Advocate Statements

We will ask you to provide advocate statements in support of your claim.  Preferably, one of your references has to have HEA Fellowship. 

Your Choice of Advocates

Your advocates need to have direct experience of your work and be able to verify that your work aligns to the UKPSF. The most meangingful references substantiate what you have written in your application, with some additional information that confirms that your teaching or support of student learning meets or exceeds the accepted standards.

It is your responsibility to request these statements taking into account the time that your advocate may require to complete it.  Remember that your advocate will need to see a near final draft of your submission  before they complete your reference, so don't share your drafts until they are nearly completed.  Please also remember that your application is focusing on professional practice in Higher Education and your references must also match this requirement.  If you are reflecting on aspects of your professional practice from previous institutions one of your referees should be from that institution. 

Your mentor can provide more specific guidance around your selection of referees. 

As with written submissions, you are also required to provide the appropriate number of advocate statements as they form part of the formal review process.  Compared to the written route, you will not be able to share a draft submission on which advocates can frame their supporting statement for you.  So, in the spirit of conversation, that underpins the professional conversation route, you are required to provide your intended advocates with a copy of your final presentation and annotated CPD record, and then meet to discuss. 

As part of the support package we have also created a ‘flight plan’ document to help you plan and track areas that you wish to cover in the presentation and conversation.  Whilst not submitted and considered as part of the formal review process, this document should be completed and provided to your advocates to help them prepare your advocate statement.

Please note that meeting with your advocates is a compulsory element of the professional conversation route and details of this meeting are captured on your submission form which can be downloaded from the APEX website.  Your mentor can provide more specific guidance around your selection of advocates.

Your Choice of Advocates

Your advocates need to have direct experience of your work and be able to verify that your work aligns to the UKPSF. The most meaningful advocate statements substantiate and verify aspects of practice referenced in your professional conversation.

It is your responsibility to request these statements, taking into account the time that your advocate may require to complete it.  Remember that in comparison to the written route you are expected to meet and discuss your plans for the professional conversation with your advocate.  You therefore need to ensure that this meeting is arranged accordingly.  

As a compulsory part of the professional conversation, you will not be able to advance to the conversation stage unless evidence of this meeting is provided on the submission form.  Please also remember that your submission is focusing on professional practice in Higher Education and your advocates must also match this requirement. If you are reflecting on aspects of your professional practice from previous institutions then one of your advocates should be from that institution.