Faculty academic given prestigious award

An academic from the Faculty of Medicine has been given a prestigious award in recognition of her strategic leadership and practice in teaching and learning.

Kathy Kendall, Associate Professor, Sociology as Applied to Medicine, has been awarded a Higher Education Academy Principal Fellowship by Advanced HE.

Those celebrated by the scheme have demonstrated personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in higher education learning and teaching and the impact of their practice. 

Kathy was celebrated for her work in medical education including her leadership both nationally and internationally through co-chairing of Behavioural and Social Sciences Teaching in Medicine (BeSST), a community of practice interested in how behavioural and social sciences are taught in medicine. Its members include sociologists, psychologists, clinicians, students, and researchers.

Kathy said: “I am very honoured to be a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In acknowledging my influence and impact on teaching and learning, this award also recognises the relevance of sociology to medical education and the important role it plays in improving the health of populations in the 21st century."

As part of the award process for the position of Principal Fellow – a title which makes up less than 1% of the total Fellowship population world-wide, according to Professor Sally Bradley of Advance HE – applications are subject to an external peer review process. Academic applicants must evidence sustained strategic leadership in practices, policies and strategies which contribute to high quality student learning.