Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recognition for university teachers. Founded in 2003, the Higher Education Academy was responsible for the UK Professional Standards Framework for higher education practitioners and merged (with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and Equality Challenge Unit) to form Advance HE on 21 March 2018.

History

Development of Teacher Education

The history of teacher training in the United Kingdom is a complex subject. Faced with chronic personnel shortages after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the government invested in training programmes and required all teachers (in the state sector) to acquire qualified teacher status (from 1946). For the next half century, universities supported this policy by providing both graduate entry into teaching and teacher training programmes. In more recent decades, however, there had been a shift towards school-based training for teaching and also a change in terminology as "teacher education" displaced "teacher training". Despite Higher Education involvement in teacher training, University Lecturers have not required any formal qualifications beyond demonstrating (usually through publications and a higher degree, such as a doctorate), expert subject knowledge. The merits of professional teaching qualifications for University Lecturers became an issue for debate during the later twentieth century.

Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (2000-04)

The

Dearing Report The Dearing Report, formally known as the reports of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education, is a series of major reports into the future of Higher Education in the United Kingdom, published in 1997. The report was commissioned by ...

(1997) recommended the establishment of a professional body for Lecturers that would define standards and accredit training for university teaching and that, during their probationary periods, all new Lecturers should be required to achieve 'at least associate membership' of the new Institute. The

Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education The Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ILT) was a UK organisation set up as "the professional body for higher education staff involved in teaching and the support of learning". It was founded in 2000 as a result of the report ...

was founded in 2000.

Higher Education Academy (2003-18)

In January 2003, a committee (established by HEFCE,

Universities UK Universities UK (UUK) is an advocacy organisation for universities in the United Kingdom. It began life in the early 20th century through informal meetings of vice-chancellors of a number of universities and principals of university colleges and ...

and the Standing Conference of Principals) recommended the establishment of a single central body responsible for standards of teaching in higher education. Subsequently, the Higher Education Academy was formed (2003) by the merging of the

Learning and Teaching Support Network The Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) was an initiative of the United Kingdom higher education bodies to promote high quality learning and teaching in all subject disciplines in higher education. It was intended to support the sharing o ...

and National Coordination Team for the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund. The Academy became a registered company in October 2003 and charity in January 2004. Th
Bell Review
recommended a single sector agency for equality and diversity, learning and teaching, and leadership and governance in higher education. Consequently, the Academy merged with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and the Equality Challenge Unit to form Advance HE on 21 March 2018.

Aims and purpose

Advance HE has stated its overall aim: Advance HE devised a particular set of standards for university teaching (the ' UK Professional Standards Framework'), conferring professional recognition on academics who have met these standards, and runs the UK's annual

National Teaching Fellowship The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) is an award for excellence in teaching in higher education for teaching fellows in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The scheme was first administered by the Higher Education Academy, wh ...

awards. It also provides many online resources, some discipline-specific and some more generic, and organises workshops, seminars and journals on matters of interest. The HEA has a 'policy think-tank' and is engaged in research into teaching and learning, e.g. exploring the applicability of 'grade point average' schemes to the UK.

UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF)

The UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning in

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...

is a voluntary scheme for describing the competences and

values In ethics and social sciences, value denotes the degree of importance of something or action, with the aim of determining which actions are best to do or what way is best to live (normative ethics in ethics), or to describe the significance of dif ...

expected of university teaching staff in the UK. The scheme consists of four "descriptors" corresponding to different roles in higher education, and defines the areas of activity, core

knowledge Knowledge can be defined as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also refer to familiarity with objects or situations. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is often defined as true belief that is distinc ...

and professional values expected at each level. The UKPSF was developed by AdvanceHE and the descriptors correspond to the levels in HEA's professional recognition scheme. The introduction of national professional standards for university teachers was one of the higher education

reform Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill#The Yorkshire Associati ...

s proposed in the

DfES The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007, responsible for the education system (including higher education and adult learning) as well as children's services in England. Th ...

white paper A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white paper ...

"The Future of Higher Education" (2003) which outlined plans to introduce new standards and ensure that all new university teaching staff achieved a qualification that met them. These would be the responsibility of a new "centre of excellence" in the form of a "teaching quality academy". The Higher Education Academy was formed and commissioned by the UK's education funding councils and

to develop new standards which became known as the "UK Professional Standards Framework" or "UKPSF". The framework has two elements: the "descriptors" (describing higher education roles and associated competences), and the "dimensions of practice" (describing the activities, core knowledge and professional values expected of practitioners). There are four descriptors corresponding to support staff with minor teaching duties, full academics (e.g. lecturers), senior academics with teaching specialisms, and senior management with strategic responsibility for teaching. The descriptors correspond to the four grades within the HEA's professional recognition scheme and academic staff are usually expected to demonstrate that they meet the second descriptor during their probationary period. The framework is used to accredit training schemes for university teachers such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) and the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP).

Gender Equality and Athena SWAN (2005)

Advance HE manage the

Athena Swan Athena SWAN (Scientific Women's Academic Network) is a quality charter mark framework and accreditation scheme established and managed by the UK Equality Challenge Unit (now part of Advance HE) in 2005 that recognises and celebrates good pract ...

Charter framework (established in 2005) which is used to support gender equality within higher education and research. In June 2022, Advance HE announced it would change its guidelines that ask universities to commit to "collective understanding that individuals have the right to determine their own

gender identity Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the i ...

and tackling the specific issues faced by trans and non-binary people". Academics at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

had refused to comply; Arif Ahmed, reader in philosophy said: "A university should absolutely not be ‘fostering collective understanding’ on controversial issues but encouraging open debate."

Membership

Fellowships of the HEA and professional recognition

Advance HE operates a professional recognition scheme for university teachers who have demonstrated that their teaching practices are well-aligned with the

UKPSF The UKPSF ( United Kingdom Paintball Sports Federation) is a United Kingdom voluntary body that exists to promote the sport of paintball, liaise with government bodies, local authorities and try to make the game of paintball safe and fun to play. ...

. This is intended both to encourage excellence in teaching and provide academics with a portable qualification transferable between institutions. There are four grades: * AFHEA – Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (''previously Associate (AHEA) of the Academy'') * FHEA – Fellow of the Higher Education Academy * SFHEA – Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy * PFHEA – Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Associate Fellow represents the minimum level of competence expected of any university teacher. Fellow represents the level normally required in an established academic post. These grades can be awarded on the basis of an assessed portfolio (containing a candidate's statement and supporting references) or on completion of an accredited course such as a PGCHE or PGCAP. Senior Fellow and Principal Fellow represent significant leadership in the promotion of teaching excellence, and are only awarded on the basis of an assessed portfolio.

Funding

The Academy was funded by grants from four higher education funding bodies in the UK ( HEFCE, SFC, HEFCW and DELNI), subscriptions from higher education institutions, and grant/contract income for organised initiatives. It is owned by the representative bodies of the higher education sector –

and

GuildHE GuildHE represents 57 higher education institutions in the UK, including universities, university colleges, further education colleges and specialist institutions. Member institutions include some major providers in professional subject areas ...

(formerly known as the Standing Conference of Principals).

Historical Activities: Subject Centres

The Academy incorporated "Subject Centres" to share best practices in specific disciplines (2003-12). These were based around the UK at relevant university faculties (until they closed on 1 January 2012). Archived resources are still available in the discipline pages of the HEA website: * Art, Design and Media *

Bioscience ''BioScience'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal that is published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences. It was established in 1964 and was preceded by the ''AIBS Bulletin'' (1951–19 ...

Built Environment The term built environment refers to human-made conditions and is often used in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, public health, sociology, and anthropology, among others. These curated spaces provide the setting for human ac ...

* Business Management and Accountancy (BEST) *

Economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

* Education (ESCALATE) *

Engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

* Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences * Health Sciences and Practice * History, Classics and Archaeology * Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism * Information and Computer Sciences * Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies * Law (UK Centre for Legal Education) * Materials (UK Centre for Materials Education) * Maths, Stats & OR Network * Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine * PALATINE – Dance, Drama and Music * Philosophical and Religious Studies *

Physical Sciences Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies non-living systems, in contrast to life science. It in turn has many branches, each referred to as a "physical science", together called the "physical sciences". Definition Phy ...

Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

* Sociology, Anthropology and Politics * Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP)

Notes

External links

Higher Education Academy

AdvanceHE
{{Authority control Higher Education Academy Higher education in the United Kingdom 2003 establishments in the United Kingdom Organisations based in York Educational organisations based in the United Kingdom Quality awards