A well-respected Associate Professor in the School of Business, Law, & Computing at Buckinghamshire New University has been announced as a Teaching Fellow (NTF) in Advance HE's 2020 Teaching Excellence Awards for Higher Education.

Richard Jones, who specialises in software engineering, artificial intelligence, and digital learning, is one of 56 new National Teaching Fellows - the sixth year in a row Bucks New University has been recognised in the annual sector-leading awards.

Richard, who has worked at the University for more than 20 years, said he would be using his status to work with other NTFs to highlight the important and increasingly influential role his areas of expertise will play in Higher Education teaching.

He said: "I am very proud and honoured by this award and the recognition of Advanced HE and my peers.

"I am privileged to work with so many talented colleagues to provide opportunities for students from all backgrounds to reach beyond their expectations.

"I am enthused by the challenges that face education today, confident in the knowledge that Higher Education is uniquely positioned to provide the opportunities for learners to develop as individuals for the betterment of themselves and society."

The National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) celebrates and recognises people who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in Higher Education.

Richard has been praised as a 'dedicated, experienced, inspirational, award-winning educator and enthusiastic digital-learning researcher' and his recognition comes on the Scheme's 20th anniversary.

Due to Covid-19, the 2020 winners award ceremony has been postponed and this year's winners will be recognised at a joint awards ceremony in autumn 2021, along with next year's winners. However, Richard will be recognised through an online celebration w/c 27 September.

Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor of Bucks New University, said Richard was an 'excellent ambassador for the University'.

He added: "This award is fitting recognition of the inspirational nature of Richard's teaching.

"He is passionate about the quality of learning and teaching, and the mission of the University to bring the transformative power of Higher Education to everyone who can benefit. He is an excellent ambassador for the University."

Advance HE said this year's winners and applicants demonstrated a particular drive for impact in championing equality, diversity and inclusivity within approaches to curriculum design, teaching delivery, and collaborative working.

Alison Johns, Advance HE CEO, also referring to 15 teams who had won a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE), said the impact of the award winners on the HE sector was as evident as ever this year.

"All of the winners should be extremely proud of their achievement of what are prestigious, national teaching awards," she said.

"Their work epitomises the outstanding commitment to teaching in the UK Higher Education sector, which this year has been more demanding than ever before. Well done to each and every one of them."

Bucks New University's previous successes in the Teaching Excellence Awards for Higher Education are:

2019 Academic Enhancement team – Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence

2018 Barbara Nicolls - National Teaching Fellow

2017 Julie Irwin - National Teaching Fellow

2016 Sharon Edwards - National Teaching Fellow

Editorial notes - further information on Richard Jones

Richard is responsible for leading computing courses, specialising in teaching software engineering, artificial intelligence and digital-learning at graduate and postgraduate level.

He is a chartered member of the British Computer Society, Fellow (FHEA) and a co-convenor of the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE).

His experience includes working in industry as a Computer Architect and UK Technical Manager and in research for the National Foundation for Cancer Research. He holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and has taught in schools, colleges, and universities.

Richard’s educational leadership has been recognised with several awards from leading organisations as his excellence has been recognised inside and outside the University, including Inspirational Tutor awards for innovative teaching and research.

He is known for expertise on the role of video in digital-learning, supporting colleagues and newer researchers in using social-media to build their academic identity, and his use of nascent technology to develop student-empowering digital-learning paradigms.

Richard has presented at national and international events; published his ‘Window into Learning’ work for an international audience; and run numerous workshops on digital-learning, e-assessment and social media & academic identity.

He is proud to have been recognised, internally and externally, for his tutoring, research and colleague collaboration work.

His recent major funding grants include projects on Supporting Mentors in the Workplace; Digital-Literacy in UK HEIs; Student Partnerships (Student as Change-Agents) in Teaching; and Learning for Enhancing Employability.

Richard has also developed learning spaces, online resources, and digital-learning artefacts to enhance students learning and underpin colleagues’ research work.

He plans to continue developing support networks for research colleagues in the teaching and learning and digital-learning areas, and extending his current research on ‘education paradigms’. He also intends to support students’ self-determination and graduate attributes for their future employability.

Advance HE's summary of Richard

Richard Jones is a dedicated, experienced, inspirational, award-winning educator and enthusiastic digital-learning researcher.

His educational goal is to significantly enrich the student learning experience by empowering students and colleagues to reach beyond their expectations.