Thursday, 04 August 2022
A senior academic at the University of Nottingham has become the first National Teaching Fellow outside of the UK.
Dr K Cohen Tan, who is currently interim Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning at the University of Nottingham Ningbo campus (UNNC) in China, received the award in recognition of the outstanding impact he’s had on student outcomes and the Higher Education teaching profession.
The National Teaching Fellowship scheme is widely recognised as a mark of quality. Previous recipients have been based in the UK, meaning that Dr Tan’s award signals an important widening of the National Teaching Fellowship community.
I am humbled to be the first academic to receive this prestigious honour outside of the UK. I am grateful to Advance HE for recognising me as one of the thousands of academics employed at overseas campuses who deliver an authentic British education.
Dr Tan continued: “I am optimistic that we shall see more colleagues at overseas campuses celebrated for their work in the future, along with the appreciation of their families and loved ones who support their work on a daily basis to make it possible.”
The award tops a long list of recent accolades for the academic who has achieved remarkable results for students over the last few years. In 2020, 41% of his dissertation students achieved distinctions and 53% of his Critical Communications students received offers from the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Science. As Project Manager for the Tu Haiming Scholarship, Dr Tan has also created many internship opportunities for students. His alumni include a UN General Assembly Youth Representative, a Schwarzman Scholar to Tsinghua University, a China Oxford Scholar to Oxford University and several high-profile newscasters.
Advance HE sends our warmest congratulations to Dr Tan. It is very exciting that the University of Nottingham has chosen to nominate one of their staff members at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China in recognition of their teaching excellence.
Dr Tan’s nomination clearly demonstrates the positive impact of his wide-reaching, interdisciplinary and cross-campus initiatives and the value of his work more widely to the University of Nottingham. We look forward to seeing how Dr Tan’s achievements manifest further now he is the recipient of a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship in 2022.
Dr Tan has also demonstrated academic leadership and impact through numerous contributions to the Teaching and Learning environment at UNNC. He pioneered and chaired the DANN network – a peer-based advisory body for staff, designed to protect people from harassment, bullying and victimisation.
Advance HE's National Teaching Fellowships are significant markers of outstanding achievement in the support of students and the development of teaching. Nottingham has a good track record in the scheme and I am particularly pleased that our 2022 winner is the first National Teaching Fellow for the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. Through his leadership roles, Dr Cohen Tan has a big impact upon the experience of students and the development of staff. I would particularly note his establishment of the Dignity Advisors Ningbo Network and his initiatives in support of student employability. It is great to see his effort recognised by this prestigious award.
The annual National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) is now in its 22nd year and is open to all UK Advance HE Member institutions for the nomination of three staff in recognition of their individual teaching excellence. The scheme is open to both academic and professional service colleagues. Over the years, recipients at the University of Nottingham have come from a range of departments and roles, and collectively their success demonstrates a strong university-wide commitment to teaching innovation and excellence.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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