PSF Experiential Route
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About Experiential Route to Fellowship
The Experiential Route is a flexible route to HEA fellowship for colleagues with experience in teaching and/or supporting learning who wish to be recognised as an Associate Fellow, Fellow, or Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).
Associate Fellow, Fellow, and Senior Fellow align with Descriptors 1, 2, and 3, respectively, of the Professional Standards Framework 2023 (PSF 2023) which is the document that outlines the criteria you must meet to be awarded recognition. Our Experiential Route allows you to demonstrate how you meet these criteria through either a written document or a professional dialogue.
The Experiential Route is part of our Advance HE-accredited PSF CPD scheme, and the process of developing a claim for recognition is similar regardless of the pathway chosen – documentary or dialogue.
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Benefits
Fellowship demonstrates your commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education. It is increasingly sought by employers across the higher education sector as a condition of appointment and promotion. It is used internationally, as well as in the UK, and accreditation is sought by more and more international institutions every year (e.g. Bahrain, USA, Australia)
Through gaining Fellowship, you:
- Consolidate your personal development and evidence of your professional practice in your higher education career
- Demonstrate your commitment to learning, teaching, and the student experience, through engagement in a practical process that encourages research, reflection, and development
- Gain a postnominal to use in your signatures (AFHEA/FHEA/SFHEA)
Engaging in the process of preparing your claim encourages reflection on your practice, which can lead to further professional development, improvement, and confidence in your teaching or learning support activities.
Eligibility
The Experiential Route is for any colleagues with significant experience in teaching and supporting learning in higher education who want to receive recognition for their experiences and achievements.
These colleagues could include those:
- With over 2 years FTE in a substantive role in teaching and/or support of learning in a Higher Education Institution but who are currently not recognised at a PSF Descriptor
- Not subject to the probationary requirement to complete Newcastle Educational Practice Skills (NEPS)
- Who have existing Associate Fellow status at D1 but are seeking recognition at D2 (Fellow) or D3 (Senior Fellow) who have existing Fellow status at D2 but are seeking recognition at D3 (Senior Fellow)
All colleagues are welcome, regardless of the ways in which they support learners or learning; whether it’s through research supervision, technical/lab skills development, student enterprise workshops, staff development, or lecturing (and many more), and regardless of where they are based; whether that’s in Newcastle, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), or Newcastle University in Singapore (NUIS).
It is important that you choose a descriptor that aligns with the activities you undertake in teaching and supporting learning. The Advance HE Fellowship Category Tool has been designed to assist you to select a category of fellowship. Your mentor will be able to help you make this decision.
Support for Participants
The PSF Experiential Route
Our PSF Experiential Route Canvas course guides you through the process. Use this link to self-enroll on the PSF Experiential Route course.
This resource is structured as follows:
- Stage 1: Is fellowship for me?
- Stage 2: Preparation
- Stage 3: Developing your claim
- Resources templates and links
Work through the online materials in Stage 1 to gain familiarity with the PSF, find out more about what is expected, the most appropriate category of Fellowship and the time needed. Use this to plan your own submission targets.
Preparing for HEA Fellowship Workshop
Once you have an understanding of the PSF you need to participate in a “Preparing for HEA Fellowship” workshop where you will begin to identify appropriate activities to include in your claim and evidence how your experience aligns with the PSF. During the workshop you will create a draft Summary of Evidence, a live document that you will update as develop your claim.
Mentor
We will allocate a PSF mentor to and share your draft Summary of Evidence with them. Their role is to provide support and feedback through scheduled meetings, phone calls or online contact prior to submission of your claim for recognition.
NU Reflect
Allows participants to capture data and evidence against the different dimensions of practice through an online portfolio in which the PSF dimensions of practice have been embedded. Participants can share this with their mentors if they wish.
How long does it take to complete my fellowship claim?
The Experiential Route is flexible and designed to fit around your responsibilities. You can start at any point and work at your own pace to complete the documentation or prepare for the dialogue.
We estimate a minimum of 3 months to develop your claim, depending on your circumstances and commitments. We recommend that you concentrate your efforts over as short a period as possible to maintain momentum.
You can submit your documentary claim or undertake your dialogue at any point, although we will only be able to confirm the outcome of your claim at three set points in the year after the internal recognition panel has met (the exact dates for the current year will be shared with you once you register your interest)).
Recommended total time to prepare your fellowship claim is 2-5 working days. You can choose to work on your claim over a time period that suits your schedule.
How to enrol on the Experiential Route
- The first step is to join our PSF Experiential Route Canvas course. This will guide you through the process.
- You'll then be directed to attend a workshop and to subsequently register to be assigned a mentor.
- The Canvas PSF Experiential Route is open to all colleagues involved in teaching and supporting learning from academic, technical, professional support, and research roles. It is free for all Newcastle University employees and postgraduates.
I would strongly recommend the Experiential Route as part of the University’s UKPSF CPD Scheme, which provides excellent support for candidates, including workshops and providing a Professional Standards Advisor for you.