Having the opportunity to teach is a valuable experience to those starting out in the world of academia. In this article, the authors cast a reflective lens on their experiences of teaching and their participation in a structured programme York Learning and Teaching Award (YLTA), designed for new and aspiring academics and working towards becoming an Associate Fellow of The Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). They consider how research and teaching could be more closely linked in Higher Education and suggest benefits that could be gained from this link. In particular, they explore how strengthening the link between research and teaching in Higher Education could promote positive student engagement.