Our CPD events this year will be focused on getting together colleagues who would like to enhance their professional standing by making an application to a professional recognition scheme and those who have already achieved recognition to create discussion/reading groups for mutual support and encouragement/mentoring.

Both the HEA Fellowship scheme and the BALEAP TEAP scheme are based on the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), a nationally-recognised framework for benchmarking success within HE teaching and learning support, which can be applied to personal development programmes at individual or institutional level to improve teaching quality. The HEA manage and lead the development of the UKPSF.

The UKPSF provides a general description of the main dimensions of the roles of teaching and supporting learning within the HE environment. It is written from the perspective of the practitioner and outlines a national framework for comprehensively recognising and benchmarking teaching and learning support roles within higher education.

The UKPSF is useful for:

• identifying what skills you need to develop to enhance your practice and progress your career
• applying for HEA Fellowship - an internationally valued badge of professional recognition

The Framework has two main components: four Descriptors and three Dimensions (see image below).

The Descriptors

are a set of statements outlining the key characteristics of someone performing four broad categories of typical teaching and learning support roles within Higher Education. Each of the four descriptors set out specific criteria.

Descriptor 1 (Associate Fellow) is intended to relate to staff whose role in teaching and/or supporting learning is focused on at least two, but not all, of the Areas of Activity (see below). They would also be expected to possess the appropriate Core Knowledge and be committed to appropriate Professional Values. Perhaps also, they might undertake their role with the assistance of more experienced teachers or mentors. Each Descriptor is accompanied by suggestions for typical job roles covered by that descriptor.

Descriptor 2 (Fellow) is intended to relate to staff with a more substantive teaching and supporting learning role(s) covering all of the Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge and Professional Values (see below)..

Descriptor 3 (Senior Fellow) builds on Descriptor 2, and brings in a strong educational leadership (which may not necessarily be managerial) dimension.

Descriptor 4 (Principal Fellow) relates to those with a sustained record of effective strategic leadership in academic practice and academic development as a key contribution to high quality student learning.