Back to School!

Posted on by Radka Newton

Lady Teaching

Being back to school today felt really special and somehow nostalgic. I could not help but share with our members my memories of going back to the University with a bar of chocolate from my mum. The chocolate was called “Studentska” and contained nuts and raisins that supposedly stimulated students’ brains. I still love this chocolate, and now I can even buy it in the UK—what joy!

Welcoming the SIME community back to turbulent times in the Higher Education sector and some significant changes we will be facing here at Lancaster was extra special thanks to our visitors Sarah and Elaine from Newcastle University Business School. Just after one year of our Centre’s existence, we have already been able to inspire colleagues from other Universities and share that bit of scholarship love. It is clear that we are in it for the joy of learning, not just teaching. It has been really heart-warming to read Sarah and Elaine’s reflections on their time with us. So here it is, as we say, time to SIME!

Professor Radka Newton, Centre Director

Exploring Scholarship Development: A Visit to Lancaster University Management School

Today, Sarah and I, as Co-Directors of Scholarship at Newcastle University Business School (NUBS), had the pleasure of visiting Lancaster University Management School to explore the impressive work they’ve been doing to advance scholarship. The visit was both insightful and inspiring.

What stood out most was the strong, friendly, and collaborative community that has developed around scholarship at Lancaster. There was a clear sense of enthusiasm among staff, and it was great to hear that the work has had a positive impact on the school as a whole. Scholarship at Lancaster is clearly not only about academic output; it fosters a supportive environment that encourages reflection, collaboration, and continuous professional development. Notably, the scholarly community extends beyond staff to meaningfully engage students, as demonstrated by the involvement of student interns in various scholarship projects.

One initiative we found particularly noteworthy was their process for producing scholarship articles in the form of Scholarship Matters journal. It starts with a 100-word outline, which is then developed into a 750-word piece. This process is supported by writing workshops and peer feedback, creating a structured and collaborative path for staff to engage with writing. The final 750-word pieces are crafted to clearly communicate the scholarship outcomes in a way that is easily understood by the entire academic community, including students. This approach gives students valuable insight into the care that staff take in developing their teaching practices.

As we continue to develop scholarship at NUBS, it was valuable to see how Lancaster has built such a thriving and inclusive community around scholarship. We extend our thanks to the Lancaster team for their hospitality and look forward to staying connected as we progress on our own journey.

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