Advance HE Promoting Excellence in UK Higher Education

Advance HE (formerly known as the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme dedicated to promoting excellence in higher education. The organization advocates for evidence-based teaching methods and provides professional recognition for university teachers through the awarding of fellowships.

History and Evolution

Historically, university lecturers in the UK did not require formal teaching qualifications beyond their subject expertise, typically demonstrated through a doctorate or extensive publications. However, the late twentieth century saw a growing debate regarding the merits of professional teaching qualifications for academic staff.

The Path to Formation

• Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (2000–2004): Following the Dearing Report (1997), this institute was founded in 2000 to define standards and accredit training for university teaching.
• Higher Education Academy (2003‘): In 2003, the Higher Education Academy was formed by merging the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, the Learning and Teaching Support Network, and the National Coordination Team for the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund. It became a registered charity in 2004.
• Formation of Advance HE (2018): Following the Bell Review, which recommended a single sector agency for equality, diversity, learning, teaching, leadership, and governance, the Academy merged with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and the Equality Challenge Unit to officially become Advance HE on March 21, 2018.

Aims and Purpose

Advance HE's mission is to use its expertise and resources to support the higher education community to enhance the quality and impact of learning and teaching. This is achieved by:

• Recognizing and rewarding excellent teaching.
• Bringing together practitioners to research and share best practices.
• Influencing, shaping, and implementing educational policy.

The organization provides a wide array of online resources, organizes workshops and seminars, and manages a 'policy think-tank' to research teaching and learning methodologies, such as the applicability of grade point average schemes in the UK.

The Professional Standards Framework (PSF)

The Professional Standards Framework (PSF) is a voluntary scheme that describes the competences and values expected of university teaching staff in the UK. Developed by Advance HE, the framework consists of two primary elements:

1. Descriptors: These describe higher education roles and associated competences, corresponding to the four grades of professional recognition.
2. Dimensions of Practice: These describe the activities, core knowledge, and professional values expected of practitioners.

The framework covers a range of roles, from support staff with minor teaching duties to senior management with strategic responsibility for teaching. It is frequently used to accredit training schemes such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) and the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP).

Gender Equality and Athena SWAN

Advance HE also manages the Athena SWAN Charter framework, established in 2005. This framework is used to support and promote gender equality within higher education and research institutions.