Dr Robert Blackwood, Head of French, has received a National Teaching Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy (HEA).
The HEA recognises excellence in higher education teaching and support for learning, and these awards are given for innovative practice. Dr Blackwood received the award in particular for his work developing an online private social network to support students on their year abroad.
The winners were chosen from more than 200 nominations submitted by higher education institutions across England, Northern Ireland and, for the first time, Wales.
Each will receive an award of £10,000, which will be used for Fellows’ professional development in teaching and learning or aspects of pedagogy.
Disciplines including geography, law, music, sport, psychiatry, English, medicine and economics have been recognised by the awards.
Robert said: “I’m delighted to have been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship, and have been very fortunate to have a number of opportunities, thanks to the support of three successive heads of SOCLAS, to develop teaching in different ways. It’s been great to be able to work with colleagues in different parts of the university as well as with external partners, such as the Languages Assistants team at the British Council in London. The chance to improve my own teaching as well as actively enhance the learning environment for students of French at Liverpool has been greatly rewarding. The Fellowship now gives me the opportunity to undertake projects that I would not have been able to do otherwise.”