UG teachers start with renewed UTQ programme

A revised setup of the UTQ programme at the University of Groningen was launched in September. The University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) is a certificate of pedagogical competence for teachers in academic education that applies to all Dutch universities. Each institution can design the UTQ in its own way. In Groningen, the UTQ has increasingly focused on training and developing teachers in recent years.

The reason for revising the programme was the increasing need for practical assignments and the successful learning community approach from the "one trainer, one group" pilot. Based on discussions with teachers, trainers and faculties, and a questionnaire survey among former participants, various suggestions were made to better align the UTQ programme with teachers’ educational practice. Evaluations revealed a need for more personal contact and more practical relevance of the assignments. And, more importantly, it also had to remain workable for the ten members of the CIT Educational Staff Development (ESD) team.

Successful pilot

Over the past seven years, no fewer than 1,500 teachers have obtained their UTQ certificate. Between 2020 and 2024, the number of participants in a UTQ programme rose to a peak of almost 500 registered teachers. This sometimes presented logistical challenges; more workshops had to be scheduled – 20 two-day workshops per year – and the groups per workshop were increased to 32 participants. Colleagues from various teams within Educational Support and Innovation (ESI) were brought in to review assignments, conduct sessions, or observe lessons.

It soon became apparent that both teachers and trainers needed more personal contact. In 2024, the pilot project “One trainer, one group” was therefore launched, in which cohort groups, under the guidance of a single trainer, obtained their UTQ in one semester (or one academic year). This pilot proved to be a success and formed the basis for the new set-up that started in September.

Focus on practical assignments

Unlike the old format, the revamped UTQ programme focuses more on learning by doing and personal development. There is less assessment by means of reflective writing assignments; assignments are carried out during the meetings and assessed less formally. This is a particularly significant difference for the target group of experienced teachers, who in the past had to compile a portfolio by means of (independent) writing assignments.

The new setup pays more attention to the actual implementation of teaching. Elements that participants consider most valuable, such as feedback on lesson observations and the focus on constructive alignment of their own subject content, remain an integral part of the programme. Teachers with more than five years of teaching experience also have the opportunity to explore an educational theme of their choice in greater depth in a single semester.

Two new trajectories

The updated UTQ programme consists of two types of trajectories: the regular UTQ trajectory (for starting teachers with less than five years of teaching experience) and the UTQ “by Experience” programme (for teachers with more than five years of experience). In the new structure, the regular UTQ trajectory consists of two separate modules: “Teaching & Supervising” and “Designing & Assessing”. These modules consist of four meetings per semester, followed by one group with a permanent trainer and a maximum of 16 participants per group.

Participation in meetings with a fixed group is now also compulsory within the By Experience programme. These teachers will obtain their UTQ within one semester. In order to better align with the participants' timetables, both programmes now have the same structure as regular academic education; participants can start in September or February.

New format launched in September

In September 2025, almost 120 teachers started their UTQ programme in the new format. This involves nine groups of 10-16 participants, supervised by nine different trainers from the ESD team. Each module is offered in both English and Dutch.

More information about the UTQ programme