UNSW EF Visiting Teaching Fellowships
Background
The UNSW EF Visiting Teaching Fellowships are designed to build the profile and connections of the UNSW education community with highly regarded educators across the tertiary sector in Australia and internationally. Initiated by a UNSW EF academic staff member, Fellowships provide opportunities to develop educational collaborations and facilitate interaction and engagement with UNSW staff and students.
Based on Feedback, in 2025 we will be restructuring VTF’s to enhance the professional development of EF Academics through immersive experiences at other institutions. This initiative aims to foster national and international collaboration and bring innovative teaching practices back to UNSW.
Funding Amounts
The VTF provides financial support for travel, accommodation, and associated expenses for successful applicants. The funding available is:
- Domestic universities (within Australia): up to $5,000
- New Zealand universities: up to $7,000
- Other International universities: up to $10,000
Visiting Teaching Fellows (EF VTFs) are expected to contribute to the host’s school and Faculty during the period of their stay through a considered program of activities that take place during the visit. This may include guest lectures, presentations, seminars, workshops, forums, collaborative discussions, drop-in sessions, exhibitions, away days, and other formats. EF VTFs and hosts will be expected to communicate their program of events in advance, and to document their visits for inclusion and promotion in UNSW and EF news and initiatives. Guidelines will be provided to successful applicants.
Upon completion, the EF VTFs are expected to contribute back to the greater EF Community, and/or other related events to share their experience.
Read about the stories and experiences of our past fellows and hosts on EF Central.
Eligibility:
- Applications must be submitted by a UNSW EF Academic
- NOTE: Nexus Fellows are not eligible to apply
- Visits to take place between September 2025 and August 2026
- PLEASE NOTE: To ensure equitable access to funding opportunities, successful VTF applicants will not be eligible to apply for other EF Grants in 2026.
Expectations:
- Engage meaningfully with the host institution through activities such as guest lectures, workshops, seminars, and collaborative projects.
- Develop and share teaching and learning innovations that will benefit both UNSW and the host institution.
- Document and communicate their experiences through reports, presentations, or publications to contribute to the broader UNSW EF community.
- All travel bookings to be made through UNSW myTravel portal. Refer to the UNSW MyTravel website for expense allowance and accommodation rates, contact your School Manager for advice if required.
- Complete and return Final Report by the relevant deadline - template to be supplied
Selection criteria
All applications will be assessed for eligibility and evaluated by the committee relative to Academic Level and relative to career opportunity for each of the following evaluation criteria:
- Evidence for career development
- Impact on individual skills and knowledge
- Impact on educational practice leading to impact on students and peers across the institution
Additionally, the following guidelines will support the committee’s decision-making:
- The capacity and experience of the EF VTF to ensure a successful visit
- The proposed length of stay and timing of visit (2 weeks). Please note timings of public holidays and study term/semester and exam dates.
- The program of proposed activities clearly demonstrates contribution to and engagement with UNSW’s strategic as well as EF and Faculty specific educational priorities.
- Capacity of the EF VTF to initiate and promote and drive ongoing educational collaborations with the host institution.
- Commitment from the EF’s Head of School to provide support, and the visit’s strategic alignment with School educational priorities.
- Educational expertise and academic standing of the host.
- Preference will be given to applications whose proposed visiting teaching fellow and program of activities demonstrate cross disciplinary application and impact and/or the potential to engage a diverse audience across the EF Community ie. beyond the EF’s own discipline.
- Diversity of EF VTFs and the hosts will be taken into consideration in evaluating applications.
- The extent to which the fellowship can create long-term benefits, be scalable within UNSW, and generate sustainable improvements in educational practice
Application procedure
Applications open: Monday, 12th May 2025
Applications close: Sunday, 1st June 2025
Applicants must submit:
- Completed online application form.
- Supporting documentation attached to application form as follows:
1. A cover letter written by the EF VTF (2 pages maximum):
- Detailed proposed program outlining the purpose of the visit, the planned activities, and the expected outcomes. Explain how the fellowship experience will lead to scalable and sustainable impact, outline the next steps beyond the fellowship, and describe how the applicant will engage with the host institution during the visit.
- Detailed itemised budget
- Personal statement addressing:
- How the proposed Visiting Teaching Fellow meets the selection criteria
- Expected outcomes for the school, Faculty, EF Community and wider UNSW education community
- Alignment with any EF Program initiatives
- Alignment with any UNSW strategic priorities or initiatives
2. Proposed host(s)’ CV (4 pages maximum)
3. EF VTF’s CV (4 pages maximum)
4. Invitation letter from the host institution confirming the activities outlined in the EF VTF’s cover letter and detailing their anticipated benefits.
5. Letter of support from the EF VTF’s Head of School (1 page maximum) outlining:
- Resources to be provided in support of the visit (in kind or other arrangement)
- Alignment with any School and Faculty priorities
Funding
The UNSW Visiting Teaching Fellowship program is funded through the Education Focussed Development Program, PVCE portfolio.
Payment procedure
Awarded funds will be transferred to successful applicants EF001 project in the financial quarter immediately following the award. Funds should be expended using UNSW policies and procedures ie. UNSW MyTravel portal; Concur; etc. Please reach out to your School Manager or Financial Officer for further advice regarding specific procedures and requirements.
Reporting
A brief report outlining the outcomes of the visit will be required upon completion of the Fellowship. A template will be provided.
Previous Visiting Teaching Fellowships
2023
Business School
Fellow: Professor Alexandra Niessen-Ruenzi, University of Mannheim, Germany
Host: Dr Natalie Oh, School of Banking and Finance
Faculty of Engineering
Fellow: Associate Professor Irina Lazar, University College London, United Kingdom
Host: Dr Irene Renaud-Assemat, UNSW School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Faculty of Law and Justice
Fellow: Professor Sally Kift, Australia
Host: Associate Professor Helen Gibbon & Dr Chantal Bostock, UNSW School of Law, Society and Criminology
2022
Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture
Fellow: Professor Irina Gendelman, Saint Martin's University, Washington, USA
Host: Associate Professor Tema Milstein, UNSW School of Humanities and Languages
Fellow: Gregory Bennett, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
Hosts: June Kim and Karen Kriss, UNSW School of Art & Design
Fellow: Susan Giles, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Host: Dr Cristina Garduno Freeman, UNSW School of Built Environment
Business School
Fellow: Associate Professor Michael Cowling, CQUniversity Australia, QLD
Host: Dr George Joukhadar, UNSW School of Information Systems & Technology Management
Faculty of Engineering
Fellow: Associate Professor Siva Krishnan, Deakin University, VIC
Host: Associate Professor Jayashri Ravishankar, UNSW School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications
Fellow: Stephen Beck, University of Sheffield, UK
Host: Dr David Kellermann, UNSW School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Faculty of Law and Justice
Fellow: Associate Professor Kate Galloway, Griffith University, QLD
Host: Professor Cameron Holley, UNSW School of Law, Society and Criminology
Faculty of Medicine & Health
Fellows: Dr Matthew Barton & Dr Michael Todorovic, Griffith University, QLD
Hosts: Professor Patsie Polly and Joyce El-Haddad, UNSW School of Medical Sciences
Fellows: Karen Hauer, University of California San Francisco, USA
Host: Associate Professor Arvin Damodaran, UNSW School of Clinical Medicine
Faculty of Science
Fellow: Associate Professor Jason Lodge, University of Queensland
Host: Dr Helena Pacitti, UNSW School of Psychology
Fellow: Professor Robert Kellner, Technical University of Applied Science Rosenheim, Germany
Host: Professor Elizabeth Angstmann, UNSW School of Physics
Find out more about past VTF events and blogs on this page