Mr Robert Collins

Senior Teaching Fellow

Strathclyde Institute of Education

Contact

Personal statement

Robert Collins is the Course Director for the Teaching Qualification in Further Education (TQFE) UG & PG programmes at the Strathclyde Institute of Education (SIoE).

He is the Chair of the Board of Examiners for UG & PG ITE courses within the Institute and is also the former Course Leader of the BA (Hons) Primary Education degree programme.

Robert is an established lead member of the Implementation Executive and SoIE Lead for the Universty's transdisciplinary Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD) programme. He is also a co-founder of the esteemed Strathclyde Climate Ambassadors Network (StrathCAN).

Now in his second tenure as an elected member of University Senate, he serves as Senate Representative on the University's Education Strategy and Senate Discipline Committees.

He leads Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) matters within the HaSS Faculty Learning Enhancement Committee, is a regular moderator and chair of Faculty Courses Review Panel and is a member of the Faculty Student Discipline Committee. He is also External Examiner to Edgehill University's UG & PG ITE programmes.

Robert is a regular recipient of student nominations at the USSA Teaching Excellence Awards where he was presented with the award for Best Teacher in Faculty (HaSS) in 2016-17 and the University of Strathclyde's Inaugural Teaching Excellence Award in Education for Sustainable Development in 2023-24. He is also a recipient of both national and international UN Green Gowns Awards in 2019, 2020 & 2022 for his work in STEM Education, VIP4SD and ESD across the University.

Robert's international experience has included establishing VIP4SD outreach work in Gambia and an extended period away from University's main campus where he advised on international STEM programme development in the Middle East. 

His VIP4SD community project was recognised as sector-leading at International Consortium Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) and he was subsequently invited to present on this work at New York University (Tandon) and his widening access & inclusion work with Strathclyde students at the University of Southern California (Rossier).

An internationally recognised STEM Education and ESD specialist, holding advanced professional awards as a Registered Scientist (UK) as well as Chartered Science Teacher status, prior to joining Strathclyde Robert was a Senior Regional Development Officer for STEM, ESD and Digital Education and was seconded to work on national attainment research programmes with the Scottish Executive Education Department.

Recently he has participated in a consultation capacity on several groups by invitation of the Scottish Government regarding the development and pedagogical implementation of national polcy on Vision 2030: Learning for Sustainability.

A successful author and editor of peer-reviewed journal, with over thirty years of specialist experience and teaching, Robert has published widely within the areas of ITE, VIP4SD, STEM, ESD and Digital Education. He has a proven track record of research excellence and data-informed knowledge exchange activity emanating from his related studies at both national and international level.

 

 

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Teaching

As Course Director of TQFE UG & PG programmes in SIoE, Robert successfully led on the design, development and creation of HaSS Faculty's first Industry Facing Moodle online course.

Within SIoE, he oversees all aspects of TQFE course provision management of this pre-requisite professional award for GTCS FE lecturer recognition. 

He is also responsible for supervision of STEM, ESD and adult-learning themed UG & PGT (Masters) research theses, TQFE PG Viva Assessment and the development and delivery of UG & PG ITE STEM, ESD, Digital Literacies, Professional Studies and Practicum modules.

Additionally, as a very experienced VIP4SD University Lead, Robert is regulalry consulted on the viability and evaluation of VIP4SD project innovation and impact across the University and beyond, as well as acting as formal content administrator of the University's public-facing  Strathclyde Climate Amabassadors Network (StrathCAN) website.

 

 

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Research Interests

Robert's early research centred on the investigation of adult and child learner identity development in STEM Education. This subsequently served as an excellent basis for his current focus with adult learners regarding VIP4SD pedagogy in HE and associated transformative practices in ESD provision within FE.

His most recent associated research sub-themes include study into participant pedgogical confidence in implementing transdisciplinary ESD and in establishing associated enhanced approaches towards its delivery within effective HE and FE provision.

These research strands have resulted in a comprehensive range of focussed publication, conference presentation and popular knowledge exchange activities, as well as the delivery of a variety of research-informed Career Long Professional Learning programmes both at home and abroad.

 

 

Professional Activities

Transforming Further Education through Evidence and Enquiry.
Organiser
30/3/2026
Higher, further, faster, maybe. Does master's research alter the horizon of professional practice in further education?
Invited speaker
11/3/2026
Moving further a field. Charting the Cartesian contribution of master’s level professional inquiry to enhancing practice in the UK college landscape.
Invited speaker
11/3/2026
VIP4SD Connectivity and Energy Access Collaboration Workshop
Participant
16/1/2026
Supporting University Widening Access Dept's Accelerate programme
Contributor
18/5/2025
Ian O'Neil
Host
9/12/2024

More professional activities

Projects

5G Portable Networks for Sustainable Rural Connectivity through Vertically Integrated Education Initiative.
Atimati, Ehinomen Elizabeth (Principal Investigator) Strachan, Scott (Co-investigator) Frame, Damien (Co-investigator) Collins, Robert (Co-investigator)
The 5G portable networks for sustainable rural connectivity through vertically integrated education initiatives integrates intelligent 5G and 6G network projects into the award-winning Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD) at the University of Strathclyde. Students and researchers across various disciplines and academic levels research and design sustainable, intelligent telecom projects, such as low-cost, energy-efficient intelligent 5G/6G networks for rural connectivity in specific locations, thereby enhancing the learning experience of students in telecom, energy, social science, and education. This multidisciplinary project, with tangible and measurable outcomes, addresses connectivity gaps, supports poverty reduction through effective youth education.
30-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2025
ESD in Courses: Audit of BAPE Degree Course
Collins, Robert (Principal Investigator)
Course-wide audit of ESD practices within BA(Hons) Primary Education undergraduate Initial Teacher Education degree
01-Jan-2024 - 18-Jan-2024
Developing Young Strathclyder Resources
Collins, Robert (Principal Investigator)
VIP4SD students collaboration with Young Strathclyder to reconstruct and add to current YS resource materials and lesson plans
13-Jan-2024 - 11-Jan-2024
VIP4SD Participation in UNESCO Project: Sustainable Languages
Collins, Robert (Principal Investigator)
VIP4SD students acquire real-world research skills via mentorship on actual UNESCO sustainable languages project
13-Jan-2024 - 12-Jan-2024
Creating ESD Audit tool with EAUC FE & HE Resources
Collins, Robert (Principal Investigator)
Partnership working with EAUC Creating ESD Audit tool with EAUC FE & HE Resources
01-Jan-2024 - 11-Jan-2024
Discovering Climate Fresk: A Scalable peer-to-peer facilitator model
Collins, Robert (Principal Investigator) Jollet, Noemie (Co-investigator) Mouat, Clare (Co-investigator)
Robert Collins, the ESD Lead of the Institute of Education, together with Teaching Fellows Noemie Jollet and Clare Mouat and members of the StrathCAN Network (the Strathclyde Climate Ambassadors Network) have been working with a local primary school to enhance community understanding of the current Climate Emergency. This cross-faculty project involved Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students and undergraduate French students from the Department of Humanities.
Climate Fresk was used as a primary resource and develops the simple concept of ‘cause and effect’ to introduce many of the challenging issues surrounding climate change while promoting languages, such as French.
01-Jan-2023 - 01-Jan-2023

More projects

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Contact

Mr Robert Collins
Senior Teaching Fellow
Strathclyde Institute of Education

Email: r.collins@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 444 8112