This session presents a literature review for our Scotland Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) project “Understanding the staff development landscape required to support diverse learner journeys in Scotland’s tertiary education sector”.

Recognising the crucial role played by educators and support staff in delivering high-quality, learner-centred, and innovative teaching, the project highlights the importance of their ongoing professional development as a key driver for enhancing learning and teaching across the sector. As the initial stage of the project, the literature review will inform a comprehensive ‘state of play’ report which will underpin subsequent stages of the project, including stakeholder engagement, a learning needs analysis, and the development of high-impact staff development case studies.

During the session, participants will be given an overview of the current literature addressing what is meant by diverse learners and diverse learner journeys. Insights will be shared on sector-wide priorities, as well as the regulatory and operational contexts that shape staff development strategies. The session will be interactive, encouraging active engagement with questions raised by the literature so far, providing participants the opportunity to engage with key questions and themes emerging from the literature.