The UK Professional Standards Framework provides a means to comprehensively recognize and benchmark teaching and learning support roles in higher education. It describes the main dimensions of these roles, including areas of activity, core knowledge, and professional values. The framework has four descriptors outlining the characteristics of typical teaching and learning support roles, and a revised third descriptor facilitates recognition of senior fellows. The framework, developed by the Academy on behalf of the higher education sector, can be used to gain professional recognition, plan professional development, and promote teaching and learning quality.

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