13 LEAF Initiative – Developing Teaching and Learning Leadership through the MU Education Framework

Aims and Objectives

The Leadership and EducAtion Framework (LEAF) initiative is designed to support leadership in teaching and learning through the development and enactment of an MU Education Framework.

• Phase 1: Co-creation of a MU Education Framework which will support a whole-of-institution approach to curriculum design and development, and the embedding of key education priorities in the curriculum.
• Phase 2: Collaborative design of a Programme and Module Leaders Toolkit to support colleagues who wish to lead T&L enhancement using the MU Framework.
• Phase 3: Implementation of the Programme and Module Leaders Toolkit with colleagues from across the faculties.

Initiative Overview

Drawing on Dilly Fung’s work, we intended for the MU Education Framework to ‘act as a catalyst for enabling faculty, professional staff and students alike to take a step back and ask some fundamental, values-based questions about what a university is, and about what kinds of educational developments they want to prioritise within and across disciplines, in the years ahead’ (Fung, 2017, p. 144). Our rationale for the development of the Framework included:

• addressing needs around curriculum support for staff in an increasingly complex T&L environment​
• enhancing coherence and continuity across the curriculum for our students​
• enhancing staff capacity for leadership in teaching and learning
• supporting a whole-of-institution approach to curriculum development​
• promoting programme team approaches to curriculum development​
• surfacing and integrating institutional values and educational priorities into the education experience
• supporting meaningful and sustainable change

Within the LEAF initiative, our working definition of the education framework states:

The Maynooth University Education Framework expresses the values and intentions of the MU education experience in terms of teaching, learning and assessment approaches, and educational priorities and outcomes. The framework is a non- prescriptive reference that can be used at multiple levels (institutional, programme and module) to shape the experience of a Maynooth University education.

Teaching, learning and assessment approaches are our pedagogical practice; how we teach, and the beliefs and values that inform our practice. Educational priorities and outcomes are the overarching educational intentions that we articulate publicly which are evidenced in the ways of knowing, acting and being that students gain from an MU education.

Over academic year 2024-25 we took the following steps towards developing an Education Framework

• Explored the idea of an Education Framework and how it can help us in our work (Nov)​
• Considered the context to clarify priorities and identify what should be in the Framework (Dec)​
• Considered the literature and findings from the conversations with the external panel (Nov – June)
• Built a Shared Understanding of the LEAF Initiative & Education Framework (March)​
• Reviewed and learned from other frameworks (Feb-March)
• Co-created a prototype Education Framework (April – May)
• Finalised the Education Framework prototype with external panel (June).

Since June 2025 we have worked together with the Advisory Group and Student Ambassadors to refine the Framework prototype prior to sharing it with the University community including University committees. An integral part of this process has been working with a graphic designer to create a visual representation of the framework and agreeing the working of the Framework’s eight principles and guiding ethos. Semester 1 of academic year 2025-26 has also involved the awarding of three Senior T&L Fellowships (one per faculty). These Fellows will work collaboratively with CTL to develop the Framework toolkit and to support the piloting of the toolkits with colleagues across disciplines, contributing to its refinement and contextual adaptability. The work with the Expert External Advisory Panel also continues with commitment secured from these colleagues to work with us during 2025-26, including meet again in-person as a full panel in June 2026. In parallel, we are developing a dissemination and impact strategy so that we can share our work beyond the institution and gauge the changes that the Framework will facilitate. A key part of this approach is a commitment to Open outputs and the development of many of the project deliverables as OERs.

Impact and Evidence of Success

• 27 member Maynooth University Advisory Group established
• 14 co-creation workshops with the Advisory Group
• 4 Expert External Advisory Panel Members: 3 meetings with each experts; 1 whole panel meeting held on 20 June 2025
• 20 existing frameworks reviewed to inform Education Framework development
• 5 framework prototyping workshops with student ambassadors
• Review of context to inform Education Framework: digest of findings produced
• Review of Education Frameworks: digest of review of frameworks; high level findings from review of frameworks; recommendations for framework development
• Review of literature and executive summary completed
• LEAF Initiative Insight which provides an overview of the project to date and next steps

Future Directions and Sustainability

The Education Framework is designed to support the enhancement of teaching, learning and assessment practices, and the coherent achievement of educational priorities and outcomes. The Framework and associated toolkits have the capacity to be mainstreamed into ongoing teaching and learning enhancement and development through, for instance, new programme development and programme review processes. LEAF initiative outcomes will also inform professional learning offerings including the professional certificate for tutors and demonstrators, and CTL’s accredited programmes for staff (Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Teaching, Learning and Assessment (60 ECTS) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (30 ECTS).

Alignment and Policy Context

• Maynooth University Strategic Plan 2023–2028
• Maynooth University Student Success Strategy
• Maynooth University Student Charter
• National Forum Next Steps for Teaching and Learning Report
• DFHERIS Statement of Strategy
• HEA Corporate Strategy 2023–2026
• National Access Plan 2022–2028
• ESD to 2030: Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development
• EUA Trends 2024
• EHEA Tirana Communiqué 2024
• UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4

Resources and Supporting Information

• Fung, D. (2017). A connected curriculum for higher education. UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781911576358
• EDIT Project (2024). The EDIT inclusive curriculum toolkit. https://fliphtml5.com/kicov/lkbz/SETU_EDIT_Inclusive_curriculum_toolkit/37/
• Nugent et al. (2019). Higher education learning framework. University of Queensland. ResearchGate link

Images

Funding and Acknowledgements

Funding: The Leadership and EducAtion Framework (LEAF) initiative is a Maynooth University Teaching and Learning project funded under the HEA Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) call.