SEDA at 20: some staff and educational development birthday challenges and celebrations

Abstract

Invited to write a piece to mark SEDA’s 20th birthday as SEDA co-chair, I have been excited and humbled by the task. In preparation I have read past editions of this journal and of the SEDA magazine, once called The New Academic and now called Educational Developments. I have reflected on my SEDA experiences and I have talked to people associated with the organisation, gathering views and stories. Looking back over 20 years, I consider what kind of organisation SEDA might be. I go on to suggest that SEDA has a lot to celebrate at 20 but that it also faces some challenges if we are to have an even deeper impact on the quality of teaching in the UK higher education and the professional lives of educational developers.

Keywords:

• educational development
• professional community
• higher education
• SEDA

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to all those involved in SEDA since its early days and acknowledge their influence on my love of educational development work and my professional community. Thank you to all the SEDA members past and present who helped me in writing this article.