Peter Kahn is Teaching Development Officer in the Teaching and Learning Support Unit at the University of Manchester. The role involves having a particular concern for promoting professional development related to teaching and the support of learning. In this capacity he also acts as Project Manager for a regional programme of staff development that aims to build capacity for learning based around processes of inquiry. This current position follows his earlier experience in mathematics. Following a PhD in the mathematical modelling of brain function at Imperial College London, he was awarded the Society for Research into Higher Education ‘Younger Academic Research Award’ for 1995–96 while based at the Institute of Education, London. David Baume is a higher education consultant. His current and recent consultancy work includes higher education student progress files; course design; assessment strategies for a nursing programme; project evaluation; university teaching awards; programme evaluation; university leadership development; helping staff to write about their learning and teaching innovations; staff development for part-time teachers; staff development for inquiry-based learning; and supporting tutor development and accreditation. His current research and publications are about the assessment of portfolios produced on a course in teaching in higher education, and about personal development planning and progress files.