FoNS Learning and Teaching Training Expectations
The FoNS Learning and Teaching Development Programme (LTDP) has been discontinued. Information about the LTDP programme is now archived at the bottom of this page.
From the 2025/6 academic year, new arrangements are in place, and the guidance can be found below. Affected participants have been informed.
Guidance for participants and departments
The responsibility to monitor and report whether staff have met these expectations as part of probation is undertaken by departments; this should be made clear to new staff members by their department. The Faculty Education Team no longer records the completion of elements, nor issues an LTDP certificate.
Academic Staff (Assistant and Associate Professors)
New members of staff (Assistant and Associate Professors) joining the Academic job family are expected to complete a set of workshops suggested by the Faculty. These workshops will be reviewed, when necessary, in collaboration with the EDU, departments, and other stakeholders.
These workshops are in addition to any essential or other compulsory training.
- Fundamentals of Supervising PhD Students (From April 2022, new doctoral supervisors at Imperial are required to complete this course, therefore this cannot be exempted unless already completed or in cases where no doctoral supervision would be expected); Introduction to Supervising PhD Students at Imperial is also strongly recommended (as appropriate to the individual).
In addition, staff in the Academic job family are expected to achieve Advance HE Fellowship (D2).
Teaching Staff
New staff in Teaching Family roles are expected to enrol on the PGCert in University Learning and Teaching hosted by the EDU during their probation period to ensure they are able to progress their careers; Introduction to Teaching for Learning, Introduction to Supervising PhD Students at Imperial, and Introduction to Personal Tutoring form part of Phase 1 of this programme. Additionally, Introduction to Making Teaching More Inclusive would be highly recommended, and Fundamentals of Supervising PhD Students required if relevant to the individual’s context. Attaining the appropriate level of Advance HE fellowship, as per the Teaching Family promotions criteria requirements, should also be encouraged thus aligning with the university-level expectations: Teaching Promotions | Administration and support services | Imperial College London.
Academic and Teaching Staff
DUGS (or equivalent) are expected to have an initial meeting with new members of Academic and Teaching staff (in lieu of FoNS Workshop 1 of the LTDP) which will outline teaching and learning in their departments, and will act as an opportunity to outline the following Faculty expectations – it will be at the department’s discretion how this meeting/workshop is conducted. The session should ensure that new staff members have:
- A clear understanding of their Department’s teaching structure and philosophy.
- Familiarity with departmental assessment methods and the support available from the Faculty and university.
- Awareness of laboratory-based learning and teaching approaches used in their Department.
- An understanding of how small group teaching and academic tutorials are delivered.
- Knowledge of postgraduate research supervision arrangements specific to their Department.
- Recognition of any discipline-specific teaching methods employed in their Department.
All staff involved in teaching (both academic and teaching staff) are encouraged to have their teaching observed regularly. Specific expectations regarding observations during the probationary period is set by departments.
Departments are expected to provide a mentor to new academic and teaching staff; the Faculty will provide departments with some (non-exhaustive) guidance to share with mentors to help support the development of their new colleagues’ teaching practice.
Whilst other FoNS LTDP workshops (2 and 4) have been discontinued, the FoNS LTDP Workshop 3 (Learning Technologies for Teaching), hosted by the FoNS EdTech team, can be made available as a self-directed resource. Please contact FoNSLTDP@imperial.ac.uk if you wish to access this.
Where a staff member has evidenced experience (for example, already has an equivalent teaching and learning qualification), they may be exempted from components by their department.
The FoNSLTDP@imperial.ac.uk email address will remain active until the start of the 2026/7 academic year, after which time the FoNSEduSupport@imperial.ac.uk address will be used for any queries related to these expectations.
Archived: Pre-2025/6 LTDP information
Important note: This information is provided for information only and should not be followed. Please see the top of this page for current guidance.
Archived: Pre-2025/26 LTDP information
The FoNS Learning and Teaching Development Programme (LTDP), in most cases, must be completed as a prerequisite for both probation and promotion for new lecturing staff (and in some cases those in the Learning and Teaching job family). An exemption may be agreed by the new staff member's department in certain circumstances for elements of the programme (for example, having prior demonstrable experience) or for the entire programme (for example, enrolment in the PG Cert in University Learning and Teaching offered via the EDU).
It is expected that the LTDP will normally be completed within 1-2 years of appointment.
The starting point for the programme is a meeting with the appropriate Director of Undergraduate Studies, or equivalent, (which constitutes FoNS Workshop 1 - see FoNS Workshops section below) who will assign an Academic Mentor (a senior member of the Department) and a Teaching Buddy (for example, an experienced colleague; this should not be someone still completing the LTDP); a participant's Academic Mentor and Teaching Buddy should not be the same person.
These individuals should be asked to undertake observations of your teaching sessions. The DUGS will also talk through and approve any exemptions, discuss options around the elective elements of the programme of workshops listed below, explain how to register for them and agree a timeline for the programme. They will complete and approve the exemption form (links below), which must then be sent to the LTDP Coordinator. An LTDP record cannot be created, nor registration for the FoNS workshops be completed, until the exemption form is received by the LTDP Coordinator.
FoNS LTDP Exemption Form - Pre-January 2025 - for those who joined the programme prior to January 2025.
FoNS LTDP Exemption Form - Post-January 2025 - for those who joined the programme from January 2025.
Please note, it is the participant’s responsibility to keep the Faculty (via the LTDP Coordinator) up-to-date with their progress, and if they believe they have completed the programme. The Faculty will not proactively check participants have completed the components.
We ask participants keep their own record using the exemption form, and inform the LTDP Coordinator after completing each of the components and when they believe they have completed the programme; the LTDP Coordinator will then verify this, and the participant will be sent their certificate of completion, and their department and HR informed. Participants should assume the LTDP is not complete unless they have received their certificate of completion.
Should you be interested in taking any of the FoNS-specific elements of the LTDP as a refresher (and you are not currently required to take the LTDP), please contact the LTDP Coordinator.
FoNS Workshops
You must complete these workshops in order (unless exempted):
1. FoNS LTDP Workshop 1 - Departmental Teaching Practices
Arrange with your Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS), or equivalent. For more information - FoNS LTDP Workshop 1 - Departmental Teaching Practices (PDF)
2. FoNS LTDP Workshop 2 - Lecturing Skills
Workshop with member of staff in the Faculty. For more information - FoNS LTDP Workshop 2 - Lecturing Skills (PDF)
3. FoNS LTDP Workshop 3 - Learning Technologies for Teaching
Completed online - you will be contacted about this after workshop 2. For more information - FoNS LTDP Workshop 3 – Learning Technologies for Teaching
4. FoNS LTDP Workshop 4 - Designing for Learning
Workshop with FoNS Vice-Dean (Education). For more information - FoNS LTDP Workshop 4 - Designing for Learning (PDF)
To book Workshops 2 or 4, please email the LTDP Coordinator.
EDU workshops
The Educational Development Unit (EDU) workshops required to be completed depends on when participants joined the programme, and this is subject to any exemptions. Please see your exemption form for details. A summary of what is usually required can be found in the table below.
Please note that not all EDU workshops are acceptable for the LTDP. Elective workshops selected must relate directly to your teaching practice. If in doubt, please contact the LTDP Coordinator.
Once completed, please email details of when you completed the EDU workshops to the LTDP Coordinator.
See also the EDU's advice for New Lecturers.
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For those who joined the LTDP prior to January 2025 |
For those who joined the LTDP from January 2025 |
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Fundamentals of Supervising PhD Students (From April 2022, new doctoral supervisors at Imperial are required to complete this course, therefore this cannot be exempted unless already completed or in cases where no doctoral supervision would be expected (for which confirmation would need to be provided)) |
Fundamentals of Supervising PhD Students (From April 2022, new doctoral supervisors at Imperial are required to complete this course, therefore this cannot be exempted unless already completed or in cases where no doctoral supervision would be expected (for which confirmation would need to be provided)) |
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EDU Elective 1 |
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EDU Elective 2 |
EDU Elective 1 |
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EDU Elective 3 * |
EDU Elective 2 |
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We also strongly recommend that participants complete the following EDU workshop, in preparation for the final element of the LTDP - the Advance HE Fellowship application: |
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* We strongly recommend Introduction to Making Teaching More Inclusive is taken as an EDU elective workshop for those who joined the programme prior to January 2025.
Teaching Observations
Three observed sessions of your teaching should be monitored by the Academic Mentor and/or the Teaching Buddy.
The Observation Form can be downloaded here: FoNS LTDP Teaching Observation Form
Once completed, please email a copy of the form to your DUGS (or equivalent) cc'ing your observers and the LTDP Coordinator.