Faculty development through an educational action programme

Abstract

A number of countries, including Sweden, are reconsidering traditional teaching and learning methods in higher education. This article describes the work of implementing an Educational Action Programme to support faculty development. The work has been organized by an educational developer at the Educational Development Unit (EDU). Representatives of six university departments and the library have participated in cooperation with the EDU on five occasions during one year. The result confirms the value of making one’s colleagues aware of the action programme. In this process the unit head plays an important supportive role. The value of forming local work teams is emphasized, as is the need for continuous documentation of the work. One strategy that has become a model for the implementation work is, first, to raise awareness of the educational action programme and, then, invite participation and exchange among colleagues, which in turn leads to responsibility and long‐term strategic planning.