University Teaching Qualification (UTQ)

UTQ Competencies

The UTQ certification enhances and assures the quality of academic education by focusing on the following main competencies of teaching:

1. Teaching and supervising students
2. Course design
3. Testing and assessment
4. Evaluation
5. Continuous professional development as a teacher

UTQ Trajectories

We offer two types of UTQ trajectories:

• The Regular UTQ trajectory (for teachers with less than 5 years' experience in the competencies listed above)
• The UTQ By Experience trajectory (for teachers with more than 5 years' experience)
  

Based on your submitted intake form, we will determine which trajectory fits your personal situation best.

Target audience

Appointed UG staff with UFO profile HGL, UHD, UD, or Teacher, who, at the time of appointment:

• have a (temporary) contract in which at least 1 year is left;
• have at least 0.2 fte appointed for teaching tasks*;
• are (going to be) involved in all educational competencies (teaching, supervising, course design, testing, and assessment);
• are involved in Bachelor's and/or Master's programmes of the University of Groningen;
• have not yet acquired the (complete) UTQ at another Dutch university.

* For UMCG staff this is at least 0.1 fte.

PhD students

PhD students can only apply for the UTQ if their teaching tasks cover more than 0.2 fte and their teaching tasks are related to all competency domains. PhD students who are only (planning to be) involved in teaching or supervising tasks are referred to our PhD student courses (Start to Teach, Start to Supervise, or Introduction to Teaching).

We aim at improving the educational competencies that are directly relatable to the participants in their teaching practice. To be able to work on the competencies within the full UTQ trajectory, participants must have active teaching responsibilities during the UTQ programme.

Teachers can be exempted for (parts of) the UTQ upon critical evaluation of the UTQ competencies within previously acquired certificates. In general, the following rules for exemption apply: 

1. If a teacher has obtained a UTQ certificate at another Dutch university, this certificate is also recognized by the UG. In this case, a teacher only has to upload their UTQ certificate in AFAS, which will be checked and confirmed by the UTQ coordinators.

2. Exemption of parts of the UTQ trajectory may be granted based on partial UTQ certificates obtained at another university. In this case, the applicant will have to follow an individual customized trajectory to obtain the remaining UTQ competencies.

3. A teaching or didactic certificate obtained at a foreign university may equal (parts of) the UTQ. The UTQ team will assess an applicant’s portfolio to determine possible exemptions.

4. If a teacher has obtained other didactic certifications in the Netherlands (e.g., the BDB, PDG, or a first- or second degree teaching certificate), the teacher is advised to follow an adapted version of the UTQ by Experience trajectory.

5. Teachers who have previously completed the Start to Teach and/or Start to Supervise courses as PhD students are exempted from related assignments within the UTQ Teaching and Supervising module. However, we highly encourage participants to follow the complete module since they will be in a later stage of their professional development.

In all cases except #1, teachers need to officially register for the UTQ. After sending in documents related to their previously acquired competencies (e.g., certificates, portfolio documents), we will determine your individual UTQ trajectory.

In 2025-2026, two new groups of the UTQ-UMCG trajectory will start: the UTQ programme that closely matches the daily practice of the UMCG clinician.

Update May 2025: Unfortunately, all available spots for academic year '25/'26 are fully booked. Would you like to stay informed about future runs? Keep an eye on the UMCG's UTQ information page or register on the waiting list there.

Of course it is still possible to register for the regular UTQ trajectory. The theoretical content about academic education is the same, only less specifically tailored to the UMCG context.

For more information about the UTQ programme, please email docentprofessionalisering rug.nl.

The UTQ programme is facilitated by employees of team Educational Staff Development (ESD).

The UTQ coordination is in the hands of Marlies Venhuizen-ter Beek and Sytske Dijkgraaf-Nijdam.

Note: Marlies will be on maternity leave from 17 March until 11 August 2025. Please contact our general email address or Sytske in case of questions.