WHEA Annual Report 2025 Final Digital with links v3 - Flipbook - Page 11
Building Belonging Learning Circle
Recognising that a strong sense of belonging is
fundamental to academic success and personal
wellbeing, the Belonging Framework Learning Circle is
dedicated to embedding this principle across the entire
University of Warwick community. Under the leadership
of Dr Tom Ritchie and Inca Hide-Wright, this initiative
delves into the core questions of what belonging means
in higher education and why it is so critical. The group’s
work involves identifying specific elements of the
University environment that influence people’s sense of
connection and inclusion. The ultimate objective is to
translate these insights into a robust, practical framework
that provides actionable strategies for faculties,
departments, and support services to cultivate a more
welcoming and supportive atmosphere for everyone.
Learning Circle Projects
To further support the innovative work
generated within these groups, the Academy
has introduced the Learning Circle Project Fund.
This new funding stream provides dedicated
resources for projects conceived and developed
within the Learning Circles, enabling members to
move from collaborative discussion to tangible
institutional impact. Eight Learning Circles
contributed to the following WIHEA-funded
projects this year.
tailored development, feeding into a long-term pathway
that includes workshops and iterative feedback. Aligned
with Warwick’s Education and Student Experience
Strategy, the project promotes digital fluency, innovation,
and continuous learning, laying a foundation for scalable
staff development across departments.
Compassionate Pedagogy
ADDRESSING COMPASSION FATIGUE IN HIGHER
EDUCATION: DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE AND
BEST PRACTICES
Co-leads: Dr Luke Hodson & Dr Gemma Gray
(Psychology)
While compassion in higher education enhances
wellbeing, motivation, and innovation, growing evidence
points to the rising cost: compassion fatigue. Academic
staff are increasingly vulnerable due to heightened
pastoral demands, yet research and institutional support
remain limited. This project aims to raise awareness of
compassion fatigue among HE staff by sharing current
research and practical strategies. In highlighting effective
responses and fostering discussion, the project supports
sector-wide wellbeing and resilience. Aligned with the
theme of Innovation in Education Practice, it encourages
institutions to recognise and address this emerging issue
as central to sustaining compassionate, high-performing
learning environments.
Teaching Recognition and Reward (TR&R)
PERCEPTIONS OF SUPPORT FOR TEACHING
FOCUSED ACADEMIC PROMOTIONS
Lead: Dr Simon Peplow (History)
Digital Education and Technologies for
Teaching and Assessment (DETTA)
DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS FOR STAFF
Co-leads: Matt Street (FOLD), Dr Martyn Parker
(Statistics) & Paul Ottey , Poonam Pedley (FOLD),
and Dr Freeha Azma (WMG)
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, this WIHEA-funded
project aims to equip Warwick staff with the skills needed
to thrive. Using the JISC Digital Capability Framework,
we aim to identify skills gaps among teaching staff in
WMG as a pilot, co-creating solutions with PhD students
and partnering with the Flexible and Online Learning
Division (FOLD) and the Information & Digital Group
(IDG). Mapped LinkedIn Learning resources will support
This project investigates how teaching focused staff at
Warwick experience the academic promotions process,
aiming to identify both best practices and areas for
improvement. Through an anonymous survey, the
project explores staff perceptions of support across
all stages, from initial consideration to final outcomes.
The findings will inform the Teaching Recognition and
Reward Learning Circle’s goals for 2024/25, particularly
in understanding recognition, equity, and the impact of
workload models. The project seeks to develop practical
resources and recommendations to better support
teaching focused colleagues and enhance transparency
and fairness in academic progression across the
University.
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