Project type: Charles University Mini-grant 2023
Flagship: Flagship 1
Project leader at CU: Mgr. et Mgr. David Hurný
Participating universities: Heidelberg University, Sorbonne University, University of Copenhagen, University of Warsaw
It is said that teaching was the main function of universities until the late 19th century; however, the Humboldtian education ideal significantly increased the relevance of research, regarding teaching as a second-class activity. Nowadays with an increasing number of higher education institutions reassessing this model and emphasizing the relevance of quality teaching, a need for defining such concepts as “teaching excellence” and “quality teaching” seems to be of crucial importance. Therefore, within the framework of the proposed project, the team will carry out comparative qualitative research that will aim at mapping the understanding of the above-mentioned concepts within selected 4EU+ universities. It will also aim at collecting data on teaching skills programmes and trainings that are offered to their academic staff. Relevant data will be obtained through document analysis, and interviews and focus groups with key persons from the selected consortium universities. The collected data will be presented at the last meeting of the partners. It is believed that the analysis of the collected data will help us to deepen our understanding of the above-mentioned concepts, lead to defining 'good quality teaching' at Charles University, and prepare the basis for a new pedagogical skills enhancement programme to be designed at Charles University. The project is also believed to help develop shared standards at consortium universities, which will improve cooperation, course exchange and support student mobility and virtual mobility.