Professor Susannah Quinsee

National Teaching Fellow 2011 Professor Susannah Quinsee leads the Learning Development Centre (LDC) at City University London, which encompasses educational development and technology enhanced learning. The LDC is a central service, academic department and a research active centre. It celebrates staff achievement in relation to learning and teaching, sharing good practice and providing expertise. Susannah has led a number of institutional initiatives including creating a vision for educational technology within the University (the Strategic Learning Environment initiative), developing fora to celebrate good practice and championing new approaches to curriculum design via the four-year JISC-funded project, PREDICT. One colleague commented that she is "a strong role model for an inclusive, supportive and creative style of leadership in academia". Previously Susannah was Head of E-Learning and Associate Director of Information Services and Libraries, also at City, where she managed the implementation of e-learning at the University. She was Chair of the Heads of E-Learning Forum (HeLF) Steering Group from 2007-2011 and, as a founder member of HeLF, remains on the HeLF Steering Group. Susannah has worked as a lecturer and in academic support roles at a number of UK higher education institutions. She has considerable experience in the areas of online learning, student support, implementing learning and teaching strategies and change management. Susannah's approach is to work in partnership with staff to improve the student experience. She applies this in her own teaching on academic leadership and in her research interests by using a collaborative approach and involving her students in the design of her teaching sessions. Currently her research focuses on leadership and change management in relation to learning development, developing communities of practice in higher education and engaging staff in new learning and teaching methodologies, particularly how technology can enhance the learning environment. Susannah encourages staff to think differently about common educational development issues by running participative sessions and is frequently invited to run workshops and seminars. As one colleague observed, "Susannah successfully combines her own research interests and academic scholarship into highly engaging and interactive sessions".