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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE announces new Center for the Enrichment of Teaching and Learning under direction of Susan Hillman

The University of New England (UNE) has announced the establishment a new Center for the Enrichment of Teaching and Learning. The Center will be the hub of activity for faculty development activities across the university, providing opportunities for faculty and other educators to learn from one another and move toward best practices in contemporary pedagogy.  The ultimate goal of this strategic initiative, highlighted in UNE’s Vision 2017 Strategic Plan as a crucial step forward, is to enhance student learning through optimal and varied approaches to teaching.

Over the past year, a faculty driven process created a framework for the Center and clarified its mission, philosophy and guiding principles.  Provost James Koelbl, D.D.S., M.S., M.J., noted that, “The work of the Center going forward this fall will be to provide connectivity to our UNE community of scholars and learners. UNE has outstanding faculty and dedicated educators who deserve the support of this Center. It is a wonderful step forward in the academic life of the institution.” Faculty from all parts of the University will now have many opportunities to explore, practice and introduce contemporary pedagogical methods into their teaching that can result in excitement for the teaching process and enhanced student learning.

Susan Hillman, Ph.D., has been selected as the founding director of the Center.  Dr. Hillman has extensive experience in higher education with a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Indiana University and over thirty years in public and private universities.  A full professor at UNE in the Education Department, Dr. Hillman recently led the effort with other University educators to develop the fundamentals of this new Center.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.