The Higher Education Research Group HERD@HKR
The Academy for Higher Education Pedagogy at Kristianstad University (HKR) has, since its establishment, had the mission to act as a catalyst for the development of approaches to teaching and learning, as well as to serve as a platform for the advancement of knowledge in higher education at the university. It is therefore a natural step that the academy now also has the mandate to conduct research in higher education pedagogy.
HERD@HKR is a higher education research group with the aim of initiating and conducting research in the field of higher education pedagogy. The group is led by Accomplished Associate Professor Petra Nilsson Lindström and Dr Maria Melén. HERD stands for Higher Education Research and Development. Supporting the group is Visiting Professor Ann Ooms, Professor of Higher Education Research and Director of the Healthcare Educational Research and Evaluation (HERE) Research Group at Kingston University, London. Ann brings extensive experience in leading and conducting higher education research.
The group operates across the university and its research is closely linked to the different educational areas, which aligns with the university’s overall strategy. HERD@HKR aims to promote “Higher Education Research and Development” that contributes to the advancement of higher education at Kristianstad University. The research group's ambition is to network for research collaborations both nationally and internationally.
Research in higher education pedagogy typically spans the conditions for, and the relationship between, educational structures and teaching and learning. It involves all those engaged in higher education and working on its development.
The research group strives to be inclusive, bringing together colleagues from faculties and university-wide support functions (HGS), all of whom share an interest in the development of higher education based on scientific principles. The research should therefore be conducted in a way that benefits all of HKR and its operations. It should be recognized for its high quality and may include research and development in areas such as academic leadership, teaching and learning, and the governance and organization of higher education. Research on teaching and learning should be practice-driven, based on the educational context and its challenges—both in everyday settings and in strategically important university-wide quality areas and institutional development needs.