Aston University senior teaching fellow recognised for outstanding impact on student outcomes

Jean-Baptiste Souppez has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship
He is a senior teaching fellow in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering
Jean-Baptiste has been recognised for his significant impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education.

A senior teaching fellow at Aston University has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship for his contribution to excellent teaching and student outcomes.

Jean-Baptiste Souppez teaches materials and manufacturing, engineering for the user, engineering for industry, and design for manufacturing and assembly in the University’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS), operated by Advance HE, celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in UK higher education.

Jean-Baptiste is a member of the College’s Education and Professional Practice Academic Research Group, a multidisciplinary education and professional practice research group launched to create a community of practice around driving excellence in learning and teaching, where he leads the Assessment and Feedback Research Group. The group brings together like-minded academics from different fields to carry out research and scholarship to enhance learning and teaching in higher education.

He is also a higher education course accreditor for two engineering professional bodies and helps ensure quality assurance and educational standards are upheld and enhanced as part of the Engineering Council. Additionally, he contributes to the Erasmus Mundus community, where he supports the pedagogical development of international consortium of universities as part of an initiative for cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices.

Recognised as an international leader in yacht design, he sits on several prestigious and influential international committees and is the deputy editor-in-chief of the Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers Journal of Sailing Technology, the world’s leading peer-reviewed journal for sailing research. He has won multiple awards for his research in yacht sail aerodynamics, while his work in structural design and regulations was awarded a Medal of Distinction by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.

In total, Advance HE has made 55 new National Teaching Fellow (NTF) awards, along with 15 winning Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) teams, taking the total number of awards to 1143 for NTFS since the scheme’s launch in 2000, and 119 for CATE since the first awards in 2016. All the winners are acknowledged for their outstanding contribution to excellent teaching and inspiring colleagues in higher education.

On receiving the award, Jean-Baptiste said:

“This National Teaching Fellowship is a tremendous honour, and I am immensely grateful for Aston University’s nomination and faith in the value, reach and impact of my pedagogical work. I am also extremely thankful to the overwhelming number of colleagues and former students that came together to provide the supporting evidence that underpinned the nomination.

“My pedagogical research revolves around empowering learners through the implementation of learning and teaching strategies for diversity and inclusion, as well as real-world learning and authentic assessments for employability. This is the foundation of my strategical leadership on Erasmus Mundus consortiums of universities to enhance and harmonise teaching, fostering collaborative communities of practice and impacting students and educators worldwide. It also contributes to my quality assurance expertise and involvement with professional bodies and the Engineering Council on accreditation and educational standards.

“It is a tremendous achievement to receive such a prestigious award that recognises outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession, and I am excited to continue driving innovative and transformative changes in higher education.”

Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said:

“Achieving a National Teaching Fellowship is widely acknowledged in the higher education sector both in the UK and internationally as a mark of academic excellence.

“At Aston University we are committed to providing an outstanding teaching and learning experience for all our students and I am delighted that Jean-Baptiste’s excellence and innovation in teaching and learning have been recognised in this way.”

Alison Johns, chief executive of Advance HE, said:

“Congratulations to all of the new National Teaching Fellows and CATE teams on this prestigious accolade which recognises and rewards their commitment to teaching and learning and the impact it has on student success.

“It is with great pride that we run these awards for the UK higher education sector designed to celebrate these passionate people who make such a difference to students’ education and to the practice of their colleagues. We look forward to working with the new NTFs and CATE winners and sharing their excellent practice with colleagues around the sector.”

An independent panel of senior higher education leaders representing the four UK nations assures the quality of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence and recommends winners.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Hull and chair of the UK Teaching Excellence Awards Advisory Panel 2023, Professor Becky Huxley-Binns, said:

“Every year as we select the NTFS and CATE winners, we are in awe of these extraordinary and gifted people who are teaching with such professionalism, passion and commitment in higher education. This year was no different.

“These awards are incredibly important in recognising and celebrating these people and in sharing ‘what works’ so that colleagues can build on their expertise too and students can enjoy the benefits of great practice in teaching and learning.”