Dr Leticia Yulita, from the School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies (PPL) at the University of East Anglia (UEA), has been rewarded for a career in innovative and impactful teaching methods with a National Teaching Fellowship, the most prestigious accolade in the teaching profession in higher education.
Dr Yulita is Associate Dean International for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Associate Professor in PPL, where she teaches Spanish and Intercultural Communication, and is a language teaching practitioner with an established national and international reputation as a leading specialist in intercultural education.
The NTF is awarded annually by the Advance HE board as recognition of teaching excellence and outstanding impact on student outcomes and to receive it is regarded as reaching the pinnacle of teaching in higher education in the UK.
Leticia has a long-standing association with education at UEA, having travelled from Argentina to study for an MA in Education and Professional Development at the University in 1999. She also completed her PhD here in 2013, again on the subject of education.
In her role at UEA, Leticia works with language teaching practitioners and students from around the world and has held numerous roles in the School of PPL, including Study Abroad Lead, Teaching Director and Chair of Athena SWAN, before becoming HUM Associate Dean International in 202116.
She has previously received recognition for her innovative work at the University with a University Teaching Fellowship, Excellence in Teaching Award and a UEA Achievement Engagement Award, leading to an Advance HE Senior Fellowship.
Her novel and unique approach has influenced thinking in the field of language and intercultural education with major curricular accomplishments in Uzbekistan and Argentina, where she was distinguished with awards in recognition of her exceptional high-impact work.
Leticia’s career-long commitment to championing internationalisation and decolonisation has been recognised by NTFS reviewers as being genuinely transformative for students with impressive long-term impacts.
Leticia said: “I am absolutely delighted and humbled to have been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. My deepest gratitude goes to my students and inspirational mentors. I feel incredibly honoured to have worked with such amazing colleagues at UEA and beyond.”
“I am especially proud to have worked with colleagues from several universities addressing systemic racism and occupational gender segregation in the language teaching profession.”
Leticia received special commendation from the NTF for providing an outstanding wealth of evidence of extensive impact and value for her wide-ranging initiatives, underpinned by a sound evidence-based approach. Reviewers praised her work in taking her signature pedagogy across the globe, contributing to an impressive integrated academic practice.
Vice-Chancellor Professor David Richardson said: “I am delighted for Leticia to receive this award and the University should be extremely proud of her achievements. Having studied here over 20 years ago, she has gone on to put into practice what she has learnt, build on that with her own innovative findings and gone on to enhance the educational experience of thousands of others going through higher education, both at UEA and across the world. She’s a true success story for UEA and I congratulate her on this award.”
Dr Yulita will be presented with her fellowship at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 29 September in Liverpool.