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In recent years local pedagogical qualification models have developed at several Swedish Universities. This trend is also evident in an international perspective (Myers & Myers, 2015; Chalmers, 2011).

Appointment and promotion of academic teachers in Sweden is regulated on national level, but in the pedagogical qualification models local definitions of pedagogical excellence and specific assessment criteria are used. External experts are used regularly in the assessment procedure.

At Umea University, the pedagogical qualification model has been running for 3 years and approximately 150 applications have been reviewed by two external experts each. Many of the applications have been from outside the external expert’s own specific subject area. The quality of the assessment reports is generally high, although the conclusions by the experts don’t always agree.

Most of the external experts have participated in a course for assessors of pedagogical qualifications (presented at ICED 2014 and ICED 2012). According to the course evaluation the course raised the participants’ ability to assess pedagogical qualifications and gave them functioning assessment methods and models to structure their reports. However, one topic that was not explicitly addressed in the course is the risk of bias in regard to subject area or gender.

Based on the assessment reports produced for the pedagogical qualification model at Umea University, I have looked for possible biases in the experts’ conclusions related to subject area or gender of the assessor and applicant. The results will be presented and discussed with the participants in this session.

Chalmers, Denise. 2011. Progress and challenges to the recognition and reward of the Scholarship of Teaching in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 30:1, pages 25-38.

Myers, Carrie B. & Myers, Scott M. 2015. The use of learner-centered assessment practices in the United States: the influence of individual and institutional contexts. Studies in Higher Education 40:10, pages 1904-1918.