Professional Recognition

The University promotes the professional recognition of colleagues’ teaching expertise through nationally recognised fellowships of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). We can support and assess applications for all categories of HEA Fellowship via our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework

Our UH CPD Framework provides a route for experienced colleagues to gain HEA Fellowship in recognition of their teaching and support of student learning.

We offer a structure so that staff may learn, share and be acknowledged for the individual contributions they make to enhance the student experience.

The scheme is run by the Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre (LTIC) and is accredited by Advance HE who administer the HEA fellowship scheme for the sector. The scheme is referenced to the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) and entitles individuals to post-nominal letters.

Individuals have the opportunity to gain recognition as an Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow or Principal Fellow. This brings benefits including national recognition of your commitment to professionalism in teaching and learning, evidence that your practice is aligned with the UKPSF and facilitated participation in professional networks including discipline based networks.

Who can apply?

All UH colleagues and staff at UH partner Institutions with experience of teaching and/or supporting learning can apply. This includes colleagues who are professional and technical staff as well as academic colleagues. We also welcome colleagues who are already Associate Fellows or Fellows to apply for a further category in recognition of experience gained since the initial award and acknowledgment of their depth of understanding of student learning as well as their support or leadership of others in relation to teaching and learning.

What support is provided?

The CPD Framework is run by the Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre (LTIC) and is a non-taught route through which individuals develop their own application for the appropriate category of fellowship.

We run monthly workshops for staff to learn about the Framework and understand the application process. We also have a CPD Framework online handbook which provides support materials; application forms for downloading; guidance for referees and exemplars of previously successful applications, as well as submission dates.

In addition to the workshops our Learning and Teaching Specialists hold regular writing days to enable colleagues to step away from their desks and their emails and to begin writing their application. Our L&T specialists are on hand to provide immediate feedback and advice on sections of the application.

University of Hertfordshire HEA Fellows

The University has over 1000 members of staff who are Fellows of the HEA and over 450 members of staff who are Associate Fellows of the HEA.

We have over 130 Senior Fellows of the HEA, who have been recognised for their leadership/support of other staff in relation to learning and teaching.

The highest level of recognition through the HEA is Principal Fellow of the HEA.

15 members of the university are recognised at this level:

• Prof Earle Abrahamson - Learning and Teaching Specialist
• Prof Helen Barefoot - Director of Learning and Teaching
• Prof Penny Carey, Dean of the Schools of Law and Education
• Associate Professor Peter D'Sena - Learning and Teaching Specialist
• Associate Professor Sarah Flynn – Deputy Director of the Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Lesley Glass – Associate Dean (Visiting Lecturer Development), Hertfordshire Business School
• Diana Kirsch – Associate Dean, School of Law
• Prof Frank Haddleton - Director of Academic Quality Assurance
• Simon O’Leary – Visiting Lecturer, Hertfordshire Business School
• Dr Julia Petty – Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Children's Nursing, School of Health and Social Work
• Dr Amanda Roberts - Visiting Lecturer, School of Education
• Timothy Simmons - Programme Leader, School of Creative Arts
• Dr Karen Smith - Principal Lecturer Collaborative Research and Development in the School of Education
• Prof Mairi Watson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience)
• Associate Professor Scarlett Xiao - Principal Lecturer in the School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science

“I had been thinking about a Principal fellowship application for a while and am so glad I made the time. The opportunity it provided for personal reflection of leading learning and teaching has been incredibly valuable and I feel so proud to have achieved this level of recognition. I would encourage everyone to apply for HEA Fellowship, at whatever level”. Penny Carey, Dean of Hertfordshire Law School.

The national teaching fellowship scheme is a national award to celebrate the teaching and support staff who are leaders in their field.  It is run by advance HE and is designed to raise the profile of teaching and learning across HE institutions and nationally.  To be awarded NTF status you must clearly demonstrate an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the on the HE teaching profession. Achieving a National Teaching Fellowship is widely recognised in higher education within the UK as well as internationally as a mark of quality and award winners join a national community of like-minded professionals who are passionate about teaching excellence.

To be considered for national teaching fellowship candidates must demonstrate evidence of:

• Individual excellence: of enhancing and transforming the student experience and outcomes.
• Raising the profile of excellence: of supporting colleagues and student learning
• Developing excellence: ongoing professional development in teaching and learning

We currently have 11 members of staff with this prestigious award.

• Earle Abrahamson - Learning and Teaching Specialist, the Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Prof Guillaume Alinier - Professor of Simulation in Healthcare Education
• Irene Anderson - Reader in Learning and Teaching in Healthcare Practice, School of Health and Social Work
• Associate Professor Dominic Bygate - Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Martina Doolan - Associate Professor (Learning and Teaching), School of Computer Science
• Dr Suzanne Fergus – Associate Professor (Learning and Teaching), School of Life and Medical Sciences
• Prof Joy Jarvis - Professor of Educational Practice, School of Education
• Prof Amanda Jefferies - Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning, Visiting Lecturer, School of Computer Science
• Associate Professor Sarah Flynn - Associate Director of Learning and Teaching (Workplace Learning and Degree Apprenticeships), the Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Julia Petty – Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Children's Nursing, School of Health and Social Work
• Associate Professor Nina Walker - Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards are the University’s prestigious annual awards to showcase and celebrate the inspiring achievements of our staff.

There are a number of categories within the awards which recognise and celebrate excellent teaching and the support of student learning, including student nominated, and staff nominated categories:

Nominations can be made by students for:

• Student Experience Award
• Teaching Staff Member of the Year
• Technical Staff Member of the Year

Nominations can be made by staff for:

• Academic Staff member of the year
• Student Experience Award
• Technical Staff member of the year

Professors are defined by their distinction, standing and leadership in learning and teaching. They provide academic leadership and help to maintain and enhance the University’s reputation for teaching and learning through their contribution to collective endeavours and their own original work.

Demonstrating national leadership, with an established or developing international profile they will have achieved distinction through:

• Undertaking novel enquiry and disseminating new knowledge and/or advances in practice
• Leading projects, teams and/or scholarly communities
• Teaching, learning and professional practice
• Subject advocacy, professional networks and knowledge exchange.

The University has eight Professors recognised for their learning and teaching/educational enhancement:

• Prof Helen Barefoot – Professor of Learning and Teaching and Director of Learning and Teaching
• Prof Frank Haddleton - Professor of Quality Enhancement and Director of Academic Quality Assurance
• Prof Joy Jarvis - Professor of Educational Practice, School of Education
• Prof Amanda Jefferies - Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning, Visiting Lecturer,  School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
• Professor Earle Abrahamson - Professor of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Learning and Teaching Specialist
• Professor Penny Carey - Professor of Legal Education and Dean of the Schools of Law and Education
• Professor Theo Gilbert - Professor of Learning and Teaching and Learning and Teaching Specialist
• Professor Mairi Watson - Professor of Learning and Teaching and Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience
• Professor Mike Callan, Professor of Judo Education

Dr Helen Barefoot was appointed professor in July 2020 and shared her reflections on the application process:

“I am delighted to become a Professor in Learning and Teaching. Although the process was tough, it was a very beneficial experience to reflect on, and critique, my work in order to write my application. The rigorous panel discussion enabled me to discuss the impact of my work within, and beyond, the University and I was very grateful for the positive feedback from the panel members and suggestions for future development.

I do hope that other colleagues are inspired to develop their practice and work towards associate professorship and professorship applications and be recognised for their learning and teaching excellence”.

Associate Professorship in Learning and Teaching

The title of Associate Professor is awarded in recognition of a candidate’s distinction in learning and teaching, being a leader of national standing and their direct personal guidance of students and other staff. Associate Professors in learning and teaching demonstrate their excellence according to the following criteria:

• Conduct of currency of teaching and assessment
• Reflective practice in relation to learning and teaching
• Leadership of learning and teaching
• Scholarship of learning and teaching
• Curriculum development
• Contribution to the collective good
• Academic leadership
• Collegiality/good citizenship
• Development of self and others
• Awareness of the wider context
• External roles

The university currently has 16 Associate Professors of Learning and Teaching

• David Allen – Associate Professor, School of Education
• Rosemary Allen - Associate Professor, School of Education
• Irene Anderson - Associate Professor, School of Education, School of Health and Social Work
• Alex Baxter – Associate Professor, School of Creative Arts
• Andrew Bright – Associate Professor, Hertfordshire Law School
• Dr Marvelle Brown – Associate Professor, School of Life and Medical Sciences
• Dominic Bygate - Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Martina Doolan - Associate Professor, School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
• Peter D'Sena – Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Neal Geach – Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Suzanne Fergus – Associate Professor, School of Life and Medical Sciences
• Sarah Flynn - Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Christopher Lloyd - Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre
• Dr Julia Petty – Associate Professor, School of Health and Social Work
• Dr Julia Schofield - Associate Professor, School of Life and Medical Sciences
• Ken Spearpoint - Associate Professor, School of Life and Medical Sciences
• Nina Walker - Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching innovation Centre and School of Life and Medical Sciences
• Scarlett Xiao - Associate Professor, School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
• Amanda Yip  - Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching Innovation Centre

The national competition for the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE), organised by Advance HE, recognises and rewards collaborative work what has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning. The award highlights the key role of teamwork in higher education and celebrates outstanding collaborative working.

The annual competition invites Universities to nominate one team who can demonstrate excellence in the team’s collaborative approach and excellence in the impact of collaborative working on teaching and learning.

The University of Hertfordshire won a CATE award in 2020 for its Assessment Centre Experience Team and in 2021 for its Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Student Success working Group including our BAME Student Advocates.