UKPSF Experiential Route
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About the UKPSF Experiential Route
The Experiential Route is a flexible route to HEA fellowship for staff 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 UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) 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.
It is anticipated that following the Experiential Route to recognition will take between 2 and 8 months depending on your circumstances and commitments. We recommend that you concentrate your efforts over as short a period as possible to maintain momentum.
The Experiential Route is part of our Advance-HE accredited HEA Fellowship (UKPSF) CPD scheme, and the process of developing a claim for recognition is similar regardless of the pathway chosen – documentary or dialogue.
Eligibility
The Experiential Route is designed for experienced staff involved in teaching and supporting learning who wish to have the opportunity to engage with the UKPSF and receive recognition for their experiences and achievements.
These staff 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 UKPSF Descriptor
- not subject to the probationary requirement to complete Newcastle Educational Practice Scheme (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)
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 Community (Canvas)
Our Canvas PSF Community guides you through the process. Self-enrolment on our PSF Community is currently paused until September 2024 whilst we transition to using a new framework for fellowship submissions, the PSF 2023. If you'd like to start an application before this date, please contact apt.lts@newcastle.ac.uk.
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.
Reviewing your PSF application workshop
In this workshop we will guide you through the process of reviewing a UKPSF application. For this workshop you will need to bring with you a reasonably complete draft (at least one completed section) that can be shared with a peer. You will assess a series of applications including a peers'. See Reviewing Your UKPSF Application for dates and details.
NU Reflect
Allows participants to capture data and evidence against the different dimensions of practice through an online portfolio in which the UKPSF dimensions of practice have been embedded. Participants can share this with their mentors if they wish.
Start your claim
The first step is to join our PSF Community. This will guide you through the process.
The Canvas PSF Community is open to colleagues involved in teaching and learning from academic, technical, professional support and research roles.
Self-enrolment on our PSF Community is currently paused until September 2024 whilst we transition to using a new framework for fellowship submissions, the PSF 2023. If you'd like to start an application before this date, please contact apt.lts@newcastle.ac.uk.