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Teaching Innovation Workshops - Autumn 2026

The Teaching Innovation Workshops bring together academic staff and professional services colleagues from across the University to explore developments in key areas of teaching and learning practice, with the aim of propelling innovation across our institution.
Each interactive workshop combines inspiring speaker sessions with group discussions to develop practical, implementable actions. Participants will have the opportunity to share their own ideas and help identify key areas for future institutional support.

Workshop format

While each session has its own topic-specific learning outcomes, workshops follow a structured, collaborative 2-hour format with an overview of the strategic context, short speaker slots sharing new approaches or innovative practice and then plenty of time for discussion and sharing of experiences.

Upcoming workshops

Teaching Innovation: Preparing students for their future careers

Wednesday 18 November 2026, 2pm–4pm C/A/102 (Chemistry Department)

Through our education that empowers strategic objective we aim to equip all University of York graduates with the skills, knowledge, and experiences to start and progress through their careers successfully.  This aligns with the Universities UK ambition that all undergraduates will have access to meaningful work-based learning by 2035. 

We have recently approved a new institutional framework for work-related learning that provides opportunities for disciplinary innovation to support our students in their future ambitions, and to work more closely in partnership with employers to understand the skills and expertise they are looking for.   

Join us for our second Teaching Innovation workshop, where we will be exploring approaches to embedding work-related learning into programmes. At this interactive session we will:

  • Explore the new work-related learning framework designed to support students to access existing work-related learning opportunities and help colleagues to build new opportunities within programmes.
  • Hear from colleagues from each faculty on examples they have of embedding work-related learning into programmes, modules and dissertations.
  • Share examples of practice from participants and consider what the conditions for success are for delivering innovative, employer linked work-related learning.

Register to attend

  • Please complete the registration form to confirm your attendance for this session, or to express interest in future workshops so that we can plan effectively.

Teaching Innovation: Interdisciplinary Education

Wednesday 25 November, 2-4pm Alcuin East Wing AEW/104

Join us for the third Teaching Innovation workshop, where we will explore approaches to Interdisciplinary Education.

Interdisciplinary learning equips students to bridge disciplinary boundaries, develop flexible problem-solving skills, and prepare for complex future workplaces. Interdisciplinarity is one of the University of York’s four key strategic principles, with a commitment to “drive innovation by fostering deep collaboration across traditional academic boundaries”. How can we refresh and renew our commitment to this principle, in the light of the rapidly evolving workplace that our graduates enter?

This interactive session brings together colleagues to share practice and discuss how we can define, support, and expand interdisciplinary opportunities across our programmes and modules at York.

At this interactive session we will:

  • Explore the scope of interdisciplinary education at York

  • Gain an insight into the range of practice at York

  • Explore working definitions of interdisciplinary education, how to evidence its benefits to students, and strategies to increase student participation

Register to attend

Please complete this form to indicate your attendance so that we can plan effectively and feel free to share this invitation with colleagues.

Dates for your diary

Date Time Topic/focus
Wednesday 18 November 2pm-4pm Embedding Work-Related Learning (C/A/102)
Wednesday 25 November 2pm-4pm Interdisciplinary Learning (AEW/104)
Wednesday 2 December 3pm-5pm International Opportunities (TBC)
Wednesday 9 December 1.30pm-3.30pm Large Group Teaching (TBC)

Further details, room allocations, and speaker listings for future sessions will be updated here shortly.

Past workshops and resources

Teaching Innovation: AI in the Classroom

Date and time: Wednesday 7 October 2026

Session leaders:

  • Tracy Lightfoot (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students)
  • Dan Keith (Associate Dean for Education and Students, Social Sciences & Chair of the UEC AI Working Group)
  • Jill Webb (Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students & Chair of SCA)

As AI continues to reshape how we interact with information, how do we balance rapid technological change with the core principles of a York education? How do we empower and inspire our students to excel in their studies and prepare for the future workplace, while remaining true to our university values?

This opening session began with an overview of a recent report from MIT on AI Use in Teaching, Learning, and Research Training, followed by interactive group discussions exploring:

  • AI frameworks from other institutions and their applicability to the York context
  • Reflection on our own practice regarding AI in the classroom
  • Ideas for developing practice and experience
  • Identifying support needs from colleagues across the institution

Access the slides: AI in the Classroom (GSlides)