Edinburgh University Students’ Association’s Student-Led Teaching Awards are back to recognise outstanding members of learning and support staff. After a challenging year for everyone, we’re celebrating our worthy nominees by shouting about their successes across our digital platforms. 

What is your full name? 

Jonny Hardman 

What is your job title? 

Lecturer in International Commercial Law 

What school or service do you work in? 

School of Law 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your role. 

I joined the Law School in September 2019. Prior to this, I was a solicitor in private practice for 10 years, splitting my time between Edinburgh and London. 

I currently teach a variety of corporate and commercial law subjects, research in both fields, and have a number of administrative roles within the Law School (I’m programme director of the online Commercial Law LLM, director of CPD and Consultancy, and co-chair of the School’s Advancement Committee). 

What does it mean to you to have been nominated for a Teaching Award this year? 

I am very grateful to have been nominated for a Teaching Award. Teaching is the core of university life, but often is underappreciated within university structures. It means so much to know that my methods and approaches work and are enjoyed by the students. This is a very bizarre year, and it is incumbent upon us as academic staff to do all that we can to maximize the student experience. 

What’s your favourite part of your role and working with students? 

Students make me think about my research areas in a different way. As such, a good seminar session is a two-way exchange of ideas, which drives research forward. Seeing students grasp difficult topics, and understand complicated theories, really does make the job worth it. 

How have you adapted your approach to teaching and supporting students under the Hybrid Model this year? 

I think the provision of videos has worked well. Online Collaborate sessions are difficult, and it is necessary to obtain as much discussion, engagement and debate in these sessions as possible. 

What’s been the biggest challenge in your role this year? 

Not being in the same room as students is a challenge. It means that student passivity can be higher than would be ideal, and it is harder to get in and amongst the students to encourage widespread debate. 

What would you say to the student(s) who nominated you, or students who are considering submitting a nomination for a staff member who has had an impact on them? 

I would say thank you. We spend a lot of time normally designing teaching methods, and this has been especially the case this year. This time is all worth it if it manages to reach the students. So my biggest feeling is gratitude to the student for showing me that this effort has resulted in a good student experience. 

To find out more about the Teaching Awards and browse nomination categories, please visit the Students’ Association’s website.