The last decade several curriculum changes have been implemented in higher education. Internationally increased attention has been paid to agendas such as research-based teaching, honor programs for excellent students and education that meet the needs of diverse student populations resulting from the massification of the higher education system (Archer, 2007; Malcolm, 2014; Scager, 2013; Wolfensberger, 2012). Lecturers play an important role in the successful implementation of educational innovations, especially in curriculum development (Fullan, 2007). Nevertheless, lecturers are not always directly involved in the formation of the strategies that shape the curriculum they teach. However, early engagement of lecturers is essential in ensuring the quality and relevance of what is taught (van den Akker, Kuiper & Hameyer, 2003). Through integrating their teaching and developmental roles lecturers can not only develop curriculum that fit students’ needs, but can also innovate and adapt the curriculum continuously. Additionally, with lecturers developing their own curriculum, they can help to implement the new curriculum as envisioned (Handelzalts, 2009). The current symposium addresses the choices and roles of lecturers in the change, implementation and execution of higher education curricula, and its effect on the shape and content of the curriculum itself.

There is no clear definition for ‘curriculum’, and the term can refer to single elements of the plan for learning to the plan as a whole. For example, van den Akker, Kuiper and Hameyer (2003) distinguished ten possible elements of the curriculum, ranging from aims and objectives, to content, lecturers’ role, materials, and assessment. In this model, the described elements are considered in terms of coherence and consistency, meaning that the change of one element leads to change in most others. This notion of coherence makes curriculum development a difficult job. Additionally, with the role of lecturers as curriculum developers unrecognized, lecturers are not always adequately prepared to fulfill this expected role (Handelzalts, 2009; Nieveen & van der Hoeven, 2011).

In line with the importance of the role of lecturers in curriculum development and execution, this symposium addresses the choices lecturers make in these activities in three different change-settings. The first paper by Doppenberg, Devilee, Griffioen and Oostdam considers the choices lecturers made in developing (parts of) a curriculum for undergraduate honor students. The second paper by Turner, Cotton and Kneale shows how lecturers address their curriculum design in a context of a national agenda to widen participation at university-level study. The final paper by Schouteden, Verburgh and Elen addresses how lecturers realize research integration in their curricula, resulting in a system to categorize these research integration practices.

By combining three perspectives on the execution and development of curricula, this symposium provides more insight in the role and choices of lectures in this regard.

Akker van den, J., Kuiper, W., & Hameyer, U. (2003). Curriculum landscapes and trends. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Archer, L. (2007). Diversity, Equality and Higher Education: A Critical Reflection on the Ab/uses of Equity Discourse within Widening Participation. Teaching in Higher Education, 12, 635-653. Fullan, M. (2007). The new meaning of educational change. New York: teachers College Press. Handelzalts, A., (2009). Collaborative curriculum development in teacher design teams. [dissertation], Enschede: University of Twente. Scager, K. (2013). Hitting the High Notes. Challenge in teaching honors students.[dissertation], Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht. Malcolm, M. (2014). A critical evaluation of resent progress in understanding the role of the research-teaching link in higher education. Higher Education, 62, 289-301 Nieveen, N., & Hoeven, M. van der (2011). Building the Curricular Capacity of Teachers: Insights from the Netherlands. In: P. Picard and L. Ria (Eds.). Beginning teachers: Challenge for educational systems. –CIDREE Yearbook 2011. Lyon, France: ENS de Lyon, Institut français de l’Education. Wolfensberger, M. V. C. (2012). Teaching for Excellence. Honors Pedagogies Revealed. (Ph.D), Universiteit Utrecht, Munster.