The Office of the Provost has expanded the UO’s learning and development resources through an enterprise membership with Academic Impressions, which will offer professional development tailored to faculty and employees in higher education.
Academic Impressions has been serving universities for more than 20 years with trainings and resources that are rooted in practical application, delivered by vetted experts, and based on research with practitioners in the field.
Sierra Dawson, associate vice provost for faculty and leadership development, said members of the UO community participated in a pilot membership over the past year to ensure the content was of value and aligned with the culture and mission of the university. Their enthusiastic use of the platform, and their desire to share what they learned with their colleagues on campus, was a major influence on the decision to move to an enterprisewide membership.
“Academic Impressions helps us round out our professional development offerings for faculty, complementing our many in-person faculty and leadership development programs with webinars, articles, and virtual conferences," Dawson said.
The platform provides a library of discussion-based, live online trainings, as well as on-demand trainings and resources that can be accessed on an individual’s own time and pace. New trainings are added every week in response to community feedback and requests.
Members of the university can participate in any trainings that catch their interest. However, to offer a starting point, the provost's office has recommended several categories that the university would like to focus on, including diversity, equity and inclusion; faculty success; student success; and leadership development.
"I'm looking forward to working together to create an inclusive academic experience in our classrooms, labs and studios,” said acting Provost Janet Woodruff-Borden. “Additionally, I want to enlist your support in continuing to create a welcoming, supportive and positive environment for our students and colleagues. This platform and the categories selected is a helpful tool to create these experiences.”
The new platform joins the University of Oregon’s existing professional development options, MyTrack and LinkedIn Learning. All three bring something unique to the table.
“Academic Impressions is a valuable addition to the comprehensive collection of learning and professional development resources available to all employees,” said Mark Schmelz, chief human resources officer. “By offering a variety of platforms and resources, every employee can find tools and trainings to best meet their needs and chart a personal path for professional growth.”
Schmelz said managers also can tap into the resources to complement on-the-job training and collaborate with employees to set goals and define individualized development plans.
For more information about Academic Impressions, including a list of recommended trainings or a tour of the platform, visit the provost’s website. Employees can log in to the platform using their DuckID and password.