Community of expert educators to transform student experience

The University of Sydney will recruit hundreds of specialist educators to improve the student experience and advance teaching practice.

Under the Sydney Horizon Educators scheme, the University will advertise 220 new education-focused positions by 2026.

After an initial recruitment push for internal applicants across 55 new roles, an international search launches today. More than 150 positions at every career stage will be advertised, from lecturers to full professors across a broad range of disciplines. The positions include senior leadership roles that will guide and direct the University’s approach to education, promoting innovation in digital learning and AI; enhancing the student experience; and tailoring educational interventions to meet the needs of diverse student cohorts.

"This is an unprecedented investment in teaching, learning and the student experience at the University of Sydney," said Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott. "A world-class education sets our students up for the future so the importance of a great teacher can’t be overstated. These specialist educators will be the best in their field, applying the most effective teaching practices and driving innovation to ensure every student has a transformative education."

The University’s Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Annamarie Jagose, said the initiative recognised and rewarded educational excellence and leadership.

"Talented educators change students’ lives," she said. "By providing professional development opportunities and strong prospects for career advancement for these outstanding educators, we will engender leaders who will inspire their peers as much as their students."

The scheme provides access to grants of up to $30,000 to support education-focused research and professional development. In addition, all teaching staff at the University can apply for Strategic Education Grants of up to $200,000 a year for two years to work in collaborative groups to improve student engagement and outcomes.

"In a rapidly changing world, educators must be able to adapt and innovate," said the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Joanne Wright. "We’re providing the time, resources and support our educators need to reimagine the way we teach, ensuring we are educating our students in a way that best equips them to face and shape the future."

The Sydney Horizon Educators initiative complements the Sydney Horizon Fellowship scheme, which has seen the University appoint 40 early- and mid-career researchers across a range of disciplines. Together, the Horizon recruitment programs will help the University deliver transformational, student-focused education, and research that tackles the world’s great challenges.

The first Sydney Horizon Educators started work in January. Among them is Dr Louis Taborda, Senior Lecturer in Project Management in the Faculty of Engineering. For Dr Taborda, the role is a return to teaching. He began his career as a high-school maths and computer science teacher, then worked as an IT consultant before moving to academia.

Dr Taborda is drawing on the Horizon program’s support for education-focused research, investigating experiential learning, which helps students apply knowledge in practical ways. He is looking at ways to improve learning by involving students in real-life projects, collaborating with industry.

"I chose teaching at the beginning of my career because I saw it as a noble cause," he said. "In teaching, you see people light up. It also helps you think. There’s nothing more instructive than teaching."

Sydney Horizon Educators receive:

• A continuing education-focused role
• Australia’s most generous academic salaries ($101,507 to $224,932 per annum, with an increase of 3.75 percent on base salary from 1 July 2024)  
• Generous benefits, including up to 36 weeks paid parental leave, 17 percent superannuation and flexible hours
• Access to up to $30,000 to support education-related research and education-related professional development