Professor Keith Smyth

Dean of Learning and Teaching

Keith is UHI’s Dean of Learning and Teaching, and Professor of Pedagogy. He leads the teams who work in partnership with colleagues across the university in the areas of learning and teaching strategy, professional development and recognition in learning and teaching, curriculum innovation, digital education practice, academic standards, and educational scholarship and research.

Joining UHI in 2014, Keith led the development of the Learning and Teaching Academy as UHI’s hub for enhancement and innovation in learning and teaching, with a focus on co-ordinating strategic learning and teaching initiatives, providing an integrated range of professional development and recognition opportunities for colleagues with learning and teaching responsibilities, and through the development of the University Mentoring Scheme. He also leads on the development and implementation of UHI’s Learning and Teaching Enhancement Strategy, and has overseen the development of educational research from an emerging area to UHI’s first education submission for the Research Excellence Framework.

Keith has worked in tertiary education since 1996, first as a visiting lecturer after completing his undergraduate studies, as a lecturer in subjects including research methods, and as a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education leading an award-winning postgraduate programme for lecturers and education professionals before then coming to UHI. His PhD research was focused on educational psychology and networked learning, and he has published and presented widely in areas including digital education, educational strategy and policy, inclusive educational practices and educational development. Keith also developed the openly licensed 3E Framework for designing technology-enhanced learning, which has been formally adopted by a wide range of educational institutions across and beyond the UK.

Keith has held trustee positions for a number of third sector organisations concerned with education and social outreach. He is Vice Chair of the Association for Learning Technology, and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.