Advance HE

The history of teacher training in the United Kingdom is a complex subject. Faced with chronic personnel shortages after the Second World War, the government invested in training programmes and required all teachers (in the state sector) to acquire qualified teacher status (from 1946).[5]

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".[5][6]

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.[7]

The Dearing Report (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 was founded in 2000.[8]

In January 2003, a committee (established by HEFCE, Universities UK 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 Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Learning and Teaching Support Network and National Coordination Team for the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund.[1][9] The Academy became a registered company in October 2003 and charity in January 2004.[10][11]

The Bell Review Archived 20 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine recommended a single sector agency for equality and diversity, learning and teaching, and leadership and governance in higher education.[12] Consequently, the Academy merged with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and the Equality Challenge Unit to form Advance HE on 21 March 2018.[4]

The UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning in higher education is a voluntary scheme for describing the competences and values expected of university teaching staff in the UK.[14] The scheme consists of four "descriptors" corresponding to different roles in higher education, and defines the areas of activity, core knowledge 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.[15][16]

The introduction of national professional standards for university teachers was one of the higher education reforms proposed in the DfES 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".[17] The Higher Education Academy was formed and commissioned by the UK's education funding councils and Universities UK to develop new standards which became known as the "UK Professional Standards Framework" or "UKPSF".[16]

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.[18] 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).

Advance HE manage the Athena Swan Charter framework (established in 2005) which is used to support gender equality within higher education and research.[19]

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 and tackling the specific issues faced by trans and non-binary people".[20] Academics at the University of Cambridge 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."[20]

Advance HE operates a professional recognition scheme for university teachers who have demonstrated that their teaching practices are well-aligned with the UKPSF. 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.[21] 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.[21]