What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My main roles and responsibilities during my internship were around providing administration support for the ASPIRE Professional Recognition Programme at the University of Exeter. This included supporting colleagues going through the programme by helping with enquiries, but also developing communications to raise the profile of ASPIRE, by creating posters of colleagues who have achieved ASPIRE / HEA fellowships and helping with the launch of the ASPIRE Newsletter. I also organised and supported the delivery of ASPIRE events, including ASPIRE Academic Practice Seminars where colleagues from across the University come together to discuss how they teach and support learning to develop and share their practice. This also involved me developing a teaching and learning resource on Exeter’ virtual learning environment (VLE), with video clips and summaries from each event.

I also worked with a small team to develop the website around the University of Exeter’s Education Strategy 2015-2020, to highlight the fantastic work of students and staff at the University. This involved video interviewing over 150 students and staff from across the University campuses, and creating case studies on a website which explores how their work meets the Strategy’s Aims, Attributes and/or Values.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I think my biggest achievement during my internship was the development of my skills and confidence in supporting and managing events, including creating an associated online teaching and learning resource.

I have always been interested in event management, but prior to this internship, had not had the opportunity to pursue or experience this. However, an important part of my role for ASPIRE was organising and promoting ASPIRE Academic Practice Seminars, which are one hour teaching and learning seminars led by an academic or Professional Services member of staff at the University to discuss their approaches and experiences of teaching and/or supporting learning, as well as supporting the ASPIRE Development Day 2015, which was a large scale teaching and learning event attended by over 130 colleagues. This work required me to draw upon key skills, such as planning and organisation, but also marketing and communications skills developed through my Masters degree.

As part of my work to manage these events, I also developed an ASPIRE VLE page, with summaries and clips from the events, as a response to a need to create a space where colleagues can engage further with the topics and material. This was welcomed by colleagues and has been successful in continuing their learning.

Managing these events has been a significant achievement for me, developing my confidence and helping me to realise that I am very good at, and really enjoy, meeting and working with so many colleagues, learning about their fantastic work, and helping to support and share this through running events.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

By providing administrative support to the ASPIRE programme, I have helped to support the development of teaching and learning at the University of Exeter. Through managing the shared ASPIRE mailbox, for example, I have helped to ensure that colleagues engaging with the process receive a friendly and helpful service. Moreover, through supporting colleagues with the application process, such as dealing with their paperwork, I help to support the ASPIRE / HEA fellowship process at Exeter. Through developing ASPIRE communications, I have also helped to raise awareness of ASPIRE at the University and its profile, successfully increasing engagement. Moreover, through my work to support ASPIRE events, including its seminars and annual Development Day, I have helped to facilitate sharing and discussion by colleagues of teaching and learning practices, across disciplines, Colleges and campuses.

I also made a significant impact through working as part of a small team to develop the Education Strategy website. I interviewed and created case studies of well over 130 students and staff, including ADEs, DoEs, and even the Provost and Vice-Chancellor, and by doing so, I helped to showcase the brilliant work of students and staff at Exeter to other colleagues at the University but also to the wider public. Moreover, it also acts as a resource bank of best practice approaches to teaching and/or support for learning to inspire others.

Did you encounter any problems during the course of your internship and if so, how did you overcome them?

I think some of the main problems that I faced during my internship were around skills I needed to develop, such as minute-taking, or learning a piece of new software or programme. However, my internship was fantastic in this area, as I was actively encouraged by my team, and particularly by my line manager, to take advantage of the training courses run by the University and also to work with, and learn from, my colleagues to build my confidence and abilities in these areas. Overcoming these challenges has been something that I have really enjoyed and has equipped me with the skills needed for my next role in Higher Education Administration, which I have now successfully acquired.