Dr Dilly FungHead of Academic Development

D.Fung@exeter.ac.uk

Accrediting Staff Professionalism

In Research-Led Education

About ASPIRE:Development and Principles

Accrediting Staff Professionalism In Research-Led Education

Full HEA accreditation against all four UKPSF descriptors achievedJanuary 2012

Principles of ASPIRE at Exeter

A genuinely developmental framework based on peer dialogue

Recognition of diversity of applicants: a flexible, inclusive scheme

Resourced appropriately with specialist staff

Led by both the academic and professional community

Aspiring to lead in the sector

About ASPIRE:How does the

scheme work for applicants?

Four levels of ASPIRE Fellowship:mapped to HEA Fellowships

Asso

ciat

e Descriptor 1 Able to provide evidence of success and effectiveness in relation to their professional role, which will include at least some teaching and/or learning support responsibilities, sometimes but not always with assistance from experienced teachers or mentors.

Fello

w Descriptor 2Able to provide evidence of broadly based success and effectiveness in their substantive teaching and learning support role(s). They may be members of one or more academic teams or professional services staff who support the education of students.

Seni

or F

ello

w Descriptor 3Able to demonstrate a sustained track record of success & effectiveness in teaching and/ or organisation & management of specific aspects of teaching and learning provision.

Prin

cipa

l Fel

low Descriptor 4

Able to evidence a sustained and successful track record of impact as strategic leaders and managers, with a particular focus on teaching, learning, assessment and related areas within and beyond own institution.

Fellowships: routes to achievement

• Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LTHE)

• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP)

Initial Professional

Development:accreditation

through taught

programmes

• Support from Academic Leads/Line Managers, using PDR (appraisal) processes

• Summative assessment by panel of experienced staff (academic and professional)

ASPIRE: CPD accreditation

through submission of evidence to assessment

panel

Descriptors

1 + 2

Descriptors 1, 2, 3, 4

Two routes for claiming an ASPIRE award

• Written form, including mapping practice against areas of activity, core knowledge and professional values of the UKPSF

• 4 x 500 word case studies• Two detailed references (including one internal

reference, backing up specific claims of candidate)

Written application

• Written form, including mapping practice against areas of activity, core knowledge and professional values of the UKPSF

• Twenty minute presentation to assessment panel, plus 10 minutes Q&A

• Two detailed references (including one internal reference, backing up specific claims of candidate)

Oral application

Evidence of ‘professional development’ includes:

Peer dialogue and

review

Analysing feedback

from students

Attendance

of workshops,

away days or other events

Considering the

literature on teaching and

learning in HE

Feedback

• Detailed feedback provided to each candidate, on:

a) The strengths of their application and professional achievements

b) Possible future directions to enhance practice (both quality and range) further in the future.

About ASPIRE:How does the

University make the scheme work?

Working together: joint approach from Education Enhancement, academics and Human Resources

High level university engagement

• Academic Staff Development Steering Group overseeing this vital area

• ASPIRE Management Group• Engagement of DVC Education and

Associate Deans for Education in subject-based Colleges

• Career Development and Leadership Task and Finish Group: produced new career progression framework, which uses ASPIRE Fellowships as evidence.

Engagement with colleagues from across the sector

• Scheme originally developed with the help of dialogue with colleagues in other HEIs, through HEA pilot, including UEL, Durham, University College Falmouth and University of Southampton

Developmental activities

Leadership of ASPIRE Management Group

Appointment of Quality and Enhancement Officer

Development of clear guidelines for assessment panel members; assessors

learn through doingUse of external advisers

Moderation

Moderation process keeps tabs on boundaries between descriptors Sample drawn from range across

descriptor levels, type of submission and applicant type

Annual quality review Analysis of achievement and feedback data

Report to Academic Staff Development Steering Group (along with quality

data from accredited taught programmes)

Assuring standards

Discussion

Unexpected benefits

Development of applicants

• The individual applicants have engaged in a number of developmental activities in order to prepare their applications, including ASPIRE workshops. They build new support networks, and access new kinds of developmental opportunities.

• In receiving detailed feedback from the panel, applicants, whether successful or unsuccessful, receive targeted commendations and advice about future developmental possibilities.

Development of senior staff• A wide range of senior staff involved in ASPIRE assessment

panels - becoming very familiar with UKPSF.

• An even wider range of staff have become involved as referees – again, promoting familiarity with UKPSF.

• ASPIRE has enabled us to set up developmental sessions for all Academic Leads (line managers) -a catalyst for genuine and engaged discussion among senior staff, many of whom are research-focused. This enhanced knowledge can feed into the regular PDR (appraisal) meetings.

Enhancement of other initiatives

• Looking at reforming teaching review scheme into a more flexible Peer Dialogue Scheme, more congruent with the ASPIRE scheme.

• The University has formally revised its reward and recognition structure for teaching staff, so that colleagues who are on teaching-led contracts can attain full recognition at professorial level if they meet certain criteria. ASPIRE/HEA Fellowships form explicit evidence for colleagues’ claims for progression.

Most notable challenges

Demands resources• Be under no illusions – time, money and

collaborative strategic planning are needed to do this well

• Stepping out into the unknown - inventing from scratch takes creative energy

• Internal publicity strategy: needs to be continually re-worked

• Responding to others’ interest in the scheme – great to be asked, but also takes time...

Demands significant leadership qualities

• The institution has to have confidence in its own judgements: the scheme (and its leaders) must be accountable

• Scheme leaders need to believe in their own values and approaches, even under pressure: need a team approach and a genuine commitment to ongoing evaluation and change

• Effective communication is vital, internally and externally.

Discussion