​BARDG: BLE Academic & Researcher Development Group

The BLE Academic & Researcher Development group (BARDG) brings together practitioners who support professional development of academic and research staff to share practice, learn new ways of working, and discuss the joys and challenges of providing development opportunities. This includes considering opportunities for collaboration such as joint workshops, initiatives and training offers. Topics have included supporting staff through AdvanceHE Fellowship, developing PGCerts in HE, and managing roles in turbulent times.

Typical participants: Academic Developers, Research Developers, Staff Development/HR

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BARDG Co-Chair Emily Best, Researcher Training Manager
at Birkbeck

BARDG Co-chair: Dr Jamie Cawthra (Lecturer in Education and Practice Development at UCL)

"​The BARDG SIG was such a valuable experience. It allowed us to present our Academic Career Stage Framework to colleagues from across wider and more diverse areas of the HE sector than we had done before. The discussions and interactions that the SIG made possible opened up new ideas and new approaches, particularly in terms of academic inclusivity and ways to successfully manage the ongoing implementation of our Framework. The BLE’s support of our work through enabling SIGs such as this has been invaluable – so much so, that we look forward to demonstrating the progress we have made with our new Framework at another SIG in the not-too-distant future!’ 

Linda Amrane-Cooper 
Professor in Academic Practice in Online and Distance Education 
Fellow of the Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE)