Abstract:

The Senior University Teaching Qualification in Education (SUTQ) at Erasmus University Rotterdam enables academic staff to fulfil the various senior educational roles effectively. Specifically, academic staff who complete successfully this professional development trajectory usually play an important role in encouraging student development in their own course, but also in other, more strategic, roles and always in collaboration with colleagues and other stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the SUTQ trajectory has influenced the design of an online master program in "Sustainability Management" at Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University), which is among the 1% of business schools worldwide with Triple Crown accreditation, meaning it is accredited by all three international, independent accreditation committees, as well as regional and independent accreditation bodies.

The paper starts with a brief presentation of the SUTQ trajectory, covering its scope, intended learning outcomes, structure and assessment. Then, the education project of a senior educational researcher, the development of an online master in Sustainability Management, is presented with emphasis on its design process -using ADDIE model- and its didactic principles. A mind map is used to illustrate the different phases of the ADDIE model and a synthesis of the literature on flexible pedagogies, differentiated instruction and collaborative learning is used for the description of the didactic principles. Furthermore, the authors reflect on how the individual and collaborative tasks of the SUTQ trajectory shaped the design of the online master program to enhance the learning experience of the students. The paper includes a reflection on the impact of the Senior Teaching Qualification trajectory on the professional practice of the senior educational researcher, highlighting the importance of peer-to-peer feedback and 1-1 mentoring activities. Several implications of this SUTQ trajectory are mentioned, including recognition of demonstrated excellence in teaching; career advancement, since it provides opportunities for promotion to higher academic ranks or leadership positions within academic departments; improved teaching quality, as academics learn new skills and techniques that can enhance their teaching effectiveness; and retention, since universities that offer similar trajectories may be more attractive to potential faculty candidates who value teaching excellence.

Keywords:

Career development and training, professional development for teaching staff, senior university teaching qualification, university lecturers.