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Embedding Mental Wellbeing in the Curriculum – International

Associate Fellowship

Fellowship demonstrates a personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education.

The Professional Standards Framework (PSF) 2023 and Associate Fellowship 

Associate Fellowship is the appropriate category of fellowship to professionally recognise individuals from a wide variety of different contexts whose higher education (HE) teaching and/or support for learning practice enables them to evidence some of the PSF 2023 Dimensions to meet the requirements of PSF 2023 Descriptor 1. 

Associate Fellowship (Descriptor 1) is awarded to recognise an individual’s effectiveness of practice in teaching and/or support of learning as demonstrated through evidence of meeting the following three Descriptor 1 criteria statements: 

  • D1.1 use of appropriate Professional Values, including at least V1 and V3 
  • D1.2 application of appropriate Core Knowledge, including at least K1, K2 and K3 
  • D1.3 effective and inclusive practice in at least two of the five Areas of Activity 

Professional Standards Framework 2023

Find out more about the revised framework that emphasises effectiveness and impact, inclusion and context, as fundamental aspects of practice.

Find out more

Are you considering applying for Associate Fellowship?

From 1 January 2024, only applications made against PSF 2023, using the correct PSF 2023 templates will be accepted. Your application MUST NOT reference aspects of UKPSF 2011 such as Core Knowledge K6. Any such references will result in your application being returned. Application documents for PSF 2023 are available here: PSF 2023. 

Explore application FAQs
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Associate Fellowship brings you a range of benefits:

  • consolidates your personal development and emphasises your professional practice in HE
  • entitlement to use post-nominal letters - AFHEA
  • provides a valuable measure of success and is increasingly sought by employers across the education sector as a condition of appointment and promotion
  • recognised and valued by a growing number of international institutions.
In Conversation with Sustainability Leaders – Special Publication
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Is Associate Fellowship for you?

Individuals applying for Associate Fellowship may be fairly new to a role in teaching and/or support for learning or may have a limited teaching portfolio; for example, some sessional/ part time staff or early career researchers with some teaching responsibilities. They may be new or experienced staff with specific roles in supporting HE learning such as technicians, librarians, professional staff, learning technologists, careers advisors, etc. It is not role dependent; you will need to explore whether you have sufficient evidence of appropriate teaching and or/support for learning practice to make a successful application.

We recommend that prior to starting your application you use our free online Fellowship Category Tool.  

If you feel that you are working within this category, download your Associate Fellow guidance pack for information about applying.

Meet some of our Associate Fellows
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Fellowship Category Tool

Our Fellowship Category Tool has been designed to help you understand which category of Fellowship most closely reflects your current practice and to reflect on your ongoing professional development and career aspirations.

After you have answered a series of choice questions, which will take around 10-20 minutes, you will be shown your results and a PDF report summarising your responses will be sent to you.

Use the Fellowship Category Tool
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The Professional Standards Framework 2023 (PSF 2023)

The Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education (PSF) has global recognition for raising the profile of teaching and learning in higher education. The PSF’s contribution to reward and recognition is unsurpassed, being used by individuals, institutions and national bodies. 

The PSF 2023 is an inclusive Framework that recognises the critical role of the context in which practice takes place and is more accessible to all professionals with a role in teaching and supporting learning. 

Find out more about PSF 2023 and the review
PSF 2022-23 cover image
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Applying and application fees 

There are various application routes for Fellowship, they are made in writing and need to be supported by written references. Find out more about the available application routes.

Application fees vary depending on the route you take to Fellowship, with individuals from subscribing institutions benefiting from discounted fees.

                                                            
    Routes to Fellowship        Fees   
 Accredited Provision (individual from a member institution)     No cost  
 Accredited Provision (individual from a non-member institution)     £150  
Direct application to Advance HE (individual from a member institution)     £150  
Direct application to Advance HE (individual from non-member institution)     £300 
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Do you want to support your staff to achieve Fellowship?

Advance HE offers Fellowship support to institutions through a structured process:

  • Fellowship workshops - sessions helping your staff understand Fellowship and the application process
  • Fellowship Writing Retreats - expert support providing a structured and guided environment in which to construct an application for Fellowship
  • draft Fellowship applications reviews - a consultant will review applications and provide annotated feedback, including points for further development.

All of these services can be delivered online.

Find out more
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Meet some of our Associate Fellows

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Chloe Li

University College London
Read the Chloe's blog
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Emily Vincent

University of Birmingham
Read Emily's blog
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