Dr. David Roxburgh is currently the Depute Head of the Strathclyde Institute of Education (SIoE), overseeing Innovation and Impact in a leadership role that spans an initial three-year term until August 2027. This appointment reflects his proven ability to drive strategic initiatives and foster impactful collaborations.

Professional Progression
David was promoted to Senior Teaching Fellow in 2016 and to Principal Teaching Fellow in 2023, recognising the depth and quality of his contributions to teaching, research, and academic leadership. Before joining SIoE on a two-year secondment in 2012, David enjoyed a successful 17-year teaching career in Glasgow's primary schools. He was awarded the title of Chartered Teacher by the General Teaching Council for Scotland in recognition of his classroom practices and expertise across a range of curricular areas, including mathematics, social studies, science, and technology.

Academic Leadership
David has extensive experience teaching across SIoE's degree programmes, with a broad range of pedagogical and disciplinary interests. He has served as Course Leader for undergraduate Education and Science Faculty combined degree programmes, as well as the MSc in Education Studies (January cohorts), at that point, one of Strathclyde's largest master's programmes for international students.

Research and Scholarship
David's doctoral research focused on third-language approaches to teaching Chinese culture in Scottish primary schools, offering significant implications for higher education, school curricula, and national policy. This work is among the few in-depth studies in its field in Scotland. He collaborates closely with the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, delivering CPD for Mandarin teachers and advancing scholarship in cultural dimensions of language learning. Along with others, David also explores 'local language' pedagogies, publishing and presenting to support this growing field.

He supervises master’s, Ed.D, and Ph.D. students and welcomes inquiries from prospective postgraduate researchers.

STEM Leadership
David has made impactful contributions to STEM education, leading modules on SIoE’s BA/PGDE courses. He has coordinated Year 4 of the STEM 'with teaching' BSc/MChem degrees, which involved close collaboration with SIoE secondary education staff and Science Faculty departments. He has received multiple funding awards from Education Scotland to enhance the teaching of Craft, Design, Engineering, and Graphics (CDEG) within the primary curriculum, working with student teachers and local authorities to strengthen STEM practices.

Global Engagement and Internationalisation
From 2014 to 2017, David served as Depute Director of the Strathclyde China Institute (SCI), driving international student recruitment and fostering research collaborations with leading Chinese institutions. Between 2017 and 2024, at Faculty level, he promoted inward and outward mobility for undergraduate and postgraduate students, facilitating comparative education experiences in Scotland, China, and South Korea. 

As Director for Global Engagement in the SIoE from 2020 to 2024, David played a pivotal role in developing and operationalising the Institute's strategic internationalisation plan. He led the coordination of global student exchange programmes and supported colleagues in building global partnerships through teaching, research and KE projects. His leadership was recognised with a Strathclyde Team Medal in 2019 for Knowledge Exchange with Chinese partners, and in 2020, he won the Faculty award for Outstanding Student Experience. In 2022, he was named a goodwill ambassador for his efforts to strengthen ties with Nanjing Normal University.

He has recently worked with the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada, to include Strathclyde in its prestigious 'Teaching Across Borders' programme which will see two-way exchanges develop as well as other research and KE projects.

External Roles and Recognition
David has served as External Examiner for Primary Education programmes at the University of Aberdeen. He currently perfoms the role of Chief Examiner for Primary Education programmes at University of Birmingham, and is also working with the National Institute for Teaching in England to examine its courses.

His positive influence on STEM education and internationalisation practices was recognised in 2021 with Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) status.

As a committed Strathclyder, David is a member of the University Senate until 2027 and sits on its Student Disciplinary Sub-Committee, contributing to governance and institutional decision-making.

David has a proven track record of leadership and management within the Strathclyde Institute of Education (SIoE) and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, reflecting his ability to drive strategic initiatives and deliver impactful outcomes. His key roles include:

• Depute Head, SIoE (2024–2027, initial term): Overseeing innovation and strategic development within the Institute.
• Year 4 Co-ordinator for STEM Combined Degrees (2022–2024): Managing interdisciplinary programmes, including:
  • BSc (Hons) Physics with Teaching
  • BSc (Hons) Mathematics with Teaching
  • BSc (Hons) Chemistry with Teaching
  • BSc (Hons) Biology with Teaching
  • MChem with Teaching
    (Including international variants supporting students from Oman.)
• Joint Course Leader for MSc Education Studies (January cohort, 2022–2023): Successfully managing a cohort of 160 international students, fostering academic excellence and an enriched learning experience.
• Director of Global Engagement, SIoE (2020–2024): Leading internationalisation strategies, developing global partnerships, and enhancing the Institute’s global reputation.
• Co-ordinator for International Exchange Programmes, SIoE (2020–2024): Supporting outgoing and incoming mobility programmes to enhance students' comparative education experiences.
• Faculty Co-ordinator for Student Mobility (China and South Korea) (2017–2023): Strengthening cross-cultural exchange initiatives and expanding collaborative opportunities.
• Depute Director, Strathclyde China Institute (HaSS/SBS Faculties, 2014–2017): Driving international student recruitment and fostering research and knowledge exchange partnerships with leading Chinese institutions.

David is highly skilled in developing and operationalising innovative models of collaboration and welcomes partnership opportunities aligned with his areas of expertise.

David's academic and scholarly interests focus on pedagogies and curricula across Higher Education (HE) and Initial Teacher Education (ITE), including:

• Pedagogies for teaching Chinese language and culture (CLC).
• Innovations in third language (L3) acquisition and the promotion of local languages.
• STEM-based learning and teaching approaches, particularly within teacher education.
• Study abroad pedagogies and the experiences of university students, including those training as teachers.
• Comparative education systems and curricula, with cross-cultural insights.

These themes inform his work in Primary Education, ITE, and HE, with local, national, and international reach and impact. David collaborates closely with colleagues in the SIoE, international partners, and other outward-facing institutes at Strathclyde, including SCILT (Scotland's National Centre for Languages) and CISS (Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools). He is currently the editor of the Scottish Languages Review, further advancing research and practice in language education.

Sample Doctoral Supervisions

• PhD: Exploring Relational Dynamics Between Course Tutors and Chinese Students in UK TESOL Programmes (First Supervisor)
• PhD: Exploring the Complexity of Motivation: An Investigation of the Factors Influencing British Learners’ Motivation to Affect Mandarin Gains (First Supervisor)
• PhD: Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of Improving Students’ Academic Achievement Among Schools in Rural Western China: A Mixed-Method Study (Second Supervisor)
• Ed.D: An Investigation into the Value and Role of Critical Thinking for Visual Arts Education in China (Second Supervisor)

Sample Master’s Supervisions

MPhil:

• Research and Implementation of Robust Multicultural Ethics Training Programs for Improving Well-Being in Chinese ESL Training Schools (First Supervisor)

M.Ed. 

• The Use of Gamification to Enhance Learning Within Science
• STEM Within the Secondary Classroom Environment
• Exploration of the Use of Project-Based Learning to Increase Engagement of Socially Disadvantaged Young People in STEM

MSc 

• Constructivist Approaches to Second Language (English) Learning in China
• Pakistani Students’ Experiences of Higher Education: A Strathclyde Case Study
• Culture Shock in South Asian Students Studying in UK HE Institutions
• A Comparative Study of English Curriculum Standards in Secondary Schools in China and Japan
• An Exploration of Educational Technology Practices in Ondo State, Nigeria
• A Study of the Challenges Faced by Chinese Undergraduate Students Learning to Write in English as a Second Language
• Research on Intercultural Adaptation of Chinese Visiting Students in the UK
• A Comparative Study of Students’ Self-Regulation Strategies in Learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
• A Comparative Study of the Practices and Professional Development Needs of Chinese STEM Middle School Teachers
• A Comparative Study of the Challenges Faced by Heritage and Non-Heritage Learners of Mandarin Chinese