Academic Development and Skills

The Academic Development and Skills team prepares the next generation of psychology professionals for their future careers by providing them with research-driven education. The main goals are:

• to train students in academic, professional, and research skills,
• to support their academic development,
• increase successes and decrease attrition, and
• to improve employability.

To achieve these goals, we develop and present a curriculum to teach and provide students with opportunities to practice:

• Critical reflection, applied to research and to their own development
• Conducting and writing about psychological research
• Professional communication and interpersonal skills, working in groups, as well as other skills and attitudes needed to become an employable future professional

Another core activity of the team is involving students in the academic community by teaching mentoring skills, didactic skills, and managing group dynamics. Students become partners in education by leading small groups in practical courses designed and coordinated by faculty members of Academic development and Skills team.

A central theme of our team is connectedness, in line with the faculty’s strategic plan. We connect students with each other and with faculty through academic learning communities and small-group teaching to foster their active learning, critical reflection and ownership of their academic development and career. Moreover, the team connects staff of different areas of psychology by providing a platform for innovative and effective teaching and learning in higher education.

The Academic development and Skills team has several related responsibilities within the psychology department, including coordinating students’ study abroad, and educational innovations and developments in the Bachelor’s program.

The research conducted within Academic Development and Skills is closely embedded in the nine expertise groups of the Heymans Institute, with a specific focus on themes that relate to teaching and learning, such as self-regulated learning and metacognition, intercultural competence and inclusion, educational ergonomics, and employability. In addition, monitoring the impact of innovative approaches to teaching is a relevant topic.