University of the Highlands and Islands Lecturer Receives Prestigious Teaching Award
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is delighted to announce that Dr Michelle Beattie has been awarded a 2024 National Teaching Fellowship. This award is a testament to Dr Beattie’s exceptional contribution to teaching and her unwavering commitment to enhancing student outcomes in Higher Education.
AdvanceHE unveiled the recipients of the 2024 National Teaching Fellowship and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) on Thursday 8 August 2024 celebrating individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to teaching and learning within Higher Education in the UK.
Dr Beattie, a senior lecturer at UHI, has been recognised for her innovative teaching methods, dedication to student success, and impactful contributions to the academic community. Her award highlights the excellence and dedication found within the faculty at UHI.
Dr Beattie expressed her gratitude and surprise at receiving the award, stating:
“I am surprised and delighted to have received the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme. I have always felt passionate about teaching quality improvement as I believe it can make a difference to healthcare, and ultimately outcomes for patients. It is super to have my enthusiasm and commitment recognised. Quality improvement aims to reduce error and improve value, and our curriculum aims to equip undergraduate student nurses with the skills and knowledge to create the next generation of change agents. Similarly, the quality improvement masters module enables postgraduate students across the health and social care sector to combine their experience with the methodology to conduct improvement projects in their workplace. Many of these projects have impacted positively on health services as well as the wider dissemination through conferences and publications.”
“Although this is an individual award, I would like to acknowledge my retired colleague and mentor who has continually challenged and developed my quality improvement thinking, Brian James. The impact of some of this work in practice is also testament to the commitment of the students to pursue change, even during challenging times.”
Professor Keith Smyth, Dean of Learning and Teaching at UHI, expressed support for Dr Beattie’s award, stating: “It is an honour to celebrate Michelle’s recognition as a National Teaching Fellow. Michelle’s pedagogically innovative and pioneering practice, grounded in the development and application of quality improvement methodologies, has enriched nurse education nationally. Through her work in directly linking the curriculum to practice, she has significantly enhanced nursing practice and healthcare provision in multifarious ways.”
“A key part of UHI’s mission is to support the development, growth, and wellbeing of the region and communities to which we belong, and the people and sectors within them. Michelle’s educational work and the resulting impacts of this are exemplary in reflecting the ethos, nature, and purpose of UHI, and indeed of Higher Education that is focused on transformative experiences and public good.”
The 2024 awards ceremony will take place in Edinburgh on 3 October, where the achievements of Dr Beattie and her fellow award recipients will be formally celebrated.