EduFest 2026 brought colleagues from across the University together for a week of inspiring talks, workshops and opportunities to share ideas. With around 60 people attending each session on average, the event created a vibrant space for colleagues to learn from one another, explore new approaches to teaching, and reflect on how we can continue to enhance the student learning experience.
Monday 15th June
EduFest 2026 kicked off with a welcome from Christopher Bonfield, who set the scene for the week ahead. He reflected on the key themes that would run throughout EduFest, including inclusive education, generative AI, curriculum development and student engagement. The opening session also marked a special milestone as the Centre for Learning and Teaching celebrated its 10th anniversary, recognising a decade of supporting and championing learning and teaching across the University.
The morning talks explored different ways of creating engaging and inclusive learning experiences. Colleagues shared examples of using educational games to develop decision-making skills, active learning approaches that encourage collaboration and critical thinking, and research into making oral presentation assessments more inclusive and supportive. Together, the sessions demonstrated how thoughtful teaching design can help build students' confidence, participation and professional skills.
In the afternoon, colleagues showcased how tools such as Mentimeter, H5P and Xerte are being used across the University to make learning more interactive. Through practical examples, presenters demonstrated how technology can support active participation and enrich the student learning experience when combined with effective pedagogical design.
Resources shared during the session:
- Getting started with Mentimeter.
- How to Create Your First Mentimeter Presentation - 4 Minute Crash Course Tutorial
- Mentimeter: 'Plan a semester of meaningful learning’ – Tuesday 16 June at 1pm
- Recommended workflow for setting up an H5P activity in Moodle.
- How to create H5P activities in Moodle.
- How to add, embed or remove an H5P resource from Moodle.
Tuesday 16th June
Tuesday's hybrid sessions focused on assessment design and the ways assessment can support learning, engagement and future employability.
Colleagues shared inspiring examples of authentic assessment, including a partnership with Accenture that gives all second-year students the opportunity to work on real-world challenges as part of their studies. Other sessions looked at creative ways to generate unique datasets for coursework and explored how Team-Based Learning can foster collaboration while creating a more inclusive learning experience, particularly for neurodiverse students.
The afternoon workshop on Assessment for Learning encouraged participants to consider assessment at a programme level, exploring principles related to feedback, inclusivity and student partnership. Discussions also addressed the growing influence of generative AI and the opportunities it presents for designing more authentic and meaningful assessments.
Wednesday 17th June
The in-person day brought colleagues together to celebrate teaching excellence, share practice and mark a significant milestone: the 10th anniversary of the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT). With anniversary decorations, balloons and a celebratory cake, the day provided an opportunity to reflect on a decade of supporting learning and teaching enhancement across the University.
The morning featured keynote presentations from James Norman and Dr Rushana Khusainova. James explored how sharing teaching practice and learning from one another can strengthen educational communities and help us become better educators. Rushana focused on the importance of professional visibility and personal brand development, encouraging colleagues to consider how sharing their work can support career development and contribute to wider conversations in higher education.
The programme also celebrated the breadth of activity taking place across the CLT, with lightning talks highlighting initiatives including Fellowship, the Pedagogic Research (PedR) Network, accessibility, virtual reality and the Technology Enhanced Learning Community of Practice.
A particular highlight of the day was the opportunity to recognise and learn from the recipients of the 2026 Teaching Excellence Awards, showcasing examples of outstanding educational practice from across the University. Colleagues then spent the afternoon engaging in parallel sessions exploring topics including generative AI and assessment, experiential learning, professional development and innovative teaching practices.
Alongside the formal programme, lunch and networking sessions provided valuable opportunities for colleagues to test out VR, connect, exchange ideas and celebrate the vibrant learning and teaching community that continues to shape education at Bath.
Thursday 18th June
Thursday's programme showcased the breadth of work taking place across the University to create inclusive and future-focused educational experiences.
Talks explored decolonising the curriculum, initiatives supporting neurodiverse students through the Uni and You programme, and participatory research investigating disabled students' experiences of accessibility on campus. Together, these sessions highlighted the importance of creating learning environments where all students feel supported and able to succeed.
The programme also looked ahead to the challenges graduates will
face beyond university. Discussions around sustainability explored how curricula can equip students to become informed citizens, advocates and leaders capable of addressing complex global issues.
Later in the day, colleagues participated in an ePortfolio planning workshop, exploring how reflective practice and digital portfolios can help students evidence their learning, develop professional identities and enhance employability. Participants discussed practical approaches to implementing Mahara ePortfolios and reflected on the value of flexible, student-centred portfolio design.
Friday 19th June
Node XR completed the week for EduFest with an online demo of an AI-powered, no-code XR platform that enables educators to author VR, AR, and 360° learning scenarios directly from a browser. George showcased how they can build a complete multi-scene scenario live, featuring the new Node XR AI Scenario Generator, which can draft entire scenarios from a single prompt. If you are interested in further information please get in touch with Yvonne Moore, Technology Enhanced Learning Team, in the first instance.
Looking ahead
EduFest 2026 once again demonstrated the strength of Bath's learning and teaching community. The willingness of colleagues to share experiences, discuss challenges and explore new ideas created a rich programme of activity and reflection.
Thank you to all presenters, facilitators and participants who contributed to this year's event. We look forward to continuing these conversations and building on the ideas and innovations shared throughout the week. If you attended any sessions of EduFest we would really appreciate some feedback to shape future EduFest events 🙂
And finally a big thank you to everyone in the CLT who works behind the scene to make sure the days run smoothly. 
