Associate Fellow (AFHEA)

If your role does not cover a full spectrum of teaching and learning activities you may want to think about Associate Fellowship.

The overarching requirement is that the candidate:

‘demonstrates an understanding of specific aspects of effective teaching, learning support methods and student learning’

You should provide evidence of effectiveness in relation to your professional role which will typically include at least some teaching and/or learning support responsibilities. You will need to present some understanding of effective teaching, learning support methods and student learning.

Typical roles and experience for people applying for Associate Fellowship are:

• early career researchers with some teaching responsibilities (e.g. PhD students, GTAs, contract researchers/post-doctoral researchers etc.);
• staff new to teaching (including those with part-time academic responsibilities);
• staff who support academic provision (e.g. learning technologists, student support, careers and learning resource/library staff);
• staff who undertake the role of demonstrator/ technician with some teaching-related responsibilities.

Fellowship at this level recognises roles where the full range of academic practice may not be possible due to limitations in experience or role.

Eligibility

You will require 1 year’s full-time-equivalent (FTE) in higher education (defined as level 4 or above).

UKPSF Criteria

• D1.1 Successful engagement with at least two of the five Areas of Activity
• D1.2 Successful engagement in appropriate teaching and practices related to these Areas of Activity
• D1.3 Appropriate Core Knowledge and understanding of at least K1 and K2
• D1.4 A commitment to appropriate Professional Values in facilitating others’ learning
• D1.5 Relevant professional practices, subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship within the above activities
• D1.6 Successful engagement, where appropriate, in professional development activity related to teaching, learning, and assessment responsibilities

For a fuller description of these criteria and guidance on requirements for meeting each one, please look at the Criteria section under Practice Route – Guidance

Submission Requirements

• 10 Practice Examples (maximum of 100 words each) against:

– A5 plus two other Areas of Activity;
– Appropriate Core Knowledge, including K1 and K2;
– All Professional Values V1-V4

• Two case studies, signposting your chosen Areas of Activity, K1, K2 and other appropriate Core Knowledge and Professional Values in text (maximum of 500 words or equivalent each)
• Two referee statements (at least one referee to be internal)
• Observation of practice by one of your referees

Maximum total words: 2,000 (not including referee statements)

Fellow (FHEA)

If you engage in teaching and learning as the main part of your role you may be considering Fellowship.

The overarching requirement is that the candidate:

‘demonstrates a broad understanding of effective approaches to teaching and learning support as key contributions to high quality student learning.’

You should provide evidence of broadly based effectiveness in more substantive teaching and supporting learning roles and can demonstrate a broad understanding of effective approaches to learning and teaching support as a key contribution to high quality student learning.

Typical roles and experience for people applying for Fellowship are:

• staff in the early stages of their academic career
• staff in an academic-related and/or support role holding substantive teaching and learning responsibilities
• experienced academics relatively new to higher education
• staff with (sometimes significant) teaching-only responsibilities including, for example, within work-based settings

Fellowship at this level carries the expectation that the full range of academic practice will be evidenced. Fellowship candidates should have a good repertoire of teaching approaches and experience with a variety of assessment instruments and associated feedback strategies. They will normally have had experience with the full lifecycle of a module or course (i.e. design/approval, delivery, assessment and grading, review and evaluation).

Eligibility
To submit through the practice route you will require 3 years full-time-equivalent (FTE) in higher education (defined as level 4 or above). It is not a requirement to have AFHEA before applying for FHEA.

UKPSF Criteria

• D 2.1 Successful engagement across all five Areas of Activity
• D 2.2 Appropriate knowledge and understanding across all aspects of Core Knowledge
• D 2.3 A commitment to all the Professional Values
• D 2.4 Successful engagement in appropriate teaching practices related to the Areas of Activity
• D 2.5 Successful incorporation of subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship within the above activities, as part of an integrated approach to academic practice
• D 2.6 Successful engagement in continuing professional development in relation to teaching, learning, assessment and, where appropriate, related professional practices

For a fuller description of these criteria and guidance on requirements for meeting each one, please look at the Criteria section under Practice Route – Guidance

Submission Requirements

• 15 Practice Examples one for each of the Dimensions of Practice (maximum of 100 words each)
• Three case studies signposting the Dimensions of Practice in the text, one of which should focus specifically on how you implement or enhance inclusive practice (maximum of 500 words or equivalent each)
• Two referee statements (at least one referee to be internal)
• Observation of practice by one of your referees

Maximum total words: 3,000 (not including referee statements)

Senior Fellow (SFHEA)

The overarching requirement is that the candidate:

‘demonstrates a thorough understanding of effective approaches to teaching and learning support as a key contribution to high quality student learning.’

You should be an experienced member of staff able to demonstrate impact and influence on other colleagues through, for example, responsibility for leading, managing or organising programmes, subjects and/or disciplinary areas.

You should be able to provide evidence of a sustained record of effectiveness in relation to teaching and learning, incorporating for example, the organisation, leadership and/or management of specific aspects of teaching and learning provision.  Such individuals are likely to lead or be members of established academic teams. Typically, those likely to be eligible to apply for Senior Fellowship are:

• experienced staff able to demonstrate impact and influence through, for example, responsibility for leading, managing or organising programmes, subjects and/or disciplinary areas;
• experienced subject mentors and staff who support those new to teaching;
• experienced staff with departmental and/or wider teaching and learning support advisory responsibilities within an institution.

Senior Fellows will be expected to underpin their practice with greater depth of understanding and scholarship of teaching and learning. They are likely to be operating with a wider sphere of influence than Fellows or Associates (eg at subject, faculty or institutional level) and thus will affect the experience of learners beyond those they teach directly. It is essential to demonstrate leadership in teaching and learning, which can be defined as influencing the practice of others. This does not need to be role related and should be pedagogic (rather than managerial) in focus. Influence may be internal or external (e.g. on professional body or colleagues in other institutions) but the end result of that influence should result in improvement of learning or the learning experience.

Eligibility
To submit through the practice route you will require 3 years full-time-equivalent (FTE) in higher education (defined as level 4 or above). It is not a requirement to have AFHEA or FHEA before applying for SFHEA.

UKPSF Criteria

• D 3.1 Successful engagement across all five Areas of Activity
• D 3.2 Appropriate knowledge and understanding across all aspects of Core Knowledge
• D 3.3 A commitment to all the Professional Values
• D 3.4 Successful engagement in appropriate teaching practices related to the Areas of Activity
• D 3.5 Successful incorporation of subject and pedagogic research and/or scholarship within the above activities, as part of an integrated approach to academic practice
• D 3.6 Successful engagement in continuing professional development in relation to teaching, learning and assessment, and, where appropriate, related professional practices
• D 3.7 Successful coordination, support, supervision, management and/or mentoring of others (whether individuals and/or teams) in relation to teaching and learning

For a fuller description of these criteria and guidance on requirements for meeting each one, please look at the Criteria section under Practice Route – Guidance

Submission Requirements

• A Reflective Account of Practice (RAP) which is a reflective commentary on your higher education roles, responsibilities and professional experience (maximum of 2,000 words or equivalent)
• Two case studies outlining contributions that you have made to learning and teaching in higher education which demonstrate how you have organised, led and/or managed specific aspects of teaching and learning provision (maximum of 1,500 words or equivalent each)
• An Inclusive Practice Reflection which should reflect on how you have led the enhancement of inclusive practices or introduced your own. It should also indicate your intentions for future developments in your own practice or the practice of others (maximum of 1000 words or equivalent)
• Two referee statements (at least one referee to be internal)
• Observation of practice by one of your referees

Maximum total words: 6,000 (not including referee statements)

Principal Fellow (PFHEA)

The overarching requirement is that the candidate:

‘demonstrates a sustained record of effective strategic leadership in academic practice and academic development as a key contribution to high quality student learning’.

Whilst Sheffield Hallam is not accredited to award Principal Fellowship through our internal scheme, we do provide a range of support and resources for applicants making a direct submission to Advance HE for this category of fellowship.

Please see our dedicated Principal Fellowship page for more information.