What is HEA Fellowship?

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is the guardian of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) which sets out the dimensions of practice for teaching in higher education.

The UKPSF is a benchmarking tool for those who teach and/or support learning in HE, providing a standardised mechanism for recognition. HEA fellowships align to the UKPSF and are a recognised way of benchmarking teaching experience and excellence. Higher education academics gain fellowship either through undertaking an accredited postgraduate certificate in higher education teaching, or through providing evidence of teaching experience and excellence in a written professional reflection. At Winchester we have an HEA accredited Continuing Professional Development Scheme, called the Inspire Quality (IQ) CPD Scheme, which enables us to provide a supportive and collegiate process for colleagues applying for fellowship. The IQ Scheme runs four panels per annum to evaluate Winchester applications and is able to award three categories of fellowship (Associate Fellow, Fellow and Senior Fellow).

There are four categories of fellowship:

Associate Fellowship (AFHEA)

Associate Fellows are usually early career professionals engaging successfully in a limited amount of teaching, using ideas and methods that promote student learning.

Fellowship (FHEA)

Fellows are experienced and reflective teachers who have familiarity with a wide range of methods and approaches to promote student learning within their discipline, and whose practice is underpinned by strong professional values.

Senior Fellowship (SFHEA)

Senior Fellows are highly experienced teachers, familiar with a wide range of methods and approaches to promote student learning within their discipline, whose practice is underpinned by strong professional values. Distinctively, Senior Fellows lead and mentor other colleagues towards teaching excellence, and influence practice and systems to enhance the learning environment for students.

Principal Fellowship (PFHEA)

Principal Fellows are highly experienced teachers, familiar with a wide range of methods and approaches to promote student learning within their discipline, whose practice is underpinned by strong professional values. Distinctively, Principal Fellows have institutional and/or national impact on teaching and student learning through strategic, scholarly and systemic approaches to learning and teaching.