When you want to grow. In your teaching, your SoTL practice, or your leadership. And you don’t want to do it alone.
You’re a lecturer, fellow, programme lead, or course coordinator in higher education. You care deeply about teaching and learning. You have ideas, questions, ambitions. Maybe you want to start a SoTL project, apply for a grant, build something new, or grow into a leadership role, formally or informally.
But somewhere between the intention and the action, things get stuck. There’s no time. No structure. No one to think it through with. And the things you most want to work on keep ending up at the bottom of your list. Where they’ve been for the past two years. (Yes, two years. We’ve all been there.)
Why Teaching Development Stalls in Higher Education
You may recognise this:
- You’re already stretched thin. The things you most want to work on — improving your teaching, finishing that grant application, finally getting that project off the ground — keep getting pushed aside. Not because you don’t care. Just because there’s simply no space.
- You see that something isn’t working in your teaching. You notice it in how students engage, or don’t, and in their results. The course feels a bit scattered, the assessments don’t quite line up, and you can’t always put your finger on what to change. So, you carry on, adjusting things here and there. Doing your best. But not quite sure if it’s working.
- You want to take a more evidence-informed approach to your teaching, looking at what actually works and why. But you’re not sure how to get started, or whether it’s really for someone like you. (It is. I promise.)
- You know you should write up your teaching, for your teaching qualification, a grant application, or just to make your work visible. But every time you sit down, you stare at a blank page. Reflecting on your own practice is harder than it sounds. And putting it into words that land? Even harder. So, it stays on the list.
- You want to grow, in your role, your visibility, your leadership. But professional development often feels like yet another thing on top of everything else. Which it is, if you try to do it alone.
What Professional Growth Looks Like for Educators
You know what you’re doing and why. Your teaching is grounded in evidence and reflection, not just experience. You’ve finished something you’re proud of. And you feel less alone in it.
You’ve also started to see yourself differently. Not just as someone who teaches, but as someone who shapes things. Who influences colleagues, sparks conversations, and contributes to something beyond your own classroom. That’s leadership. Even if nobody has called it that yet.
About Irma Meijerman – SoTL Coach and Educational Developer
I’m Irma Meijerman. I started my career as a researcher in life sciences, not as an educationalist. When I began teaching, I thought it would be straightforward. It wasn’t.
I know what it’s like to stand in front of students and realise that a good lecture and good teaching are two very different things. That realisation made me curious about how students learn, and how you build teaching on evidence rather than intuition. That curiosity led me to SoTL, and eventually to leading initiatives, building communities, and supporting other educators in doing the same.
I’m Chair of EuroSoTL, co-author of the Utrecht University Roadmap for SoTL, and co-editor of Routes to Change — Strategic Leadership in SoTL.
I’m not here to tell you what to do. I’m here to help you figure out what you want to move forward and then help you do it.
Coaching for Educators in Higher Education
This programme is built around you. Your context, your questions, your pace.
We start with an intake conversation. From there, I design a programme that fits your situation. Depending on your needs, we work on:
- Improving your teaching, evidence-informed — you want to make more deliberate choices in your teaching. Understanding why something works or doesn’t, bringing more structure to your course, and making sure your assessments line up. Grounded in evidence, practical and concrete, no jargon.
- Taking it a step further with SoTL — if you want to measure the effect of your teaching on student learning, and write it up in a way that others can learn from, I help you make that step. Small, concrete, and doable. No, you don’t need to become an educational researcher.
- Teaching qualification — if you’re working towards a formal recognition of your teaching practice, I help you find your voice and build a portfolio you’re genuinely proud of. Not just ticking boxes, but saying something meaningful about your teaching.
- Teaching and SoTL grant applications — you have an idea for improving your teaching or starting a SoTL project, and you want to apply for funding. I help you build a case that’s hard to say no to.
- Leadership and visibility — you’re already doing more than you think. I help you see it, name it, and show up more confidently in your field.
Every programme looks a little different. But here’s what’s always part of it:
- An intake conversation and short questionnaire
- Three coaching sessions of 60 minutes, in person or online
- Supporting materials between sessions — short videos, relevant readings, and practical tools tailored to your focus
- Personal feedback and guidance throughout
- Optional: a printed copy of Routes to Change — Strategic Leadership in SoTL
Investment
This is a personal, intensive programme — not a course or a workshop. You get tailored guidance, real expertise, and someone genuinely invested in helping you move forward.
Pricing:
- Netherlands (individuals and institutions): from €1,150 including VAT
- EU institutions with a VAT number (outside the Netherlands):from €950, VAT reverse charged
- EU private clients (outside the Netherlands): from €1,150 including VAT
- Outside the EU, including the UK: from €950, no VAT applicable
Located within the EU and your institution is paying? Make sure they have a VAT number — that could save you €200.
Interested in doing this with one or two colleagues? That’s possible too. Get in touch and we’ll work out what makes sense.
Many educators find their institution has a budget for professional development that can cover this. Worth exploring before you decide it’s out of reach.
Take the first step
Ready to move forward? Let’s have a conversation. We can meet in person or jump on a Teams or Zoom call — whatever works for you.
Just send me an email and we’ll find a moment to talk. No obligations, just a conversation.