
Led by distinguished faculty and administrators from Michigan State University, this annual workshop series hosted by the Visiting International Professional Program is designed to allow you to develop your own teaching practice and enhance your knowledge and skills in navigating higher education successfully. You can attend the entire series or choose to join individual workshops. Learn more details by downloading the Workshop Flyer (PDF).
Participants can earn a certificate for completing a minimum number of sessions.
For more information, or to register contact Dr. Xiaoqing Chen at
Note that workshop topics are subject to change as needed to remain relevant to higher education scholars. A new schedule and topics will be announced prior to each workshop. Participants can attend the entire series, or choose to register for individual workshop sessions. Examples of workshop topics include:
This workshop surveys the higher education system in the United States of America. The history, philosophy and new challenges faced by the higher education system in the U.S. will be discussed. Main topics include the attributes of U.S. higher education, categorization of institutions, organizational structures, and finance.
This workshop continues the survey of the higher education system in the United States, including the topics of higher education quality control, accreditation system, and the tenure system.
This workshop will examine how to align goals and teaching methods with student assessments. It will cover trends, key concepts, and guiding principles of curriculum design, and will highlight student portfolios and poster sessions.
This workshop will focus on current research and best practices in active and interactive learning strategies. It will address effective teacher behaviors, principles for innovative teaching, and Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) that support learning.
This workshop will focus on productive practices in peer review of teaching as well as documenting and evaluating teaching. It will explore teaching portfolios, course portfolios, reflective statements on teaching, review of course materials, and peer classroom observation.
This workshop covers the history of postsecondary distance learning and online education in the U.S. as well as today’s debates about technology and higher education in the U.S.
This workshop will examine models, policies, and practices in the design of faculty mentoring programs for students, especially graduate students. It will address the qualities of effective programs and showcase techniques and tools to support both mentors and mentees.
This workshop will begin with the three pillars of American higher education: tenure and performance evaluation, academic freedom, and shared governance. It will then focus on leadership in higher education, including leadership definitions, competencies, and challenges; a framework for motivating and engaging faculty in change efforts; and orientations to change.
This session will give participants the opportunity to meet and learn from professionals at MSU who are leaders in the Higher Education field.
Participants will have an opportunity to present their takeaways, action plans and provide feedback on the series.
The Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Workshop series features presentations by distinguished MSU faculty and administrators. The instructors for each session will be announced prior to the workshop series. Past instructors include:

Dr. Rabindra Ratan
Associate Professor and AT&T Scholar in the Department of Media & Information, Director of Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab

Dr. Roger Baldwin
Erickson Distinguished Chair Emeritus, Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University

Dr. Jun Fu
Data Analyst, Neighborhood Student Success Center, the Data Operations and Analytics Team of the Office of Undergraduate Education, and the Department of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging of the Division of Student Life & Engagement

Dr. Steven Weiland
Professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University
