Special Interest Groups (SIG's)

Deelnemers aan parallelsessies schrijven ideeen op een groot vel

The Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning (CAT) facilitates UU teachers to exchange their educational expertise. This can be done, for example, by participating in, or starting, a new Special Interest Group (SIG).

See an overview of current SIG's here:

SIG Academic Writing

SIG Applied data science: Open Statistical Software

SIG Augmented and Virtual Reality

SIG Challenge Based Learning (CBL)

SIG Co-creation

SIG Community Engaged Learning

SIG Education for professionals

SIG Expertise in admissions

SIG Intercultural Competences

SIG Sustainability in Education

SIG Interdisciplinarity

SIG Learning Analytics

SIG Learning Spaces

SIG Motivation

SIG Game Based Learning

SIG Research Skills

SIG SoTL

SIG University of the Future

SIG Video

What is a SIG?

In these SIGs, teachers regularly meet around a shared interest in the area of academic teaching. SIGs focus on a clearly defined subject that is important to teachers and is relevant for the academic educational system at the UU. SIGs function as platforms where teachers can exchange, develop and apply knowledge and experience. This way, teachers work together as a community in order to improve education. SIGs are open to all teachers who are preoccupied with its specific topic. Teachers can join as experts, but they can also join to increase their expertise in the defined area. In SIGs, faculty boundaries are transcended.

Starting a SIG?

All teachers at UU are welcome to share their ideas to start a SIG. The initiative and ownership of the SIG lies with the teachers. Each SIG appoints a chairman and a vice chairman. The chairmen function as the primary contact persons to the Centre and have the responsibility to ensure that the SIG meets regularly. Prior to the meetings the chairman assembles a number of teachers to discuss the content and form of the SIG activities. A short description of the activities is necessary for the Centre in order to announce the event. Through the communication channels of the Centre, SIGs and SIG meetings can be made widely known within the university to allow all UU teachers the opportunity to sign up for a SIG. SIGs can, for example, share good practices, organise lectures and workshops, discuss recent publications, set up research projects or visit symposia. Would you like to start a SIG? Contact us, so that we can look at how the Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning can provide support for your plans

What can you expect from the Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning?

The Centre can provide support for SIGs in their organisation by reserving a location and promoting the event. Each SIG can declare up to 500 euros per year at the Centre for the general organisation of the meetings,  for the purpose of catering or reservations of external locations. In addition to this, SIG’s can submit a concise plan with a specified budget request to the CAT Board, for larger incidental activities that are open for all teachers at the UU. N.B. this possibility is not exclusive for SIG’s, but is available for all teachers at the UU.