‘‘The Australian National University is proud to be the first institutional member of the HEA in Australia."
Background
HEA accreditation provides educational institutions with external confirmation that their professional development provision is aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). HEA-accredited institutions have the authority to award HEA Fellowships to eligible staff in recognition of their continuing success in teaching and supporting learning in higher education.
The Brief
Aware of the high profile and impact of the UK Professional Standards Framework in the UK HE sector Australian National University (ANU) an HEA subscriber approached the HEA to:
- Establish a framework that would help to establish the professional standards of their staff who teach and support learning and;
- Enable these staff to demonstrate their professional recognition through obtaining HEA Fellowship.
Our approach
A specialist HEA consultant met with ANU to discuss the benefits of accreditation and exploring good practice from across the sector to develop an effective and sustainable model for professional development provision.
This included identifying key individuals within ANU and supporting them through their HEA professional recognition. Upon becoming Senior/Principal Fellows these individuals then mentored and supported other staff as they progressed towards their own professional recognition.
Through the recognition process the HEA also helped ANU to establish its own a robust internal process for ensuring the quality of professional recognition judgements made locally.
Current Progress
Since 2014 the ANU has been accredited to award professional recognition in all four categories of HEA fellowship within the Professional Standards Framework.
With HEA Fellowship now becoming a well-established feature within ANU’s professional development scheme the HEA provides support for the self-assessment process and helps in planning future enhancements to ANU’s accredited provision.
Through their HEA-accredited Educational Fellowship Scheme (EFS) ANU has already recognised more than 160 fellows in varying categories from their own teaching staff and across partner institutions through their Educational Fellowship Scheme (EFS). One such partner institution Queensland University of Technology hosted a special ceremony in April 2015 to recognise 24 staff as HEA Fellows and expects to have many more HEA Fellows by the end of 2015.
Feedback
‘‘The Australian National University is proud to be the first institutional member of the HEA in Australia. Our mutual work in introducing Fellowships is already catching the attention of the sector and we are delighted to be driving this innovation together.”
Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington Deputy Vice-Chancellor The Australian National University