Welcome to the June 2025 edition of the Academic Developers round up.

Sussex Academic Framework

Most of our focus at the moment is on supporting the implementation of the new Sussex Academic Framework. This includes providing direct support and guidance to our faculties, via bespoke workshops. 

We’re also helping to develop guidance and resources on the Sussex Academic Framework support site on Canvas. We’re also adapting and updating our resources so they better align with the Sussex Academic Framework and the Curriculum Design Principles within.  

If you have any questions regarding this please email your Academic Developer or Amanda Bolt. 

New web guidance 

We have a new guidance page on how to embed experiential learning into your curriculum.  We’ve also, this week, updated the Curriculum design step-by-step page. 

New on Learning Matters 

The Learning Matters site has a new look. We’ve a new banner image and the tags have been streamlined the tags to make it easier to search for case studies, in particular those aligned to Sussex curriculum design principles, framework and strategic priorities. If you would like to contribute to Learning Matters there are various ways to do so, please visit our About page to find out more. 

A new Learning Matters article, What I have learnt from grading students on their participation, by Paven Basuita (Assistant Professor in Law) reflects on her experience of grading students on participation in Clinical Legal Education. She argues that assessing participation can offer a holistic, inclusive, and continuous evaluation of student learning. However, she also acknowledges the challenges of such an assessment and provides practical recommendations for others looking to assess participation in their own teaching. 

Elsewhere in HE 

The Office for Students Director of Strategy and Delivery, Josh Fleming, explains our position on artificial intelligence, published a blog post last week on Embracing innovation in higher education: our approach to artificial intelligence 

Edinburgh Napier University have launched a new (free) Coursera course: Transforming Higher Education with GenAI: Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Student Engagement. 

Designed for educators, administrators, and technologists, the course explores how GenAI tools can support teaching, learning, and institutional practices – while critically engaging with their limitations, biases, and ethical dilemmas. 

Rather than offering simple solutions, the course focuses on helping you reflect on your own context, experiment safely, and develop tangible resources like lesson plans, policy frameworks, or teaching strategies that you can take back to your work. 

Educational Enhancement Office Move! 

Educational Enhancement will be saying goodbye to our home in the library this week, as we are moving to Level 1, Bramber House.