Dr Robert Baird

I convene the modules Intercultural Communication in a Global World (BA) and Principles of Communicative Language Teaching (MA). Both aim to engage critically with ideas in these fields as they relate to real-world practice, encouraging students to explore and reconsider key concepts as they relate to their own interests, practices, and backgrounds.

I have taught at the University of Southampton since 2008, when I also began my PhD on the topic of English-medium higher education, and the ideas/discourses of 'English' it carried. I am a founding member of the Centre for Global Englishes, and I apply a concern for inclusivity, fairness, and conceptual rigour into my work at the university, whether designing communicative assessment and learning tasks for students here, or leading teacher-education projects outside the UK.

My primary role:

• I am currently Director of Pre-sessional Programmes. These programmes seek to enhance transitioning students' academic literacies and preparedness for study in their fields by encouraging guided, exploratory engagement with academic communication. From ongoing, supported tasks, students can develop their confidence and awareness in relation to the communicative practices they will engage with on their substantive programmes.

International engagement:

• I lead on worldwide collaborations in the area of English-Medium Educaiton (EME), especially in the area of teacher development and establishing sustainable networks to facilitate support and solidarity among educators in the area.
• I co-lead the MOOC English as a Medium of Instruction for Academics, on the FutureLearn platform, which has brought together tens of thousands of educators for critical discussions around policies, pedagogy, communication, and values in the area.
• I have led on various contextualised projects and programmes in the area of EME, most providing teacher education and/or teacher-educator development in EME settings. These draw on insights from research and developments in pedagogy.

Supervision:

• I supervise PhD students in the areas of internationalisation of higher education, English-medium education, teacher development, culture and identification in ELT, English as a Lingua Franca in higher education and professional settings, and digital learning in higher education.