Centre overview | Research approach | Teaching methods | Centre impact | Networks, Projects & People
Centre overview
The Centre for Higher Education Research (CHER) is a multidisciplinary centre for the critical study of higher education. We are passionate about understanding the impact of higher education on individuals, on business and on contemporary society. Our members have wide areas of research, from the impact of educational policies to the scholarship of assessment practice, in each case we approach our research with a clear focus on social justice.
Research approach
Driven by a belief in the emancipatory power of higher education, our research includes understanding who accesses higher education, and how. We work in the following areas:
To collaborate with the centre on any of these areas, please contact the academic listed. Many of our researchers work at the intersection of different disciplines to generate new knowledge, including adopting theories of identity, capitals and academic communication through narratives and poetry.
Teaching methods
Our research informs teaching across all courses offered by the university, with many research studies prompted by a desire to better understand new educational models, new educational policy implementation, the impact of online learning and wider student and staff experiences of higher education. We bring international approaches into our curricula and we seek to embed contemporary cross-disciplinary flexibility to respond to current challenges, for example the climate emergency. We welcome enquiries from prospective candidates wishing to pursue a Master by Research or PhD.
Centre impact
We are proud of our engagement with the academic community and beyond to help us further our vision of promoting understanding of the impact of higher education. We collaborate with a range of external partners including Scottish Funding Council, Skills Development Scotland, Advance HE, Quality Assurance Agency and Scottish Government.