Griffith University has a proud reputation of educational innovation and achievement having received more national teaching awards than any other university.
As part of their commitment to excellence in teaching, their Department of Business Strategy and Innovation (BSI) celebrates the achievements of our teaching staff who strive for excellence to provide students with a high-quality education and positive experience.
Dr Lili Mi is the latest BSI staff member to be awarded a Fellowship for Higher Education Academy (HEA) along with esteemed colleagues, Dr Amanda Daly, Professor Sara McGaughey, Dr Heather Stewart and Dr Yong Wu. The HEA is a professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education, advocating for evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as a method of professional recognition for university teachers.
HEA fellowships offer professional recognition for the commitment to teaching, supporting colleagues in their teaching and enhancing students’ learning experiences and outcomes.
Head of Department, Professor Rosemary Stockdale said she was delighted to hear such positive feedback from Lili’s assessors.
“The HEA Fellowships recognises the contributions of staff and highlight the importance of teaching. It is a validation for the work staff put in to their teaching.”
The fellowships are based on merit, and provide evidence that staff are striving to achieve excellence in teaching. The panel was impressed by Lili’s ability to take learnings from her professional development and implement them into her teaching practice to advance student learning outcomes.
A key aspect that stood out to the panel was Lili’s continuous evidence of trialling scholarly approaches to learning and teaching, seeking feedback and self-reflecting, and then being willing to adjust and try again!
“It is very clear that Lili is developing very sound scholarly approaches to her teaching. She has given evidence of successful engagement across all five areas of activity, with strong commitment to the professional values in all aspects of her learning and teaching work.”
Another assessor noted:
“It was very clear that Lili is very alert to opportunities to improve the learning outcomes of students. It was noteworthy to see her use of technology to personalise student feedback and to make this process fun and more engaging.”
Lili joined the Department in August last year and in the past year she has been teaching management, leadership and strategy courses across undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA levels. She has also been part of the team to design the Graduate Certificate of Leadership and Management (GCLM) program online, in which she led the Leading Teams course design. She implemented innovative assessments such as simulations and received positive feedback from students through SET/SEC surveys, emails and Teams messages. One of the common feedbacks is her encouraging and inclusive teaching style which aligns with Lili’s teaching philosophy – “help all students reach their potential and create an inclusive and safe environment for them to grow”. She also strives for student engagement and social presence in an online environment.
When she received the Fellowship, Lili said:
“I am so honoured to be awarded the Fellowship. It is so rewarding seeing it coming through, which keeps me going and continuing improving with teaching. I’d like to thank the program coordinator Dr Paula Myatt and my mentor Professor Sara McGaughey for their excellent guidance and mentoring through the process.”
Lili’s fellowship referees Professor Brad Jackson and Dr Amanda Daly also commented:
“This prestigious fellowship is yet further indication of your talent and promise as an academic. Enjoy this moment – I am sure there will be many more moments like this along the way!”
“Lili has demonstrated developing leadership in learning and teaching. In addition to implementing innovative approaches in her courses, she has shared these experiences with colleagues across the university. I look forward to seeing Lili’s continued work as an educator and indeed seeing her apply for Senior Fellow in time to come.”
