Associate Director of Educational Research and Policy

The opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role shaping University of the Arts London’s learning & teaching research agenda, ensuring it supports TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework) and APP (Access and Participation Plan) goals.

This role is instrumental in positioning UAL as a leader in creative education research, ensuring that policy, research, and academic development work cohesively to support the University’s strategic ambitions.

As Associate Director of Educational Research & Policy, you will lead research-driven initiatives to identify best practices, drive innovation in creative education, and align policy and delivery frameworks with emerging pedagogical approaches. You will implement sector-leading evaluation methodologies to demonstrate the rigor and impact of creative pedagogical innovations, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations.

You will also provide academic leadership, contributing to the University’s broader research strategy, and will be responsible for securing external research funding, as well as acting as Director of Study and/or research degree supervisor, supporting the next generation of researchers, and contributing to institutional research impact, ensuring UAL’s work is recognised externally.

About you

You will need a PhD in a relevant area of creative pedagogical research, with experience of managing a research community, and a recognised national or international research active profile.

You will also be recognised as a member of the Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, with a proven record of internationally excellent research outputs, and experience in building strategic external collaborations.

What we offer

To recognise the hard work of our staff and their contributions, we provide a wide range of benefits – please check our careers site/Canvas for further information as conditions and exclusions apply:

▪ 39 days of annual leave and 2 days off to volunteer plus bank holidays
▪ Flexible and Dynamic working options available from the first day
▪ Discounted Medical Insurance including Digital GP service, therapies, in-patient and day-case treatment
▪ Free counselling and advice via our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
▪ Sector-leading Equal Parental Leave policy (6 months full pay for both parents) 
▪ Teachers Pension scheme
▪ In-house training and development including apprenticeships and free places on creative courses
▪ Interest free loans on travel and tech, discounts on gym memberships, nursery fees, eye care and much more
▪ Various opportunities to attend student shows and exhibitions

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) generates and inspires the creativity the world needs for a better future. Since 1842, our colleges have been defining creative education. With curiosity, imagination and intent we make work which creates lasting change for people and our planet. London is core to who we are, a place where we meet and share ideas with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Our creative network influences learning, culture, industry and society on a global scale. Our academics and practitioners deliver creative education and inspire new ways of thinking through research and innovation. We work with students at every level from pre-degree and short courses to postgraduate and online learning, enabling them to build the careers they want. Together, we are a community of makers, thinkers, pioneers and storytellers redesigning the future.

As a University, we are ranked second in the world for Art and Design. We are formed of 6 Colleges with unique histories and identities: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts. UAL also has 4 Institutes, 5 Research Centres, 1 Pre-Degree School and 2 subsidiary companies delivering specialist activities.

We are a global University, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. We aim to be a university where people can be themselves and feel supported to reach their full potential. That's why we are proud to be members of the Race Equality Charter (REC) and Business Disability Forum, are a Disability Confident Scheme Committed and Living Wage employer and maintain our status as a Stonewall Diversity Champion.