Suzanne Hermiston (MSc, PgC THE, BA (Hons))

Director of Open Studies

  • Centre for Open Learning
  • Open Studies
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Contact details

Address

Street

Office G26
Paterson's Land
Holyrood Campus
Centre for Open Learning

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH8 8AQ

Availability

  • Monday to Thursday 08:30 - 16:30
    Friday 08:30 - 14:00

Biography

Background

Suzanne Hermiston initially graduated with an Honours Degree in Communication with Modern Languages (French and German) from Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, before completing her MSc by research in Computing Science at the University of Glasgow and a Pg Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education from the University of Dundee.

With the majority of her career spent in education, Suzanne has worked in a number of educational settings including the Further and Higher Education sectors as well as non-formal learning environments such as the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Suzanne teaching experience comes from her time as a Lecturer in Computing and Business at both the University of Dundee and Borders College, working with young learners of school age through to international Masters students. In addition to this, Suzanne was a Technology Enhanced Learning Manager with Borders College with a particular interest in learning space design and the use of learning technology throughout the curriculum. This passion for enhancing the learner experience through appropriate use of learning technology was of particular assistance during the pandemic, when Suzanne managed significant digital transformation for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). At that time Suzanne was responsible for the transition from face to face to online delivery of the MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants - a programme which is run jointly between the University of Edinburgh and RBGE.

Suzanne retains an interest in innovative approaches to teaching practice across the curriculum, including the use of alternative methods of recognition such as digital badges and has most recently extended her research interests - whilst working in conservation education - to evaluating the impact of non-school education on behaviour change and the value of outdoor teaching and learning.

Suzanne offers leadership and teaching experience which covers Social Sciences, Art and Design, and STEM subjects and is a champion of access to education for all. A self-described lifelong learner, Suzanne has regularly combined part-time study with full time employment and therefore empathises with the challenges of 21st century learners returning to education (or joining for the first time). It is this insight into the learner experience which Suzanne now brings to her role as Director of Open Studies within the Centre for Open Learning, with responsibility for short courses, access and foundation programmes as well as summer schools.

 

Qualifications

PgC Teaching in Higher Education

MSc Computing Science

PgC Technical Authorship

BA (Hons) Communication with Modern Languages

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