{"id":673,"date":"2026-06-22T10:08:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T08:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/plus\/?p=673"},"modified":"2026-06-22T10:08:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T08:08:19","slug":"introducing-learn-highered-research-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/plus\/introducing-learn-highered-research-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing LEARN\u2011HigherEd Research Group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Zin Mie Sharr<\/a>, Anna CohenMiller<\/a> and Oddlaug Lindgaard<\/a>, 22 June 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

G. K. Chesterton once noted the fascinating aspects beneath the water, and not just any water, but ditchwater: \u201cIs ditchwater dull? Naturists with microscopes have told me that it teems with quiet fun.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>This quote is a reminder that when we look closely, and when we look together, even the most familiar parts of higher education reveal new life. That spirit of curiosity is at the heart of LEARN\u2011HigherEd.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEARN\u2011HigherEd <\/a>grew from a deep interest in creating meaningful positive change in higher education teaching and learning. We had seen over the years great people, amazing researchers, and practitioners who have so much to offer in their work feel alone and unsure where to come together to find like-minded folks. And this is where the LEARN-HigherEd comes in, to create a community where anyone is welcomed \u2013 any discipline, experience, and seniority \u2013 within a space purposefully created to be flexible for the needs of those involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we have found has been inspiring. So, what happens when people with different experiences, disciplines, and ways of thinking meet, what happens? <\/em>Sometimes it\u2019s friction, most frequently a friction that creates sparks that may lead to new insights, new questions, and new possibilities for teaching and learning in higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re a research group that cares about research\u2011based praxis in higher education teaching and learning, about connecting ideas to practice, and about doing so in ways that are inclusive, equitable, and future\u2011oriented. One of the things that make us unique is the mix of people who show up: early\u2011career researchers, experienced scholars, people with industry backgrounds, people from different countries and cultures, and people who carry different assumptions about what \u201cgood teaching\u201d or \u201cgood research\u201d looks like. Those differences are not obstacles in our views but they\u2019re the energy source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What We\u2019re Trying to Build<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

LEARN\u2011HigherEd is hosted at PLUS: Centre for Professional Development and Learning<\/a> at Nord University, but it\u2019s open internationally; open to disciplines, open to levels of experience, open to different forms of participation. We\u2019re interested in pedagogy and learning in the broadest sense: how people learn, how teachers grow, and how higher education can become more inclusive, flexible, and responsive to the world around it. We warmly invite educators who want to research their own praxis to join us \u2014 whether you have a fully formed project or just an idea you’d like to explore, LEARN-HigherEd is a place to discuss, pilot, and develop your thinking together with others<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our work stretches across settings and contexts, and we take a proactive, justice\u2011oriented approach. That means we\u2019re not only studying higher education as it is, but imagining what it could potentially be and trying to contribute to that future through research, dialogues, and shared practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What We Do (and How We Do It)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The group is designed to be flexible. People join in ways that fit their interests, time, and energy. Some come for conversation and reflection; others come for writing support or collaborative projects. Some want to share resources; others want to test ideas or practice presentations. All of that is welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our activities may include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n