Blue Grey

Silke Placzeck


Head of Department

silke-placzeck

 Email S.Placzeck@royalholloway.ac.uk
 Telephone +44 (0) 1784 443 110
 Profile

I first joined Royal Holloway in 1998 as a German Language Tutor after five years in a similar position at Manchester Metropolitan University. Over the years, I have held a number of roles, including acting as Programme Director for the University Foundation Programme and as Academic Co-ordinator.

CeDAS was established in March 2014 under my leadership. The centre brings together expertise in delivering both university preparation programmes to international students, and an academic skills programme which aims to enable students, both home and international, to meet key language, literacy and numeracy challenges at undergraduate and postgraduate taught levels. In my role, I have led and shaped the transition of the department from a unit exclusively supporting international students to one providing academic skills support to all students.

Beyond my responsibilities in CeDAS, I am a member of the College’s Teaching and Learning Strategy Committee and further represent the department at the Faculty Board for the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences.

In my current role, I am particularly focussed on developing environments, an infrastructure as well as activities which encourage students to enhance their acquisition of academic skills, and how this is underpinned by evolving pedagogies. Most recently, this has led to a keen professional interest in the scholarship of teaching and learning and the professionalisation of teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) through a strong commitment to CPD and scholarly activity.

At Royal Holloway, I am ensuring that CeDAS continues its long-standing commitment to these agendas, informed through membership of the European Association for the Teaching of Academic Writing (EATAW), Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE), and the sigma Network for Excellence in Mathematics and Statistics Support.

I read Russian and English at the University of Leipzig before gaining an MA in Women’s Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University. Additionally, I hold professional qualifications accredited by the Institute of Leadership & Management and the Leadership Foundation.