Elise Omfalos, SFHEA

Profile

Elise Omfalos is working as a Learning Innovation Manager within the Queen Mary Academy offering strategic academic support for advancing learning and teaching initiatives across Queen Mary University of London. 

In her role overseeing  Queen Mary Academy Fellowships and the Learner Intern Programme, she fosters interinstitutional collaboration and scholarship projects in partnership with students.

As a dedicated innovator, Elise is currently exploring the potential of Technology Enhanced Learning to optimise educational experiences. Her primary focus lies in immersive training methodologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and the Metaverse, and she leads the Virtual Experiential Learning Community of Practice.

With over two decades of global experience in adult education and course design, she remains deeply committed to promoting inclusive education and social mobility.

Teaching

After completing her Masters in France, Elise Omfalos started her career as a French teacher in the European Institutions in Brussels. She realised that developing and delivering bespoke content came as second nature to her. Elise moved to Mexico in 2006 to teach and develop educational activities and approaches in renowned universities and institutions.  

Her enthusiasm, passion for teaching, and professionalism allowed her to launch a variety of learning programmes, and she was awarded a Distinction for her Teaching Excellence.

She has spent eight years at the Royal College of Surgeons of England as an Educator, and has pioneered the development of Blended Learning courses and delivered the College’s first 100% online Post Graduate Certificate in Surgery. 

She has developed and delivered International Faculty Training programmes in Bangladesh, India, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.

Research

Research Interests:

Elise's research interests centre around leveraging immersive learning to enrich the student experience and enhance employability. Notably, she conducted a research project with a student on 'Exploring the learner perspective on the use of Virtual Reality to develop employability skills in the legal sector.' Currently, she is engaged in the research project 'Designing Collaborative Learning Spaces in the Metaverse.' Additionally, Elise is dedicated to investigating inclusive education practices and is currently conducting preliminary research on 'Exploring awarding and continuation gaps with undergraduate Black students'.

Publications

Conference papers, posters and presentations

‘A Co-creation Approach to Designing Collaborative Learning Spaces in the Metaverse’, iLRN2024 (International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network) conference, with Marie-Luce Bourguet, 10/06/24

‘Exploring the learner perspective on the use of Virtual Reality to develop employability skills in the legal sector’, SRHE (Society for Research into Higher Education) international conference in Birmingham, 06/12 /23

‘Co-creation through Scholarship. Queen Mary Academy’s Learner Interns Programme’. Presented at ALDHE 2024 The Learning Development Conference, 07/06/24 

‘Co-creation through Scholarship. Queen Mary Academy’s Learner Interns Programme’. Presented at JISC Change Agents’ Network Conference 2024, 20/05/24 

‘Co-creation through Scholarship. Queen Mary Academy’s Learner Interns Programme’. Presented at Learning and Teaching Conference 2024, University of East London, 18/01/24 

‘Co-creation through Scholarship. Queen Mary Academy’s Learner Interns Programme’. Presented at Student Education Conference 2024, University of Leeds 11/01/24 

‘Co-creation through Scholarship. Queen Mary Academy’s Learner Interns Programme’. Presented at Evasys Student Engagement Conference 19/10/23