience that will support the delivery of the University's strategy for student education. It is envisaged that proposals will demonstrate transformation and innovations in education in the short/medium term with evaluation and iterations built into the project plan.

Proposals are invited for LITE Fellowships that support the University of Leeds student education priorities. Service teams throughout the University provide a vital contribution to the student experience and the opportunities to explore enhancement interventions and activities are numerous.

This programme applies a broad interpretation of pedagogic research, including the influence of the wider aspects of the student experience on a student's learning and teaching experience. This scheme would provide the opportunity to generate evidence that explores the value and potential of a range of activities such as (but not limited to) student voice, co and/or extra-curricular activity, community building, education spaces, employability, mentoring and assessment.

As well as carrying out your project, you will be expected to contribute to LITE's scholarly community, provide content for digital and external-facing platforms, act as an ambassador at internal and external events and support colleagues in their scholarship and pedagogic research.

You will evaluate and disseminate the impact of your project internally through research progress showcases and externally to develop the practice, pedagogy and reputation of student education at the university.

Priority will be given to new applicants and where there is a strong strategic need identified from the project proposal. Discussions on appropriateness of project in line with your service strategy need to take place with your Head of Service (or nominee) prior to submission.

The Fellowships

The start date for the fellowships is September 2026.

The Fellowships are funded at the equivalent level of 20% of current salary for 12 month and could be delivered within a team of up to three colleagues.

All projects must include a contribution from the student body in an advisory or partnership role.

Support will be provided by the LITE team, including access to a resident research assistant with experience of pedagogical research techniques and student project assistants.

Conditions of fellowships

All applicants must be employed in a substantive role at the University for the whole period of the secondment.

The scheme will be delivered as a secondment of 0.2FTE for 12 months commencing September 2026 (1 day per week - however, to support pressure points in service delivery, flexibility can be built in around the project and commitments).

Project teams will be accepted up to a maximum of 3 team members. A minimum of one person at 0.2 FTE for the total project is required.

If you are interested in applying for a LITE Fellowship and would like to discuss a research idea further, please contact: