Meet the team!

Dr Steph Fuller, Academic Practice Taught Programmes Manager.

Steph is a Senior Fellow of the HEA and holds a PhD in Film History, MA in Film Studies, and BA(hons) in English Literature and Cultural Criticism. She has worked in educational development and taught on and led modules on QMUL’s academic development programmes for over five years.  Steph also has extensive experience of teaching undergraduates and postgraduates in film, media and cultural studies.  She has developed special expertise in curriculum design, internationalisation, and distance learning.  She is currently undertaking research into the development of communities of practice in distance learning programmes and collaborating with colleagues on a number of other projects.

Steph is responsible for the management of the taught programmes in academic practice: Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) and Certificate in Learning and Teaching (CILT).  Steph coordinates the programme, manages its accreditation, leads modules, delivers seminars and webinars and supports colleagues on the programme.  She also provides support and mentoring to colleagues making direct applications for HEA fellowship.  Steph is also involved in managing grants and funding for teaching and learning, overseeing the Westfield Fund for the Enhancement of the Student Experience and Drapers’ Fund for Innovation in Teaching.  

Previously Steph has been involved in the identification and dissemination of good practice through organising the university’s annual Teaching and Learning Conference, other events, seminars and communications.  She also previously managed QMUL's submissions to the National Teaching Fellowships and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence schemes.  Before coming to QMUL, Steph lectured at the School of Film, Television and Media at the University of East Anglia and previously worked in the civil service.  

 

Dr Ana Cabral, Education and Learning Adviser (PhD and SFHEA)  Ana joined QMUL's Learning Development team in April 2018 as a Learning Development Advisor. At QMUL, she has worked in a series of collaborative projects with the school of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, in particular around interactive pedagogy, writing, and staff development. She has also collaborated with the School of Business and Management on a project on inclusive assessment practices and with the School of Medicine and Dentistry on the (re)design of an undergraduate programme.  Ana also runs writing retreats for PhD students and staff engaged in writing their HEA fellowship applications and acts as a mentor, reviewer and panel member for HEA fellowship scheme at QMUL.

Her academic background is in education and teacher training. She holds a degree in Education (with a teaching qualification and specialism in languages), a PhD in Education and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has teaching experience in secondary school education (EFL) and more than 12 years of experience as Principal Lecturer in Research Methodologies and Education.

Ana has a wide leadership and management experience. She was the programme leader of a MA in Education (teacher education) and the director of two research centres. More recently, she worked for five years at the University of Greenwich (Teacher Education department) supporting a series of CPD modules involving primary and secondary school teachers undertaking action (practitioner) research about their practice. This experience has led to the development of a research project about  teacher-led professional development and the design of a model of action research, collaboration and facilitation. In the last twenty years, she has also been involved in many other research and intervention projects related to interconnected areas: pedagogy, linking teaching and research, educational research quality and professional development.

 

Dr Ruqiyabi Naz Awan is an Education and Learning Adviser and previously worked in the Learning Development team within Academic Development. Most recently she has been undertaking institutional educational research looking at the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) disparity in educational outcomes in order to better understand how academic departments can redress their practices. She has also worked closely with the School of Science and Engineering– the focus of this research was to better understand the teaching and learning processes in SEMS in order to develop a stronger understanding of how best to support and develop teaching and learning practices for teaching teams and students.  Naz has worked for both the Learning Development team and with the Education Development team at QM teaching on the PG Cert taught programmes to academic staff QM in order to assist them in developing their teaching and learning practices and helping them obtain their HEA fellowship.

Naz’s academic background is in educational psychology with her research evaluating the impact of technology on teachers and learners. More recently her research has looked at examining the issues underlying retention, engagement, progression and experience for young male Black and Ethnic minority students in Further and Higher Education in the UK. The issue of retention, engagement and progression amongst male students was also examined in the context of the United Arab Emirates in relation to Emiratisation. While in the Emirates Naz’s research also examined the relationship of education and labour market economics, health education, career expectations as well as fiscal literacy. The final strand of her research in the Emirates looked at the issue of teacher education and development in relation capacity building of key and transferable skills. Before joining Queen Mary she held academic positions as a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for an MRes programme within the Graduate School at the University of East London and prior to this she was a MEd Programme leader at The British University in Dubai on taught and research post graduate programmes (MEd, EdD).  She has taught at the UG, PCCert LTHE, PG CAP, MA, MSc, MEd, MRes and EdD and PhD level in the UK, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

 

 

Reena Varsani, BA (Hons) (Greenwich)

Educational Development Support Administrator

Reena is a member of the Educational Development Team and joined in 2014. She has worked in the higher education field for almost 13 years, prior to joining QMUL she worked for London South Bank University supporting the administration of the CPD modules for health and social care.

Reena provides effective organisation, supports the day-to-day running of the continuing professional development activities, and programmes for academic colleagues across QMUL.

Reena provides administrative support in the following areas:

• Academic Development Programme (CILT, PGCAP)
• HEA Accreditation
• Course Booking System
• Induction to the Taught Programme
• Admissions
• Enrolment