Northumbria academic honoured for transforming legal education

An Associate Professor at Northumbria University has been recognised by Advance HE as a National Teaching Fellow.

Dr Elisabeth Griffiths, who is based at the Northumbria Law School was awarded the National Teaching Fellowship for her outstanding and sustained impact on inclusive legal education, particularly her innovative work enhancing disability inclusion, employability, and sector-wide policy through collaborative, real-world, and equity-focused teaching practices.

The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) recognises, rewards and celebrates individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession.

The NTFS was launched in 2000, by the Higher Education Academy, which subsequently became Advance HE. Recognised following a highly competitive process in which only 55 awards are made each year, Elisabeth joins a group of almost 1,200 National Teaching Fellows across the UK.

Elisabeth has taught Law to both undergraduate and postgraduate students for nearly 30 years. Through her NTFS claim she was able to reflect on her approaches to enhancing disability inclusion and to demonstrate how her work has impacted education in higher education, within Northumbria and beyond. As a qualified solicitor (now non-practising) she was also able to reflect on how that real-world experience brings learning to life in a subject like law.

Elisabeth’s consistent, high quality and dedicated approach to her Higher Education practice has enabled her to make a positive impact on legal education at Northumbria. Her inclusive practices were recognised by Northumbria in 2023 with the award of a Distinguished Teaching Fellowship and by Advance HE through award of Principal Fellowship status in 2024.

Her innovations in pedagogy have demonstrated sustained impact in supporting employability and her professional practice innovations have demonstrated sector-wide impact, informing national standards, through her contributions to the 2023 QAA Law Subject Benchmark Statement and serving on the Law Society’s Disabled Solicitors Network Committee, influencing policy and practice in the legal profession itself.

As a member of the Equity Challenge Project in the Law School, Elisabeth also contributed to advancing gender equality for colleagues and students, and her edited gender pay gap publication brought together international perspectives, ensuring that what was initially Northumbria-focused activity had external reach.

“I am thrilled to have been recognised by advance HE in this way. I have always worked collaboratively with students and colleagues alike, fostering shared ownership of initiatives that have gone on to inspire sector-wide innovation. It has been a delight to work on these projects with all these fabulous colleagues and students.

I hope this award will help me extend the reach and impact of this work to ensure that higher education is an environment where all learners can thrive and graduate knowing there is a place for them in whatever future profession they choose.”

Professor Graham Wynn, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at Northumbria University, said: “Northumbria’s Education Strategic Delivery Plan embeds inclusive practice in all we do and Elisabeth’s initiatives have created lasting change in how diversity and accessibility are considered at Northumbria.

The award recognises Elisabeth’s contribution to developing education practices at Northumbria, contributing to our commitment to deliver an outstanding experience for all students. Through engagement with external initiatives, Elisabeth ensures our students, and particularly those from non-traditional and widening participation backgrounds, have access to opportunities within the profession of Law.”