WMG trailblazer honoured as a National Teaching Fellow
Thursday 7 August 2025
WMG trailblazer honoured as a National Teaching Fellow
The Advance HE Teaching Excellence AwardsLink opens in a new window are among the most prestigious in the world of higher education — and WMG, University of Warwick, is proud to share that one of its own, Dr Freeha Azmat, has been honoured this year.
An Associate Professor and Reader in Engineering Education at WMG, Dr Azmat has been named a National Teaching Fellow for her outstanding innovations in engineering education and curriculum design, as well as her steadfast commitment to inclusion.
Freeha is now one of only three academics at WMG to have received Advance HE’s National Teaching Fellowship Award; she joins Professor Robin Clark, Pro-Dean International, and Professor Margaret Low, Director of Outreach and Participation, as a fellow.
With over 15 years’ experience, Dr Azmat pioneered the integration of authentic learning into the engineering curricula, developing industry-aligned programmes such as the BSc Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship and MSc in Digital and Technology Solutions Degree ApprenticeshipLink opens in a new window at WMG, of which she is Course Director.
She has also played a leading role in other Degree Apprenticeships (DA), including the creation of the Applied Professional Engineering Programme, a collaboration between WMG and The Dyson Institute of Engineering Technology, which created a highly successful DA for Dyson.
These DAs help train over 250 students every year and are designed in collaboration with major employers, including Jaguar Land Rover, Dyson, and Goldman Sachs, to help reduce the UK’s engineering and technology skills gap.
Freeha has been instrumental in developing strong, honest, and collaborative relationships to ensure that the programmes suit the employers' needs and in leading WMG’s work around end-point assessments.
Not one to stick to the status quo, Dr Azmat has consistently challenged systematic barriers throughout her career. Over its course, she has risen from a Merit Scholar in Pakistan’s male-dominated engineering field to a Chancellor’s International Scholar and educational leader at University of Warwick, where she creates vital pathways for women and underrepresented students in STEM.
Reflecting on the award, Dr Azmat said: “I am honoured to have my work recognised. It reflects not only my journey but the shared efforts of colleagues, collaborators, and students who have worked alongside me to make engineering education more inclusive, relevant, and transformative.
“It also affirms the purpose that drives my work. It honours the journey, the barriers I have overcome, and the communities I strive to uplift. Most importantly, it motivates me to keep pushing boundaries so others can rise too, especially women and underrepresented voices in engineering.”
Dr Azmat’s work spans curriculum design, policy influence, and strategic leadership. Alongside her DA work at WMG, she serves as an elected University Senate member, a role in which she represents teaching-focused staff, leads the University’s learning circles, and has helped develop WMG’s digital education strategy.
She has also led over £400K in externally funded projects to embed work-based learning and digital pedagogies into institutional frameworks; shared her expertise as a keynote speaker at UK universities; and helped shape national policy through her contributions to Policy ConnectLink opens in a new window, a cross-party think tank that supports parliamentary groups on key policy areas.
The impact of Freeha’s work is not only felt in the UK, but across the globe. Alongside empowering colleagues across international institutions, she has led cross-functional teams to secure prestigious accreditation, raise academic standards, and enhance digital infrastructure. She has also directed major capacity-building projects in Pakistan, South Africa, Colombia, and the UAE to increase access to education for underserved communities.
Visit WMG’s BSc Digital and Technology Solutions page to find out more about the Degree Apprenticeship developed by Dr Freeha Azmat to inspire the next generation of engineers.