Universities undertake a number of tasks to assure and enhance the quality of learning and teaching that are dependent on the engagement of academic staff who are pivotal to implementing the ‘quality agenda’. Typically, a Pro Vice Chancellor, Learning and Teaching or similar, is charged with leading change and improvements in learning and teaching. This paper provides a personal account of how as a PVC, I have tried over a period of two years to engage staff in this work and some of the insights gained. Specifically, I describe the strategies I used and the challenges I encountered, and what I have learned about leadership and change management. My aim is to shed light on just what a PVC can most usefully do to engage academic staff in quality learning and teaching.

Keywords: Learning and teaching, leadership, change management