1. The UK Professional Standards
Framework for teaching and supporting
learning in higher education

2. What is the framework?
 It provides a means to comprehensively recognise and
benchmark teaching and learning support roles within HE.
 It describes the main dimensions of the roles of teaching and
supporting learning within the HE environment.
 From the perspective of the practitioner.

3. What are the framework’s main components?
 The descriptors
 The dimensions of practice

4. What are the dimensions of practice?
A set of statements outlining the:
 Areas of Activity undertaken by teachers and supporters
of learning within HE
 Core Knowledge that is needed to carry out those
activities at the appropriate level
 Professional Values that someone performing these
activities should embrace and exemplify

5. What are the descriptors?
 Short statements
 Outlining the key characteristics…
 Of someone performing four broad
categories of typical teaching and
learning support roles within Higher
Education.

6. How has the framework changed?
 Refined and improved
 Descriptor 3 revised to facilitate recognition
of Senior Fellows
 Descriptor 4 added, which corresponds to
Principal Fellow

7. Who does it belong to?
 Developed by the Academy
 On behalf of the sector
 It is the property of all those with a direct
interest in the Higher Education sector

8. What is the Academy’s role?
The Academy provides:
 Recognition as an Associate
Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow and
Principal Fellow
 An accreditation service for
educational development programmes
and schemes

9. You can use the framework to:
 Gain recognition for your own teaching and
learning support activities
 Plan and guide your own Continuing
Professional Development in the area of
teaching and learning
 Promote the professionalisation of teaching
and learning support within Higher Education

10. And you can use it to:
 Foster creative and innovative approaches to teaching
and learning
 Enable staff to gain recognition and reward for developing
their capabilities as teachers and supporters of learning
 Gain Academy accreditation for education development
programmes and schemes

11. And you can use it to:
 Enhance the quality and prominence of teaching
and learning activities
 Facilitate and support the design and delivery of
initial and continuing education development
programmes and activities
 Demonstrate to students and other stakeholders
the professionalism that staff and institutions
brings to teaching and support for student
learning

12. And you can use it to!
 Develop policies and systems for the
recognition and reward of teaching and
learning support staff
 Promote a strong culture of teaching
and learning support

13. To find out more
 About the Framework
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ukpsf
 About the Fellowship scheme
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professional-
recognition
 About Accreditation
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/accreditation