Belonging, Dignity, and Justice in GTA Development

Purpose of the Working Group

The Belonging, Dignity and Justice (BDJ) in GTA Development Working Group was formed to embed EDI and socially just principles into Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) development across UK higher education institutions. The Working Group has the following goals:

  • To build and sustain a community of practice that embeds BDJ and EDI values into GTA development, enabling equitable, inclusive, and flourishing teaching and learning environments.
  • Compile and disseminate examples of good practice in BDJ/EDI for GTA development.
  • Advance inclusive GTA development strategies within member institutions.
  • Engage directly with GTAs as co-creators of BDJ resources and practices.
  • Align with and support engagement with existing teaching awards (e.g., CATE, SEDA, AdvanceHE).

Scope of Work

The Working Group will:

  • Design and launch a tri-phased call for good practices (focused on Belonging, Dignity and Justice).
  • Curate and maintain a WordPress site to share examples, reflections, and resources.
  • Create Belonging, Dignity and Justice resources for both GTA developers and GTAs themselves.
  • Coordinate knowledge-sharing through GTADev conferences, meetups, and the GTADev network.
  • Contribute towards a collective publication and digital showcase of Belonging, Dignity and Justice practices.
  • Collect evidence to demonstrate the need for and impact of BDJ in GTA development.

Guiding Principles

The Working Group is committed to:

  • Flourishing and Inclusion: Supporting all GTAs and developers in realising their potential.
  • Dignity and Co-Creation with GTAs: Valuing diverse lived experiences and enabling collaborative authorship.
  • Accessibility and Visibility: Ensuring resources are widely usable and inclusive.
  • Strategic Alignment: Leveraging existing award and recognition frameworks, and funding opportunities.
  • Sustainability: Building platforms and structures with long-term usability and impact.

Governance and Operations

  • Meeting Frequency: At least quarterly, with additional meetings scheduled around project milestones and call deadlines.
  • Decision-Making: Consensus-led. Where consensus is not possible, the Chair will facilitate final decisions in consultation with relevant leads.
  • Review: These Terms of Reference will be reviewed and revised annually or as needed to reflect changing priorities, resources, and opportunities.