Background 

I lead the curriculum transformation team at Newcastle University, working at institutional level to support the implementation of the Leading Edge Curriculum (LEC) as part of our Education for Life 2030+ strategy, and the redesign of all taught degree programmes.

This role builds on over two decades of experience across research and education, alongside a long-standing commitment to practitioner enquiry, educational leadership, and curriculum innovation.

My focus is on enabling meaningful and sustainable change through collaborative programme-level design. I co-designed the LEC Framework with colleagues from across the institution, and now my team and I are supporting its implementation across all taught programmes, ensuring curriculum design is intentional, future-facing, and grounded in our educational values.

Prior to this role, I was a Learning Design and Curriculum Development Adviser in the Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS), where I led strategic projects in curriculum design and enhancement. I completed my Master of Education and became a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2021 - achievements I’m especially proud of, having balanced them alongside motherhood and a full-time role.

Internal Learning and Teaching Conference Presentations

Presentation: Empowering Educators: Transform your Programmes with Newcastle's new Curriculum Design Toolkit (2025), Black, Derman and Hope

Presentation: Embedding Sustainable Development through interdisciplinary problem-based learning (2024), Proctor, Black and Lewis (PGR)

Lightening Talk: Using infographics as an approach to engaging students with authentic assessment (2024) Proctor, Black

Lightening Talk: Interdisciplinary Programme Development and Delivery to tackle Climate Change (2024)School X, LTDS

Poster: Mapping the Sustainable Development Goals across the Curriculum (2024)

Poster: Enhancing Technology, Pedagogy & Content knowledge through collaborative approaches to designing digital education (2022) Poster

External Presentations

Dr Jenny Davidson, Michelle Black: Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching, UK 2024 'Interdisciplinary Programme Development and Delivery to tackle Climate Change'

Michelle Black & Gosia Rabenda Derman: Three Rivers 2023 Collaborative Curriculum Redesign for Sustainable Education: Challenges and Best Practices

Michelle Barr, SFHEA & Dr Nicola Patterson: Global OnlinEd 2021 "Using Elements of Gamification to Engage Learners in Executive Education" 20th May 2021. 

Michelle Barr, SFHEA: Three Rivers Conference 2021-Knowledge Exchange for Learning & Teaching In HE "Not just technology for technology’s sake: Working collaboratively to explore, develop and embed technology-enhanced learning" 25th June 2021

 Michelle Barr, SFHEA & Dr Lucy Hatt: The nineteenth Academic Practice and Technology (APT2021) conference "Engaging work-based business learners in online spaces through the development of digital residency" 02 July 2021

Funded Research

Embedding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Food and Land Management, Agriculture, Environment programmes. 2024

Mapping Sustainable Development Goals across the Curriculum 2023

Previous Projects:

School of Natural & Environmental Sciences (SNES) 2021 - 2023

In this project, I worked in collaboration with colleagues in SNES to lead and facilitate the redesign of the curriculum for a cluster of Agricultural, Food and Land Management, and Earth and Environmental Sciences UG programmes. The redesign aimed to ensure students graduate with the employability skills required for the future of work, a global perspective of their discipline, the opportunity for multi-disciplinary collaboration, and a broad understanding of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The foundations for this were achieved through the design and development of three 20-credit modules (Introduction to Sustainability, Sustainability in Practice, and Professional and Academic Skills) shared as common modules across all disciplines in stage one. These 9 redesigned UG programmes launched in September 2023.

Project Case Studies / Blogs

Using AI in a Problem-Based Learning session: “Hunger hotspots”

Virtual Tours of the NU Farms

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New School X Masters for Leadership for Climate Change and Sustainability - launching Sept 2024

Working in collaboration with academic and professional service colleagues to facilitate the development of a new interdisciplinary degree in Climate Change and Sustainability which:

• Builds on the university’s global reputation in Sustainability ​
• Bridges a current gap in PGT portfolio provision​
• Aligns the programme with University mission, producing graduates with the skills and agency to lead on tackling climate change and sustainability

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Newcastle University Induction 2021

This was a university-wide project, designing and developing online and blended induction content for all students at all stages across the university. I led the core content consultations, working alongside central service teams to develop and embed online induction content. I was responsible for the overall set-up, approach, production and delivery of our finished Canvas product. I led school consultations and worked alongside schools to create an engaged blended induction programme.

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Newcastle University Business School

In this project, I worked in collaboration with the Leadership Development and Organisation Futures (LDOF) team on the design, development, and delivery of a suite of blended Executive Leadership postgraduate programmes – find out more. 

Project Case Studies

Learner-Centred Curriculum Design using the ABC Method

Developing Digital Residency for Executive Education Learners

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 Blogs & Case Studies

AdvanceHE symposium 2023: Students as Co-creators: the emerging role of students as co-creators of their learning experience

Assessing online collaboration to replicate authentic clinical practice

Qualifications: 

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (HEA)
• Master of Education (distinction)
• PGCert Educational Leadership (distinction) 
• BA (Hons) Leadership & Management (1st).
• HNC Business Management

Previous Positions at Newcastle University 

• Senior Programme Coordinator - Faculty of Medical Sciences, Graduate School 2016 - 2019 
• Lead Administrator - Human Nutrition Research Centre 2008 - 2016
• Clinical and Programme Support Officer - Education, Communication and Language Sciences 2006 - 2008
• Training and Support Officer - North Leadership Centre 2002 - 2006

Through CPD and scholarship, I have completed small scale primary and secondary research on:

• The impact of collaborative approaches to designing blended learning Executive Education
• Implementing a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in Higher Education
• Technology Enhanced Learning as a Tool for Curriculum Innovation in UK Higher Education Institutions
• The role of Leadership in building a technology-enhanced learning culture in higher education
• Strategic implementation of blended learning in HE
• The Impact of performance management and appraisal on employee performance at Newcastle University

I design, co-design and teach modules that are part of our Newcastle Educational Practice Scheme (NEPS)

I design, co-design and facilitate a range of curriculum design and development workshops for academic and professional service colleagues across all of our faculties