University Teaching qualification (UTQ) and Senior Teaching Qualification (STQ)

Since the nineties, Utrecht University has been a frontrunner with respect to teacher development in higher education. The university strongly believes that the quality of our scientific staff determines the quality of our education and research. Therefore, the university has set requirements for everyone involved in education and research. These requirements have been translated into a university qualification system, for which a new university regulation came into force in 2021. This university regulation contains a specification of the content of these qualifications and the procedures for how to attain them. As a result, the procedures regarding the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) and Senior Teaching Qualification (STQ) within the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences have changed and a new faculty-wide UTQ/STQ committee has been installed.

Completion UTQ-track according to old regulations
Lectures who started their UTQ-track before February 2022, i.e. they have had their development plan approved by the UTQ/STQ committee from the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, are allowed to complete their track according to the old regulations. Final deadline for submission of your UTQ-portfolio is October 1st, 2023.
For a description of the old procedure, see old regulations UTQ/STQ.

Most important changes for the UTQ-track:

• A new format is used for the development document. In this development document you describe what you will do during your UTQ-track to develop the required UTQ competences. This development document will be assessed by the Science-faculty UTQ/STQ-committee.
• The specific Pharmacy UTQ-programme will no longer be offered. Instead, a science-faculty UTQ-programme will be developed, of which the first iteration will start in September 2023.
• The UTQ-track will be finished after the UTQ/STQ-committee has approved your UTQ-portfolio. In contrast to the old Pharmacy-procedure, an UTQ-interview is not always necessary.

Most important changes for the STQ-track:

• To attain your STQ-qualification, it is no longer sufficient to hand in an STQ-portfolio to have your STQ competencies assessed. You are expected to draw up a development document at the start of your STQ-track and submit it for approval to the Science-faculty UTQ/STQ-committee.
  Do you want to start your UTQ- or STQ-track, read all about the UTQ- and STQ-regulations and procedures on intranet.

You can register for the UTQ- or STQ-track by sending an e-mail to the secretary of the UTQ/STQ assessment committee, Susannah Standing, via science.bko.sko@uu.nl.

If you have obtained a similar qualification at a different higher education institute, you may be eligible for a shortened track or exemption. Please contact Susannah Standing via science.bko.sko@uu.nl.

Support

UTQ-programme: During the UTQ-track you follow the UTQ-programme offered by the Faculty of Science, or the generic UTQ-programme offered by Educational Development & Training (UU). This is a mandatory part of the BKO-track. The UTQ/STQ assessment committee strongly recommends taking part in the programme offered by the Faculty of Science, because it is aligned with the expectations for you as a teacher within the department of pharmaceutical sciences. In addition, participation in this programme contributes to your connection with the faculty’s teacher community, which makes it easier to find your way within the educational organization. The UTQ programme is provided by trainers of from Educational Development & Training (O&T) at Utrecht University. The participants in the course act as sparring partners and your tutor can serve as a sounding board.

STQ-track: When you aim at achieving your STQ certificate, there are several forms of support that are specifically aimed at supporting you in this track.
1. A half-day introductory meeting, in which you explore the meaning of seniority if education. This meeting is helpful in deciding if working towards an STQ certificate would be a fitting next step in your professional development.
2. An STQ portfolio track, in which you will discuss topics related to the competencies required for your STQ certificate and work on your STQ portfolio.
3: A two-day writing-retreat, in which you will fully focus on writing your portfolio.

For more information about these activities, visit the information page of Educational development & Training. To participate in one of these support activities, you must request written permission from the department’s Educational Management Team (OW-MT) at science.owi.pharm@uu.nl and have permission from your supervisor.

Departmental portfolio writing days: Several times a year, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences organizes UTQ/SQT portfolio writing days. The purpose of these days is to facilitate your writing process. On the one hand, by thinking along with you about the structure of your portfolio and the approach to your writing process; on the other hand, by giving you the opportunity to discuss your progress, insights and hurdles, with peers. Teachers indicate that they experience these days as very useful, not only because they make faster progress in their writing process by sparring together with peers, but also it forces them to reserve dedicated time to work on their portfolio. If you would like to participate in one of the next writing days, please contact science.owi.pharm@uu.nl.