Events in the Excellence in Education Research and Practice Group (EERPG)

Thematic/SIG discussion

On Friday 10 July 2026, colleagues came together for the launch of the AI Special Interest Group (AI SIG), part of the Excellence in Education Research and Practice Group (EERPG). Led by Dr Christopher Lipp and Michal Bobula, the session explored the implications of AI for teaching and learning within the College of Business and Law (CBL).

The AI SIG welcomed colleagues from a broad range of disciplines and professional services, including Law, Business and Digital Learning. Participants represented a wide spectrum of experience and opinion, from those actively embedding AI into their teaching and research to colleagues who remain cautious about its role in higher education. This diversity of perspectives fostered an open and respectful discussion, creating opportunities to share experiences, challenges, and the wide range of AI-related initiatives already underway across the College.

Through collaborative discussions and an interactive prioritisation exercise, participants identified the most pressing opportunities and challenges for students, staff, and the institution. Across all three perspectives, several common themes emerged: strengthening AI literacy and critical thinking; developing a shared understanding of responsible and ethical AI use; supporting staff through training and practical guidance; and helping students critically evaluate AI-generated content rather than outsource their thinking. Participants also highlighted the importance of institutional leadership through clear principles, risk awareness, and programme-level integration.

The session marked the beginning of an ongoing community of practice dedicated to sharing experiences, fostering innovation, and supporting the effective and responsible use of AI in education. Future AI SIG meetings will continue these conversations and contribute insights and recommendations to wider University discussions and developments.

EERPG Conference 2026: A Day of Collaboration, Innovation and Educational Practice

On 19 June 2026, colleagues from across UWE Bristol came together for the Excellence in Education Research and Practice Group (EERPG) Conference, a vibrant day of discussion, knowledge sharing and networking focused on teaching, learning and educational research.

The conference featured keynote addresses from Dr Paul Redford, alongside a thought-provoking panel discussion on the future of higher education chaired by Dr Cathy Minett-Smith and featuring external guests Mike Ratcliffe and Oliver Lowe from the Chartered Association of Business Schools.

The programme showcased a wide range of presentations exploring pedagogical innovation, inclusion, wellbeing, ethics, global engagement and research-informed education. Participants also had the opportunity to connect with representatives from Sage, Routledge and Pearson, who joined the event to discuss publishing opportunities, teaching resources and developments in educational practice.

The conference highlighted the breadth of educational scholarship taking place across our community and created valuable opportunities for colleagues to exchange ideas, build connections and share experiences.

EEPRG Webinar Series

Presenters: Dr Ben Derrick and Dr Ronke Eyitayo

An engaging EERPG webinar that explored how generative AI is being used in the classroom, in real teaching moments with students. This session shared practical, research-informed stories of GenAI integration across disciplines, focusing on pedagogy, reflection, and responsible use. There were first-hand classroom stories from members of CATE (College of Art, Technology and Environment), including examples of how GenAI has been embedded into teaching, learning, and assessment to support student engagement, develop AI literacies, and prompt deeper reflection. 

The webinar also highlighted relevant literature, aligned practice with UWE Bristol’s AI principles, and surfaces lessons learned - what’s working, what’s challenging, and where we go next. Designed for academics engaged in meaningful, ethical, and effective uses of GenAI, the session concluded with discussion and opportunities to contribute to classroom experiences to an ongoing research project.

Thematic/SIG discussion

In the first discussion of the series, we focused on the first theme identified during the Q1 meeting as a priority for us to discuss in EERPG: "Preparing our students in the transition to HE".

This was an open discussion to share ideas and potential solutions. The discussion considered the following:

• Examples of practice to share with the group
• Reports, articles, etc that could benefit others interested in this topic, or that could help find a solution
• Any ideas for a research project ?
• Novel in-class approach related to this topic.

EEPRG Webinar Series

Presenter: Matthew Raymont-Hall

In 2023/24, and as part of the new BA (Hons) Law and Criminology Programme, a new 60 credit module was created at Level 4 called Foundations for Law and Criminology. The assessment regime was designed to grade assessments as pass/fail in order to encourage deeper learning and to encourage greater collaboration and cohort identity.  Therefore, the focus of this presentation is to offer a review of previous literature as to the benefits (and concerns) of pass/fail grading and, to outline Matthew's further research steps which seeks to understand the students’ perceptions of pass/fail grading.

The meeting focused on identifying areas to be addressed through future thematic discussions, enabling the development of a coordinated activity plan for the forthcoming months and the academic year.

EEPRG Webinar Series (Panel discussion)

Guest panellists:

• Dr Christopher Lipp
• Michal Bobula
• Dr Frano Barbic
• Robert Tucker

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay and is already reshaping how we work, teach and assess in higher education. From content creation to assessment design, AI presents both significant opportunities and complex challenges for educators. 

Bringing together colleagues with interests and expertise in AI and digital pedagogies, this panel discussion provided a space for colleagues to reflect on how AI is influencing our professional practice, share emerging approaches, and explore how we might move forward thoughtfully and responsibly as educators. The session concluded with an open Q&A, offering participants the opportunity to share concerns, experiences, and questions from their own practice.

EEPRG Webinar Series

Title: Widening access to Economic Higher Education: evaluating a school outreach initiative in Bristol 

Presenter: Dr Lotta Takala-Greenish

This case study explored a UWE Bristol initiative to address underrepresentation in economics education through local (Bristol) school and university-based engagement. Drawing on mixed-methods evaluation, we shared insights into effective approaches for engaging female and ethnic minority students, highlighting the impact of student ambassadors, real-world applications, and locally contextualised learning in developing inclusive pathways into economics higher education.

An opportunity to meet other members in the Group.

Half-Baked Ideas meeting

Presenter: Charlotte Evans

Title: Designing equitable alternative assessments: A framework for parity across assessment modes

Or alternatively: Beyond the essay: Establishing equity and equivalence in alternative assessment design

Project description: This collaborative research and practice project aims to develop evidence-based guidance for academic staff designing modules with alternative assessment options. As universities increasingly recognise the value of offering students choice in how they demonstrate learning, a critical question emerges: how do we ensure parity and equity across different assessment modes?

This project will bring together academics, learning designers, and assessment specialists to:

• investigate current practices and challenges in designing equivalent alternative assessments
• develop practical frameworks for establishing parity across diverse assessment modes
• create guidance and tools to support academics in designing fair and equitable assessment choices
• explore how different modes can assess the same learning outcomes while maintaining academic rigor.

We’re seeking collaborators who are interested in assessment design, inclusive pedagogy, and practical solutions to support both staff and students in navigating assessment choice effectively.

Proposed outputs: Academic journal articles, conference participations and guidelines for staff.

An opportunity to meet other members in the Group.

An opportunity to meet other members in the Group.

EEPRG Webinar Series

Presenter: Sarah Watson

To better integrate theoretical understanding with practical application, Sarah Watson used a flipped classroom model for a number of years - replacing traditional lectures with pre-recorded materials that students engage with independently. This shift has enabled on-campus sessions to focus on hands-on, practice-based learning. 

Building on this foundation, she introduced a new simulation-based assessment this year, designed to immerse level 4 students in a realistic scenario where they apply their knowledge in context. By embedding assessment activities into taught sessions, students are given structured time and support to engage more deeply with the task, fostering greater participation and reinforcing the relevance of their learning. The presentation discussed how this was going, what worked and what challenges have been identified, discussing whether it has had a positive impact on engagement.

On 22 October 2025, Dr Anabela Soares officially launched the Excellence in Education Research and Practice Group (EERPG), a new research group within the College of Business and Law dedicated to building a vibrant, inclusive community of pedagogical researchers and practitioners.

The event outlined the group’s vision and objectives, which include:

• open membership for anyone interested in teaching, learning, and pedagogy within Business and Law education.
• fostering collaboration to advance innovative learning and teaching practices.
• disseminating research and translating insights into impactful educational innovations.
• encouraging funding bids and strengthening engagement with national and international networks.

Attendees contributed ideas on the Group’s focus and aspirations. A shared consensus emerged: EERPG should be a problem-solving hub for Business and Law education.

Looking ahead, EERPG will offer a dynamic programme of activities, including online webinars, panel discussions, quarterly member meetings, writing retreats, and an annual conference, alongside opportunities for collaborative research and funding.