Scholarship of teaching and learning 

Indigenisation of the higher education curriculum

Academic staff induction to teaching

Application of performance techniques to research communications

Application of performance techniques to TESOL pronunciation

Creative arts production and performance as research

Playwriting and dramaturgy

Disability theatre

Intercultural theatre

Peter Copeman is a multi-award-winning tertiary educator whose honorary appointment with ANU is primarily focussed on the Centre for Learning and Teaching's Educational Fellowship Scheme. He took up this position at ANU after retiring in 2020 from full-time work at the University of Canberra (UC), where he still holds an adjunct appointment mentoring colleagues and contributing his expertise in research communications, particularly for 3 Minute Thesis pitching (UC Teaching Excellence Award 2017) and Indigenisation of the Curriculum (UC Teaching Excellence Award 2022). In 2020 he also had a 6-month consultancy with Edith Cowan University, developing micro-credentialled curriculum for a PD program in Higher Education Practice aligned with HEA Fellowships. In 2022 he served a consultancy back at UC, developing institutional scholarly teaching frameworks to meet TEQSA registration requirements.

Bevore retiring, Peter was UC’s senior Learning and Teaching academic since 2013, providing advice to the Executive and committees, and supporting academics to enhance their students' learning experiences. He was convenor of the Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education course, co-facilitator of the annual teaching awards processes, and a mentor of multiple successful applicants for HEA fellowships. He was also a core driver of UC’s Indigenisation of the Curriculum strategy, and UC delegate on several OLT-funded teaching research initiatives.

Prior to that, Peter worked 2010-2013 in UC's Academic Skills Centre - including 15 months as Director - providing student learning and literacy support. He introduced a student-peer-led learning support program called Academic Skills Rovers (UC Teaching Excellence Award 2014), since emulated in multiple other universities around Australia. He was also, for three years, an Executive Councilor of the national Association of Academic Language and Learning (AALL).

Before joining UC, Peter worked at various tertiary institutions including ANU College, Australian National University, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Sydney, University of Wollongong and University of Calgary (Canada) in disciplines including TESOL, anthropology, business management, playwriting, screenwriting and dramaturgy, intercultural performance, theatremaking, acting and arts administration. 

He is an accomplished scholar of teaching and learning, with multiple publications on Indigenising the curriculum, research communication, student peer mentoring in academic literacies, and TESOL pronunciation. From 2016-2019 he was Associate Editor of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice.

Before becoming an academic, Peter enjoyed a 15-year professional career in theatre and performance, including as artistic director of two professional companies, and as a multi-award-winning playwright.