Presentation of the 2025 Annual Conference on Innovative Teaching

Presentation of the conference

The current landscape of university education is characterized by changes and emerging needs that require critical reflection on two fundamental axes: the implementation of educational innovation, through professional development and the enhancement of the lecturer, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of faculty development initiatives promoted by academic institutions.
The conference "Teachers at the center: evaluating processes of educational innovation and enhancing professionalism" aims to open discussion and reflection on these issues by aligning with the activities of the Crui working groups, dedicated to the development of Teaching Learning Centers.
The conceptual framework of the debate is inscribed both in the context of European directives, with particular reference to the implementation of the principles of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and at the national level, based on the Ava guidelines (self-assessment, periodic evaluation, accreditation) of Anvur which provide an essential reference and underline the importance of integrating teaching evaluation criteria into quality assurance processes.
The intrinsic correlation between educational innovation and the enhancement of lecturer professionalism emerges as a crucial element in outlining the future prospects of university education. In this context, the conference aims to stimulate a constructive dialogue on the adoption of multidimensional evaluation approaches and the development of targeted training programs. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of monitoring and sharing best practices, which are considered fundamental to the progress of the sector.
The event is an opportunity to share experiences, critically analyze common challenges and outline innovative strategies. The hope is to contribute significantly to the evolution of the discussion on transformative teaching strategies to respond to the renewed needs for the dissemination of faculty development actions and on the recognition, also formal/institutional, of the formation of the lecturer body.

Marina De Rossi
Rector's Delegate Professor for Teacher Training and Innovative Teaching