North Hertfordshire College is delighted to announce that Dr Rana ElFarra, one of our Science tutors, has been awarded one of seven Technical Teaching Fellowships for 2025/26. This is a prestigious award made jointly by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.
Due to the high quality of this year’s applications, the 2025/26 cohort is the largest to date with seven Fellowships awarded to nine Fellows across the country. As a result of this award, Rana is now an alumni of the Royal Commission, which means she now has even more support to drive quality improvement in technical STEM teaching and training, as well as the opportunity to access further funding.
Rana’s Fellowship will focus on creating interactive virtual reality experiences to enhance Science T Level teaching and learning. Her project aims to use avatars and other immersive technologies to allow learners to develop their practical skills in a safe and familiar environment which they can then apply to their work placements and their future careers.
Dr Rana ElFarra told us: “I am absolutely delighted to accept the award and join the Technical Teaching Fellowship for 2025–26. It is truly an honour to be recognised for my contributions to technical teaching, and I am excited to work alongside ETF and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition 1851.
“The opportunity to develop a project that advances technical teaching with such strong support and mentorship is invaluable. I am eager to begin shaping my project, sharing best practices, and contributing to meaningful change across the sector.”
Applications are assessed against criteria including demonstrating highly effective approaches to improving teaching and learning in technical education, how the Fellowship will be used to inspire others, and the planning of professional development opportunities to impact on the pedagogy and professional practice of other teachers.
Fellows are expected to develop knowledge transfer and exchange activities, sharing effective practice at national and regional conferences and via networks, facilitating CPD and contributing to thought leadership through an established technical community of practice. They will also contribute to a final report to engage and motivate technical education practitioners in their specialist subject areas.
Kit Davies, principal and CEO said of Rana’s fellowship: “This fellowship is great recognition for Rana and testimony to her hard work in promoting skills delivery and employer engagement in the Science sector. We are delighted to have Rana represent North Hertfordshire College on this national stage and excited about the opportunities her work will provide the sector.”
Congratulations again to Rana on receiving this recognition!