Professional Recognition and Qualifications

The central aim of the APEX Framework is to ensure that staff have the opportunity to work towards or attain the relevant Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) on the basis of their teaching and learning support activities by demonstrating alignment to the UKPSF. This is operationalised through the APEX Programme providing various pathways to recognition.

The University of Portsmouth APEX Programme aims to:

• Encourage individual responsibility for continuing professional development and improvement, through inspiring and supporting staff to enhance their practice in teaching and student support 

• Provide a coherent range of flexible initial and continuing professional development opportunities aligned with the UKPSF, and the University’s wider strategic aspirations

• Promote a scholarly, enquiry-based and reflective approach to teaching and supporting learning

At the moment APEX supports a number of paths to fellowship: Associate Fellow, Fellow and Senior Fellow.  APEX can also support staff seeking to gain Principal Fellow status via a direct submission to AdvanceHE.  Principal Fellow is for colleagues who are able to demonstrate a sustained and effective record of impacy at a strategic level in relation to learning and teaching, as part of a wider commitment to academic practice.  This may be within their institution or wider (inter)national settings.

The APEX programme offer two routes to Fellowship.   You can either choose a more traditional written submission or seek Fellowship through a professional conservation.  Both routes are detailed on this website and more specific information regarding the professional conversation can be accessed via the Professional Conversation Guidance Notes which can be accessed below.

Gain National Recognition for Your Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Since 2019, the University of Portsmouth has enjoyed a sustained run of success in the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) and Collaborative Awards for Teaching Excellence (CATE). This year, we celebrated the joint successes of Dr Mike Raynor who attained NTF, and the AcDev and TEL teams who secured the University’s first CATE Award. Our continued success reflects the excellence of colleagues across the University and their outstanding commitment and contribution to enhancing the student experience.

Achieving a National Teaching Fellowship is widely recognised in HE as well as internationally as a mark of quality and award winners join a national and international community of like-minded professionals who are passionate about teaching excellence. And not forgetting that winners get to attend a very swanky awards do!

The GPROF - Graduate Students Professional  Development - is mandatory for postgraduate students involved in any teaching activity and who work as demonstrators and tutors. It's also open to postgraduate students who are likely to teach in the future.

There are two intakes a year – in October and February – and the majority of participants complete the programme and are awarded their GPROF certification within 6 months. Students with sufficient teaching and/or support of student learning experience can then work towards becoming an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Postgraduate students are permitted to teach after they have attended the GPROF induction session and completed their action plans, and as long as they're either engaged in or have completed the programme. It's also part of the University’s APEX framework and can be taken forwards towards accreditation by the UK Higher Education Academy.

For more information about the GPROF programme and information on how to apply, please contact apex@port.ac.uk.

Teach Well: Principles to Practice is an exciting new Professional Development workshop for higher education staff in roles such as Learning Technologist, Educational Technologist, Learning Support Tutor, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, or other relevant academic roles, or roles related to supporting student learning.