Current Learning & Teaching Enhancement Programme

All staff are welcome to apply as an individual, as a member of an academic discipline/School/professional service area, or as a broader collaborative team, thus helping staff remain in good standing for the Advance HE Fellowship Code of Practice and its principles and expectations. Applications led by a member of staff but that involve collaborations with undergraduate or postgraduate students through student internships are particularly welcomed.  

Funding can be used for initiatives that support the undergraduate, taught postgraduate or research postgraduate learning experience. For example, this could involve appointment of a student intern, establishing and supporting peer support groups, transcription services (e.g., Way With Words), researching the success of specific approaches to learning and teaching, purchasing software or developing online resources to support specific learning communities. 

Other items and services will be considered on their individual merits by the LTEP Panel.  You can find information about previous LTEPs including those funded in the most recent round of awards can be found on the Learning & Teaching Enhancement webpages. 

Please note: 

• LTEP funds cannot be used to buy out time for salaried staff time but could be used for a student internship. It is expected that all students be paid on the first spinal point of the Grade 2 scale in line with the University’s ABDN Internships programme.  Holiday pay must be included in the budget. If you are unsure, please email cad@abdn.ac.uk. 

• LTEP does not normally provide funding of more than £2,500 per project. Smaller projects are encouraged. 

• Successful projects are responsible for seeking any necessary ethical approval from the appropriate committee.  

• If unsuccessful, applicants will have the opportunity to discuss with the Centre for Academic Development other potential non-funded ways to pursue their LTEP research application. 

Prior to submission, the lead applicant is encouraged to seek advice from the Centre for Academic Development (cad@abdn.ac.uk) or from the relevant Education Dean. Funding will be allocated on a competitive basis, with decisions being made by a panel drawn from the University’s Quality Enhancement Steering Group. 

To apply, please use the LTEP Application Form 2026-27. 

Instructions for completion  

1. Complete the form electronically – this will enable you to expand any boxes on the form should you wish. Please include electronic signatures at the end of this form. 

1. Proposals should be brief; the completed application form should take up no more than four sides of A4. 

1. You are encouraged to contact the Centre for Academic Development (cad@abdn.ac.uk) or the relevant Education Dean for further advice in advance of your submission. 

Launch date: 3 August 2026 

Application support session: Tuesday 18 August, 2 – 3 pm via MS Teams.  Book via the course booking system 

Submission deadline: 5 pm Friday 28 August 2026 

Successful applicants will be contacted: Mid September 2026 

Funded activities take place: October 2026 - July 2027 

Funding used by: end of July 2027 

Final report: required by end of July 2027 depending on the implementation of individual projects.  

Note: It is expected that this final report will be made available for dissemination across the University. Successful applicants may also be asked to present their findings (e.g., poster, workshop) at institutional events including the University’s Annual Academic Development Symposium or the monthly Learning & Teaching Network meetings, and to contribute to the Learning & Teaching Enhancement Programme webpages.

The Centre for Academic Development (CAD) offers support to individuals and groups of staff who engage in educational research through its established LTEP small grant initiative. 

Before undertaking educational and practitioner-focused research, all LTEP projects involving students or other individuals as research participants must have secured ethical approval. The exception to this mandate is the end-of-course review process, where feedback data are gathered to enhance teaching and assessment practice, as part of the University's quality assurance procedures. 

The ethics process is designed to protect both participants and researchers during the collection, storing and analysis. It is also essential if you are considering publishing the outcomes of your project. Ethical considerations should align with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the resulting Data Protection Act 2018. 

Further information regarding research ethics is available on the University's Research Governance webpages. 

At the University of Aberdeen, all academic staff, and other individuals involved in research must complete the University’s mandatory training on research ethics approval.  

Further resources for Ethical Research 

If you are new to educational research, there are several guides to support staff as they embark on the process of ensuring their research is ethical, obtaining consent, and maintaining ethical standards throughout the duration of their research project. These resources include: 

BERA. 2019. Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (4th edition, 2018) (particularly pp. 6-25) https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018-online 

SERA. 2020. Starting Points for Educational Research in Scotland. https://www.sera.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2020/11/SERA-Starting-Points-for-Educational-Research-in-Scotland-2020.pdf