Dr Vikki Burns

Vikki Burns is a Reader in Science Education from the University of Birmingham. She specialises in civic engagement  and innovative assessment, and researches how we can support students to develop the skills and motivation they need to be effective citizens. Vikki has been in the  School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Birmingham since completing her undergraduate degree and PhD (2002). She has received several awards from the University, and has been recognised as a Distinguished Fellow of the new University Teaching Academy. She became a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2016. She also blogs advice for university students and staff. Impact of work As College Lead on the Teaching Academy Management Group, Vikki supports the development of teaching excellence across the university and beyond. She has recently published a book, 53 Interesting Ways to Assess Your Students, which she now uses to support colleagues to develop new modes of assessment. She also introduced experiential training for PhD students across the College; by engaging in activities such as running a small conference or organising a public outreach activity, the students learn transferable skills and gain valuable experience. She has published regularly on how outdoor group-work skills courses can help the development of graduate attributes, such as teamwork and intercultural understanding, and has used this understanding to further develop the programmes offered to our students. Plans for the future Vikki leads an institution wide group exploring how we can embed civic engagement across the curriculum at the University of Birmingham. Such activities involve students, staff and external partners working collaboratively, using both disciplinary and community expertise, to address real-world challenges as part of the assessed programme. As England's first civic university, we have a history of engaging with our local community, and Vikki plans to make civic engagement a distinctive feature of our programmes, through community collaboration and innovative assessments.