Read the announcement of the 2026 recipients in the Gazette.
This initiative from the Office of the Principal, and stewarded by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, provides access to one-time funds to include inclusive and innovative pedagogy, curriculum, and assessments in new or existing undergraduate core courses.
Watch an information session on composing a Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grants. Grants Webinar recording
About The Grant
The Queen’s Strategy is oriented towards making a positive impact on society and the world we inhabit. We have increasingly come to understand that impact within the taxonomy provided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Queen’s is an institution committed to the local and global good. The UN SDGs compel us to channel our sense of social responsibility, optimism, and belief in a better tomorrow to support our academic mission.
Building on the success of the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Awards, which recognize and celebrate the many ways educators and educational support staff enrich the student learning experience at Queen’s, the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grants are designed to advance the university’s strategic priorities and the UN SDGs by supporting innovative, values-driven teaching practices.
We encourage grants that explore novel and innovative ways to enhance undergraduate student learning more equitably across all year levels, and that improve the sustainability of instructors’ efforts to engage the discipline in the following areas aligned with the goals of the Queen’s Strategy and the UN SDGs:
- Indigenous Education
- Engaging Students as Partners in Learning
- Educational Leadership
- Educational Technologies
- Globally Engaged Education
- Promoting Student Inquiry
The Grant Process
Grant proposals are limited to $2,500.00 - $10 000.00 per request supported by a detailed budget. Proposals will be accepted throughout the academic year for consideration.
The Centre for Teaching and Learning will convene an adjudication meeting with pedagogical and subject matter expertise to evaluate submissions based on the attached rubric. Decisions about proposals will be made and communicated ideally within four (4) weeks of the submission date.
Application
When filling out the form you will be required to provide:
Once the form is complete and all necessary information is received, please allow 3 - 4 weeks for funding decisions to be communicated.
Your name, position title, @queensu email address, department and faculty
- Describe how the proposed project advances undergraduate student learning in an academic course or program. 250 words
- Describe how your proposal aligns with the Queen’s Strategy and the UN SDGs. How will your proposal strengthen one or more of these priorities? 250 words
- Describe the activities you will undertake for your proposal. 500 words
- Describe how you will evaluate the intended impact of your proposal. 250 words
- Describe how the student learning impact will be sustained after the successful completion of this proposal. 250 words
Please provide a timeline for all the activities associated with the grant. Note: The timeline for grant activities should be completed in one calendar year from the receipt of the grant.
Confirmation
Confirmation that you have included a detailed budget that includes: projected expenses; a list of all fundraising activities; and the outcome of those requests. Budget Template (Excel, 21.6KB)
Information
Estimated total budget for the grant, how much money you are requesting from the Principal's Teaching and Learning Grants, how the funds will be used, and other sources of funds
Teaching and Learning Grant Holders will:
- Complete any ethics training that is applicable during each stage of their project.
- Implement their project activities. It is generally expected that your proposed project may be modified based on feedback that you receive. Any major changes to the project plan that deviates from the intended outcomes of the project must be requested in writing to ctl@queensu.ca
- Spend their budget in alignment with the project’s proposed activities according to Queen’s University policies and rules. Any major changes to the proposed budget that deviates from the intended outcomes of the project must be requested in writing to ctl@queensu.ca
- Submit a mandatory Final Report Form within one month of the project’s completion based to your proposed timeline.
- Reconcile all expenses ahead of the closing date of the project.
- Share the results of their completed project with relevant audiences such as the Showcase of Teaching and Learning etc.
- Volunteer to participate in future adjudications of the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grants applications.
- Join, if interested, the SoTL community of practice.
- Attend, when possible, gatherings of grant recipients.
Successful applicants will be required to submit a final report following the project, including all final revenue and expenses (use the Final Budget Template) as well as a knowledge sharing opportunity.
Please submit your final report and budget, no later than 30 days after the conclusion of your project, by completing this form.
For inquiries, contact ctl@queensu.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any instructor or educational support professional of an existing course that will take place within the next year.
Budget can be prioritized for personnel and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Project proposals should not exceed 12 months.
Please disclose any conflicts of interest in your application to be reviewed by the committee.
Any unspent funds from the project have to be returned to the Principal's Office to be redistributed.
Please reach out the to the Centre for Teaching and Learning at ctl@queensu.ca.
2026 Grant Recipients
Recipient: Francesco Ambrogi, Assistant Professor, Smith Engineering
MECH 485 will leverage virtual reality (VR) technology to create an immersive educational experience showcasing four nuclear reactor designs. This innovative VR environment advances learning by providing a dynamic, interactive platform that transcends traditional textbook- and lecture-based instruction. Specifically, the VR experience supports experiential learning by allowing students to visualize spatial relationships, simulate real-world scenarios, and engage with reactor functionalities that are otherwise inaccessible.
Recipient: Nicole Beamish, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies
HLTH 210, a foundational experiential learning course, will be co-created with instructors, community members, and students, guided by community-engaged pedagogy. Students will be introduced to practical and professional skills for careers in kinesiology, athletic therapy, strength and conditioning, and community health. Through reflective practice, they will develop proficiency in communication, collaboration, interprofessional practice, and ethical behaviour. Seminars and peer mentorship will connect theoretical knowledge to real-world applications. By the end of this course, students will be prepared for experiential opportunities in clinical, high-performance, or community-based settings.
Recipient: Rebecca Hisey, Term Adjunct, School of Computing
A hands-on learning activity will be developed within the broader redesign of CISC 472 that will prioritize the ability for students to apply modern AI concepts to real clinical and clinical-training problems. The learning activity will be designed to give students hands-on experience with full AI workflows, including model selection, training, evaluation, and integration into a complete software system. Students will work with realistic datasets and common AI frameworks to tackle real-world challenges in the field of medical computing.
Recipient: Gabriel Menotti, Associate Professor, Film and Media
This course engages students with a broad sphere of curatorial activities within and beyond the film industry and contemporary visual arts. Students will explore the role of curatorial practices in media, science, and culture through class discussions, field trips to various exhibition sites and events, and the organization of a final exhibition project. A student-led mini arts festival will be integrated into the course activities and students will collectively organize and deliver this public event, taking responsibility for all stages of its production.
Recipient: Meghan Norris, Associate Professor and Chair of Undergraduate Studies, Psychology
As the largest course on campus, PSYC 100 introduces students to the broad range of topics studied in the field of psychology, including research, cognition, development, mental health, social phenomena, and more. A flagship experience will be introduced in this large course that prioritizes multi-disciplinary teams, critical thought, alignment with the UN SDGs, professional development, and more. The course’s operation during the summer term will also be updated.