Julie Rattray

Julie Rattray is a Professor and Head of the School of Education at Durham University, a role she assumed in August 2024. She holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Dundee and has been at Durham since 2001. Her academic leadership roles include Director of Education and EDI Director, overseeing strategic initiatives in these areas.

Her research focuses on threshold concepts, liminality, and affective dimensions of learning in higher education. Key projects include the DASCHE initiative on social competence development and the IntRef project on intercultural teaching reflection. She has organized major conferences like the 2021 Threshold Concepts conference and chaired the 2016 Improving University Teaching (IUT) conference.

Her work explores 'teacher care,' policy barriers in European higher education quality frameworks, and pedagogical innovations like problem-based learning. Notable collaborations include projects with Hong Kong, European partners, and the establishment of the International Centre for the Comparative Study of Doctoral Education.

Julie is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has contributed to over 50 academic publications, including chapters on medical education quality and meta-learning programs. She has supervised numerous doctoral students focusing on threshold concepts, metacognition, and educational policy.

Her awards include the Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2014) and invited roles such as keynote speaking at threshold concepts conferences. Current supervisions address topics like academic confidence, psychological capital, and the role of affect in learning.