While 'broker' appears in academic development literature, the broker role is underexplored in it relative to other disciplines and its potential significance for academic developers (ADs). Synthesizing management and academic development literature, this conceptual article explains how ADs can foster trust as brokers. It delineates the broker…

I reflect on the significance of trust in Academic Development (AD) and outline strategies for cultivating it with other academics. Within many higher education institutions, the inherent uncertainty of the AD role necessitates intentional trust-building efforts. In this regard, conversations have been encouraged as trust-building tools. However,…

As academic developers, we rely on colleagues' trust to a considerable degree. In this study, we explore how a person-centred approach to academic development, grounded in relational pedagogy, both relies upon and builds trust between staff and an academic development team. We discuss empirical data -- from colleagues with whom we have worked --…

This paper discusses a sustained effort to introduce and make richer educational development opportunities for colleagues in Slovakia: a community that has common experiences, needs, expectations, access to opportunity and social interactions that follow mutual interest. In this paper, I reflect on the challenges and lessons learnt over two…

Trust is an important aspect of learning. However, there is little published research on how students perceive its value. In this article, we report on engineering students' perceptions of the role of trust in their learning and their experiences of what teachers do in their courses that builds trust. Nine students participated in semi-structured…

This article assesses the basis of trust in academic development as it relates to the current standing of academic development as a profession against established, distinguishing criteria of professions. These are: (1) possession of an inwardly-defined, esoteric, and specialized body of knowledge and skills; (2) collective autonomy over the…

Significant conversations provide a private and safe space for teachers to develop their thinking about teaching and learning. These conversations are important to academic development but may be limited by their privacy, although Roxå & Mårtensson noted that it was possible to create a culture which led to extended networks. This study…

While scholarly writing on trust in academic development (AD) is still relatively limited, current literature explores trust within a number of institutional relationships. Here, we reflect specifically on the relationship between academic developers (ADs) and faculty groups, consider how we as ADs aim to build rapport and trust when supporting…

In this brief reflection, I discuss how trust is integral to our approach to academic development. The value of engaging with an academic development programme is not only gained knowledge and skills of academic practice and increased trust in self and being trusted as an expert in return. We develop participants' trust in their own judgements and…

We explore the role of trust in fostering equitable assessment practices in higher education, as navigated by academic developers. Trust emerges as foundational for embracing equity and inclusivity in assessment. Drawing on our personal experiences, the authors discuss the necessity of trust, factors supporting and undermining it, and strategies…

In this study of trust in academic development, we propose a framework to build trust between developers and faculty. This framework was conceptualized while reflecting on a teaching and learning programme and analysing the strategies for building trust that were apparent in its design. Our findings reveal that trust is built and sustained by…

Pedagogical competence development programs in universities are gaining in importance across national contexts. In response to the demand for better teaching in higher education, Scandinavian universities have made the programs a standard part of the application for full employment and qualification for a professorship. Though pedagogical…

This study explores how trusting relationships between PhD students and their significant others contribute to the success of academic development programs, and how these programs affect trust in significant others. It introduces a definition of trust and distrust in academic development as synthesized from trust research in other disciplines. The…

In this paper, we propose a model for cultivating trust through academic development programming involving Universal Design for Learning (UDL). A scaffolded design called 5R (Relevance, Reposition, Relationships, Reciprocity, and Reallocate) of academic development is described as it relates to the role of starting conversations and the eventual…

Having collaborated closely on a project we dubbed the 'peer review of teaching marathon,' we reflect on the role of care in opening up conversations about teaching and learning. We posit that care, through collaboration, lays a foundation for trust in higher education. Trust, in turn, invites us to be open to new ideas, to be kind and have…