Lia Blaj-Ward is an Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, where she designs and facilitates academic literacy provision for international students on creative and built environment courses. In parallel to this, she supports the professional development of colleagues as a mentor and assessor for Nottingham Trent’s in-house Advance HE professional recognition scheme, and as a mentor for the Advance HE Aurora programme. Lia has a particular interest in co-creating learning experiences, the value of reciprocal mentoring and raising career aspirations (e.g. through organising week-long work experience opportunities at Nottingham Trent for under-18 participants from a girls-only school).
Outside Nottingham Trent, Lia is an active member of BALEAP, the main professional association for colleagues supporting the academic success of international students. She has also served on the organisation’s Executive Committee, as Research Officer, Treasurer and, more recently, BALEAP Course Accreditation Scheme Chair.