Enhance your teaching with a TESSA

Want to try something new in your teaching? If so, why not apply for a TESSA – our Teaching Enhancement Small Support Awards?

TESSAs, introduced last year, are intended for Kent colleagues who are interested in encouraging and enabling teaching and learning innovation; or who have a great idea that would improve the quality of teaching, teaching-related activity, support for teaching, or the student learning experience at Kent.

We already have University Teaching Prizes, which reward colleagues on their achievements. But sometimes what’s needed is a bit of funding to try something new, or test out an idea or a different way of working – and now you can apply for a TESSA to do just that. We piloted this small grants scheme during 2017-18, and were delighted to be able to award a total of £28,000 to 21 successful projects – so we have been encouraged to continue for a second year!

You can apply for funding of between £500 and £3,000, with up to £5,000 on offer for large, high-impact, collaborative projects operating across Schools and ideally in more than one Faculty, or across Schools and PSDs. All colleagues who contribute to teaching, learning or teaching support are eligible to apply – you don’t have to be an academic, or based in a School.

There will be two rounds for applications in 2018-19. The first deadline, for projects to start during the Spring or Summer Terms 2018-19, is 12 noon on Tuesday 27 November 2018 (and you will hear the outcome by Tuesday 11 December). There is a second opportunity to apply by 12 noon on Tuesday 14 May 2019, this time for projects to start during the summer of 2019 or in the Autumn Term 2019-10 (and we will tell you the results by Tuesday 28 May).

Find out more, and download the short application form for a TESSA, on our Teaching webpages. You’ll see that previous applicants have been generous in allowing us to publish their forms, so you may be able to link up with someone doing a project similar to the one you are planning.

Please send us your applications and help improve the quality and enjoyment of education and the student learning experience here at Kent.

If you have questions, please get in touch with April McMahon or Jess Sutherland.