Professor (Research & Education) (

Job Number:

25001034)

School of Education

Grade 10: – £72,693 per annum

Open-Ended/Permanent – Full Time

Contracted Hours per Week: 35

Closing Date

: 15-Aug-2025, 11:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Please note that the successful applicant will require DBS disclosure. Further info: https://bit.ly/3DP5K8y

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people’s lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

Our Purpose and Values

We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? – Information Page

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

The Vacancy

Durham University’s School of Education is a world leader in education and research with an extensive and distinguished history. It offers a vibrant, innovative and friendly academic environment for talented individuals to flourish. We are looking to appoint an outstanding individual to the role of Professor who will, in the first instance, take on the role of Director of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) for three years. The person appointed will have had successful experience in strategic management and leadership within a University ITT setting, with expertise in the education and professional development of teachers. They will have an excellent working knowledge of the Department for Education’s policies relating to ITT, as well as excellent organisational skills, in order to lead the operations of the ITT division within the School of Education. Candidates must have UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and experience of teaching within UK schools. The post holder will be expected to contribute to teaching on our ITT programmes, and will have a subject specialism in an aspect of Primary Education or inclusion.

We are seeking applications from candidates who can be appointed to either the Education and Research track or the Education track. Candidates should make clear in their application which track they wish to be considered for and will be required to fulfil the essential criteria for that particular track.

The School of Education

The School of Education’s 60+ academic staff are producing ground-breaking research with significant impact and are highly active in public engagement both nationally and internationally. In the REF [Research Excellence Framework] 2021 cycle, Durham University’s School of Education was ranked 1st in the country for outputs, =1st for Impact case studies, with an overall grade point average ranking of 2nd. We have been ranked first in the UK in the 2025 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, and we are a top 100 THE World Ranked School of Education.

Enjoying a supportive and engaging research environment, the School of Education is strongly committed to equality and diversity. It is dedicated to promoting the values advanced by Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter, and strives to ensure an inclusive and enriching environment for all staff and students. Our academic staff are able to access funding to support development of their own research/scholarship, along with research or scholarship leave opportunities, and mentoring support for all academic staff.

This post offers a unique opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing you unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our School’s pages at www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/education/

Professors/Professors (Education) at Durham

Professors are encouraged to focus on quality and innovation throughout your teaching and research activity. But we’ll also look to you to provide genuine leadership and citizenship – not just in your field, but across the University environment, and in the way your department functions administratively. Academic colleagues will have the freedom to deliver teaching and pursue research that is world leading and world changing, in terms of originality, significance and rigour. And we’ll support your ambitions to publish internationally significant research in your area of interest, provide resources to enable you to attend conferences and to fund research activity. Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Education, with the ability to take a leading role in the development of the School’s research and teaching, and to fully engage in the citizenship, service and values of the University.

Professors (Education) will engage in teaching, innovation and citizenship whilst fully focussing on the key skills to further enhance their careers. Teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first-class learning environment and curricula for all our students. You will be supported to develop your high-quality teaching expertise and to lead in teaching innovation and excellence to embed our student experience. You will be expected to engage in scholarship related to pedagogy, noting that any other independent research (beyond pedagogy) is not part of this post. The appointment will be on the University’s ‘Education Track’ career path, which provides clearly defined opportunities for progression against defined criteria. Applicants must demonstrate teaching excellence in the field of Education, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.

We strive to provide a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

Key responsibilities

As Director of ITT the post holder will be required:

• To provide strategic leadership in all matters relating to the operation of the Initial Teacher Training division.
• To have a key role in School of Education’s Senior Management Team, supporting the planning, development and implementation of the School’s Strategy. They will be responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the strategy relating to the ITT division.
• To be responsible for Compliance and Quality Assurance (QA) of all professional programmes in the School, working with external agencies and within regulatory frameworks.
• To lead the ITT team in relation to Ofsted.
• To lead the completion of the SED, working with the ITT team leads.
• To act as lead in collaborations and partnerships within the ITT division.
• To lead on initiatives in relation to professional programmes as required.
• To strategically oversee Professional Education Development opportunities regionally, nationally and internationally.
• To act as an investigating officer when required, in appropriate areas, as requested by the Head of School
• To be a member of internal search committees and to contribute to School recruitment activities
• To attend relevant School, Faculty and University meetings, representing the School or their division, as required.
• To fully engage in, champion and enhance the values of the School;
• Contribute significantly to the administrative functioning and collegial environment of the School and wider University, demonstrating sustained excellence in leadership activities which support the functioning of the School and wider University.
• Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of School.

Further key responsibilities – Professor:

• Pursue research that is world-leading, and world-changing in terms of originality, significance and rigour, showing leadership in a research field within and/or beyond the academy which is commensurate with the School’s continuing emphasis on international excellence;
• To lead the development of successful research project/fellowship proposals in pursuit of suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement.
• Deliver excellent teaching, offering lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels. Demonstrate leadership and innovation in the design and delivery of high quality learning environments and curricula.
• Enhance the quality of the research environment in the School, providing leadership of national and international research groups and networks which is recognised at an international level. Engage in the mentoring of early career researchers;
• To attract and provide excellent supervision to research students, and contribute significantly to the development of PhD programmes. Enhance the School’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.

Further key responsibilities – Professor (Education):

• Offer lectures, seminars and tutorials at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels, with the opportunity to teach more widely within the School, as well as engaging in related activity such as assessment;
• Engagement in pedagogic activity at a national level that supports a high quality, academic professional community of practice within the University and beyond. Producing scholarly publications, and engaging in consultancy with demonstrable high quality outputs;
• Demonstrate significant international grant capture to support educational innovation and scholarly impact;
• Maintain an active membership and engagement/leadership with a professional body or network (e.g. HEA or discipline-specific bodies);
• External engagement; involvement in Knowledge Exchange, acting as external examiner for comparator institutions, taking part in teaching review panels, acting as editor of scholarly or professional journals, building international recognition for teaching excellence;
• Provide significant institutional leadership, across a Department or the wider University managing people and projects that promote excellence in scholarship and educational impact;
• Develop and deliver curriculum development, demonstrating sustained excellence in innovation in educational practice, to enhance the quality of the educational environment in the School and wider University in support of continuing emphasis on international excellence;
• Provide training, mentoring and education to colleagues within the School and University.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all colleagues undertake activities that are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.

The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

Professor Julie Rattray, Head of School of Education

Educ.hod@durham.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0)191 334 8383

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

How to Apply

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement, Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants – Durham University, which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• A CV
• A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out below, as well as indicating which track you would like your application to be considered for
• Personal research plan for Professor (Education and Research) post or Personal Scholarship plan for Professor (Education) post.
• For the Professor (Education and Research) post: Four of your most significant pieces of written work. Where possible your written work should have been published or submitted since the last REF 2021, however work prior to 2001 may be submitted where candidates have had career breaks.

Where possible we request that you provide accessible web links to your publications, which the hiring Department will use to access your work. The application form contains fields in which to enter each of the web links.

Please note we are unable to access publications behind a paywall.

In the event you are unable to provide accessible links to online hosting of your work, publications should be uploaded as PDFs as part of your application in our recruitment system.

Please ensure that your PDFs are not larger than 5mb. Your work may be read by colleagues from across the Department and evaluated against the current REF criteria;

All application documents should be uploaded with your name and document type as PDF files.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

Referees

You should provide 3 academic referees they should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s). The majority should be from a University other than your own.

References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process.

As part of your application, you will be asked whether you give your consent to your academic references being sought should you be invited to attend an interview. We will only request references where permission has been granted.

Person Specification – Professor (Education and Research track)

Candidates must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Education, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.

Candidates must have had successful experience in strategic management and leadership within a University ITT setting, with expertise in the education and professional development of teachers. They must also have UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and experience of teaching within UK schools.

Research

Candidates will demonstrate world-leading and world-changing research, and leadership in a research field within and / or beyond their institution(s), with research outputs consistently recognised as internationally excellent.

Essential Research Criteria – Grade 10

1. Qualifications – a good first degree and a PhD in Education or a related subject.
2. Outputs – evidence of research outputs which are consistently recognised as internationally excellent with some output being evaluated as world class. Candidates are asked to submit four research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs.
3. Personal Research Plan – evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the School’s research strategy.
4. Research Leadership – leadership of national / international research groups and networks, with an internationally recognised contribution to the development of research fields, as well as leadership of research groups and / or mentoring of early career researchers. Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to and engagement with significant external events, engagement with international networks or projects, serving on advisory boards, review bodies or commissions, external PhD examination.
5. PhD Supervision – a significant contribution to the development of PhD programmes and / or groups, including successful recruitment and excellent supervision of PhD students and examination of research degrees.
6. Research Impact – demonstrable leadership of research that has significant impact beyond the Candidate’s institution(s).
7. Income Generation – evidence of leadership of successful research projects and / or quality research grant proposals.

Education

Candidates will be able to evidence excellence in the development and delivery of teaching. They will demonstrate leadership, distinction and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality learning environments and curricula, including curriculum development, that enables student to achieve their potential.

Essential Education Criteria

1. Qualification – candidates must evidence substantial and sustained educational leadership demonstrated by:
   1. Evidence of at least one example of co-ordination, support, supervision, management and/or mentoring of others in relationship to learning and teaching, or;
   2. Successful completion of the DELTA3 course (“Leadership in Learning and Teaching”) or the DELTA4 course (“Strategic Leadership in Learning and Teaching”), or;
   3. Achievement of Senior or Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.auk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence.
2. Quality – evidence of excellence in the development and delivery of high-quality and distinctive teaching, at least at a nationally competitive level. Evidence of training, educating and mentoring other teachers in the department and/or the University in relationship to learning and teaching. Candidates may choose to provide MEQ scores and / or peer reviews of teaching.
3. Innovation – leadership and influence in in curriculum/new programme development and the development of innovative teaching and the design of learning environments/curricula that provide high quality teaching and student experience at an internationally competitive level including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.
4. Strategic – demonstrating leadership and influence in the design and delivery of excellent teaching activities and the creation of learning environments that enable students to achieve their potential.

Services, Citizenship and Values

Candidates will demonstrate sustained excellence of leadership in the provision of the administrative and collegial functioning requirements of the School, Faculty and University, positively contributing to the University Values and to fostering a respectful environment; as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Essential Services, Citizenship and Values criteria – Grade 10

1. Collegial contribution – evidence of a significant contribution to the collegial work and environment of the Candidate’s Department, Faculty, institution and / or discipline. (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, Faculty or University level committees or projects, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, proactive support of the work of professional services colleagues, contributions to departmental programme management and/or strategic development, contribution to equality and diversity initiatives and membership or engagement with external bodies).
2. Leadership – evidence of sustained excellence in leadership activities that support the administrative functioning of the candidate’s Department, Faculty or University and / or which support the development of their discipline. (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context).
3. Communication – candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Person Specification Professor (Education track)

Education

Candidates will be able to evidence excellence in the development and delivery of effective and engaging teaching. They will demonstrate leadership, distinction and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality learning environments and curricula that enable student to achieve their potential across a full range of teaching from lectures to small groups

Candidates must have had successful experience in strategic management and leadership within a University ITT setting, with expertise in the education and professional development of teachers. They must also have UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and experience of teaching within UK schools.

Essential Education Criteria

1. Qualification – candidates must evidence substantial and sustained educational leadership demonstrated by:
   1. Evidence of at least one example of co-ordination, support, supervision, management and/or mentoring of others in relationship to learning and teaching, or;
   2. Successful completion of the DELTA3 course (“Leadership in Learning and Teaching”) or the DELTA4 course (“Strategic Leadership in Learning and Teaching”), or;
   3. Achievement of Senior or Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (https://www.heacademy.auk/individuals/fellowship/fellow), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence.
2. Quality – evidence of excellence in the development and delivery of high-quality and distinctive teaching, at least at a nationally competitive level. Evidence of training, educating and mentoring other teachers in the department and/or the University in relationship to learning and teaching. Candidates may choose to provide MEQ scores and / or peer reviews of teaching.
3. Innovation – leadership and influence in in curriculum/new programme development and the development of innovative teaching and the design of learning environments/curricula that provide high quality teaching and student experience at an internationally competitive level including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.
4. Strategic – demonstrating leadership and influence in the design and delivery of excellent teaching activities and the creation of learning environments that enable students to achieve their potential.

Scholarship and Educational Impact

Candidates will be required to engage in scholarship and educational impact which positively impacts on pedagogical practice and education at a national level in academic professional communities of practice or professional practice area (and potentially beyond).

Essential Scholarship Criteria

1. Scholarship and Educational Impact – Candidates will be expected to demonstrate significant positive pedagogical and/or scholarly impact activity at a national level that supports a high-quality academic professional community of practice or a professional practice area, and in ways that positively impact on pedagogical practice and education within the nation (and potentially beyond).

Candidates should evidence excellence in the contribution to national (and potentially international) academic professional communities of practice or their relevant professional practice area.

Candidates should demonstrate sustained contributions to the enhancement of student or practitioner learning via pedagogic innovation and change (eg novel approaches to on-line learning or research-led teaching), employer engagement, curriculum and course development, student guidance as well as demonstrable distinction and/or innovation in understandings of pedagogical practice and education (eg via publication or the development and implementation of new methods of learning including through the creation of new educational resources).

Candidates should evidence significant institutional leadership (across a Department or more widely across the University) in relation to the management of people and/or projects that promote excellence in educational impact.

The format will depend on the discipline and the candidate’s career to date but evidence of scholarship and educational impact may include some of the following (or similar) activities:

a. Leadership of a regional professional body; editor of a regional scholarly or professional journal;

b. Leadership of teaching enhancement projects with other Universities or national networks;

c. Training, educating and mentoring other teachers in the University in relationship to learning and teaching and/or teaching review panels;

d. Evidence of an involvement in ‘knowledge exchange’ which has a significant and demonstrable social and/or economic impact and benefit;

e. Securing national support for educational and pedagogic innovation and impact;

f. National conference plenary and/or invited speaker;

g. Research which focuses on pedagogy;

h. Significant national grant capture to support educational innovation and scholarly impact;

i. Regular external examination duties on taught programmes for comparator institutions;

j. Writing a high quality textbook or practitioners book with demonstrable impact;

k. Extensive and impactful promotion of your subject or professional discipline via the national media;

• Contribution to national education projects, such as curriculum and assessments;

Leadership and influence in relation to the management of people and/or projects that promote excellence in educational impact institutionally;

Services, Citizenship and Values

Candidates will demonstrate sustained excellence of leadership in the provision of the administrative and collegial functioning requirements of the Department, Faculty and University, positively contributing to the University Values and to fostering a respectful environment; as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Essential Services, Citizenship and Values criteria

1. Collegial contribution – evidence of a significant contribution to the collegial work and environment of the Candidate’s Department, Faculty, institution and / or discipline. Candidates may choose to highlight any roles and responsibilities held within academic departments [or professional practice] (or beyond), Faculty or University level committees or projects, engagement with mentoring or widening student participation, involvement in equality and diversity initiatives, contributions to departmental programme management and strategic development or membership of significant external bodies.
2. Leadership – evidence of prior excellence in leadership and/or management activities which support the functioning of an academic Department, Faculty or University and / or which support the development of a relevant academic discipline or area of professional practice (notably related to teaching).

Candidates may choose to detail any prior leadership roles which they have undertaken and potential examples may include:

a. Leadership of teams of staff and/or Academic networks to deliver high quality educational impact and scholarly excellence or high quality professional practice;

b. Mentoring and management of colleagues, facilitating their academic development;

c. Leading national working groups (preferably promoting education/scholarly innovation and impact);

d. Nationally invited consultancy/advisory work eg on a programme review panel; or

e. Leading collaboration between a university or professional organisation and regional units on an education project or a project of national impact.

1. Communication – candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Next Steps

All applications will be considered; our usual practice is for colleagues across the Department to read the submitted work of long-listed candidates.

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include The assessment for the post will normally include a series of discussions/presentations to some staff and students in the Department followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or around October 2025.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Applicant Guidance

For further guidance on your application please see HERE

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