STLHE 2015

In this interactive session we will consider the nature of academic leadership and evidencing the impact of academic leaders. In the UK, fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) is increasingly being seen as a benchmark of faculty and institutional credibility and professionalism and a focus on the student learning experience. Fellowships are available in four categories and, to achieve Senior and Principal Fellowship, applicants are required to evidence their academic leadership and their impact and influence on students, colleagues and the sector more broadly. Professor Cryan, Vice Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield where 100% of faculty have achieved fellowship, has stated that all staff had benefited from the process ‘which had translated into better teaching and improved academic performance by students’ (Cryan 2014). This session – co-presented by academic developers from the UK and Canada – will provide an opportunity for participants to consider the relevance of a sector-wide national framework for benchmarking professionalism in the leadership of learning and teaching such as the UK Professional Standards Framework (HEA 2011). Discussion will be prompted by short video sequences filmed with academics in the UK who have successfully gained recognition for their achievements and their academic leadership discussing the benefits that the process recognition has brought. Participants will debate the implications of professional recognition in the higher education sector in Canada and elsewhere. We will also consider how such a recognition framework could operate and, through it, how best to evidence achievements in teaching and supporting learning and in academic leadership.

References:

Cryan, B. (2014, March 5) Students in dark on teaching credentials. Times Higher No 2.141.

Higher Education Academy (2011) UK Professional Standards Framework. Retrieved from: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professional-recognition/uk-professional-standards-framework-ukpsf