Penny Burden

Associate professor

I have worked at Kingston University since April 2012 and I am currently associate professor and director of Kingston's Academic Practice Standards framework (KAPS). Prior to joining Kingston, I worked as a senior lecturer in learning and teaching at both the University of Roehampton and the University for the Creative Arts. From 1998 to 2009 I had a student facing role as head of skills and personal development at the University of Surrey. I moved to Surrey from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where I held the post of lecturer in the Centre for Continuing Education (1994–98) and prior to taking up that post, I worked as a lecturer in business and administration at New College Durham, one of the largest further education colleges in the North East of England.

In my current role I lead the development and implementation of KAPS – Kingston's HEA-accredited framework which recognises the professional practice of experienced colleagues at Kingston within the UK Professional Standards Framework and in 2018 I led the successful re-accreditation with AdvanceHE (HEA). As part of that scheme, I deliver various sessions in support of a broad range of experienced colleagues at Kingston, from associate up to principal fellow. I also initiated and led the development of the Introduction to Learning and Teaching programme which is aimed at supporting new academics and professional staff who have some teaching responsibilities. I have significant management responsibility in terms of developing LTEC's strategic policy and direction.

As well as leading the Kingston Academic Practice Standards (KAPS) scheme and the Introduction to Learning and Teaching, I also facilitate professional development sessions for staff across the institution on a variety of topics related to learning and teaching including personal tutoring, personal development planning, active learning and assessment and feedback. I make an active contribution to several working groups and committees across Kingston University including the Personal Tutor working group and Teaching Observation working group. I also work closely with colleagues in the Human Resources department in support of developing policies around induction, probation and mentoring.

I am an elected member of Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) Executive Committee and co-chair of the South East Academic Development Network. I am currently the (outgoing) external examiner for Loughborough University and the new external examiner for De Montfort University's PGCLTHE. I have also been the external assessor for HEA-accredited recognition schemes at the University of West London, the University of Westminster and the University of the Arts London.

My educational/professional qualifications include an Education MA from the University of Roehampton (2006) and a Politics and History of Art BA(Hons) from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (1983). I am also a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research interests

My current area of interest is around defining high quality teaching as perceived by academics and by students; I have presented this at conferences recently and have a paper in preparation. I am also involved in the evaluation of the KAPS scheme in order to identify impact on the professional development of colleagues.

Publications

Publications include monograms and conference/keynote presentations – read more in Kingston University's Research Repository (a digital archive of published research produced by Kingston University staff and researchers).

Contact details

• Email: p.burden@kingston.ac.uk