·:4dvanceHE

PSF 2023

Associate Fellowship
Guidance for Referees writing
a Supporting Statement
Associate Fellowship - Guidance for Referees

Thank you for agreeing to provide a Supporting Statement required to verify and endorse an
application for Associate Fellowship. This guidance and the associated template (separate
Word document) have been designed to help you structure your Supporting Statement to
provide the information required by Advance HE, as explained below. The template is
included at the end of this document for information, but please use the Word version of the
template that is included in the applicant information pack to write your Supporting
Statement.
What is the function of the Supporting Statement?
Please note that the referee statement supporting an application for Associate Fellowship is
not the same as a job application or promotion reference. The award of Associate Fellowship
is based on peer recognition of professional practice and as such you are being asked to
verify and endorse this application as a valued peer who has expertise in teaching and
learning in higher education (HE).
During the Associate Fellowship review process, the independent Supporting Statement
provided by the referee will be used to confirm that the application presents a fair and
accurate reflection of the applicant’s higher education practice.
Am I the right person to provide a Supporting Statement for the applicant?
You need to have current or recent experience of working in higher education and to be
familiar with the PSF 2023; for example, as a holder of one of the four categories of
Fellowship, although this is not essential.
You will have worked closely with the applicant, have first-hand knowledge of their HE
professional practice and will be in a position to verify and endorse the applicant’s effective
and inclusive practice within the context in which they teach and support learning. You should
be able to confirm that the applicant has represented their practice accurately and provide
your opinion that they demonstrate the Descriptor 1 criteria of the Professional Standards
Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education (PSF 2023).
The application for Associate Fellowship is based on current and recent HE practice (usually
within the last 3 years). If you no longer work with the applicant, it is important that you are
familiar with their recent practice. You are required in the template to indicate how long you
have worked together.
Please note that the Supporting Statement for applications for Associate Fellowship should
reflect professional relationships; i.e. not be from family members or based on personal
friendships. The statement will be your independent and authentic account to verify and
endorse the application.
If you consider, having read this guidance that you are not in a position to give a Supporting
Statement then you should decline the request.

Associate Fellowship Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement 2

Requirements of Descriptor 1 of the Professional Standards Framework for Teaching
and Supporting Learning in Higher Education (PSF 2023)
The applicant is required to provide evidence of effectiveness in relation to their HE
professional responsibilities and experience, which will include some teaching and/or learning
support responsibilities. This teaching and/or learning support practice may sometimes be
undertaken with the assistance of more experienced teachers or mentors.

All the applicant’s experience and evidence included in the application must relate to HE
provision such as:

+ level 4 or above within the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

(FHEQ) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or equivalent;
+ level 7 or above within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
(SCQF) in Scotland on the Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education
Institutions (FQHEIS) or equivalent;
+ level 5 or above of the European Qualifications Framework;
+ first cycle or above of the Qualifications Framework in the European Higher
Education Area (QF-EHEA);
+ level 5 or above of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) or
equivalent;
+ level 5 or above of the New Zealand Qualification Framework or equivalent
+ other equivalent higher education frameworks;
+ activity focused on supporting learners within a Higher Education context,
providing the learner(s) are enrolled on a Higher Education Qualification may
also be considered as evidence equivalent to the higher education frameworks
above;
+ delivery of some non-accredited continuing professional development for
academic and learning support staff may also be considered as evidence
equivalent to the higher education frameworks.

Associate Fellowship Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement 3

 For your information, the Descriptor 1 criteria of the PSF 2023 are set out below:
D1 is suitable for individuals whose practice enables them to evidence some
Dimensions. Effectiveness of practice in teaching and/or support of learning is
demonstrated through evidence of:
D1.1. Use of appropriate Professional Values, including at least V1 and V3
+ V1: respect individual learners and diverse groups of learners
+ V2: promote engagement in learning and equity of opportunity for all to reach their
potential
+ V3: use scholarship, or research, or professional learning, or other evidence-informed
approaches as a basis for effective practice
+ V4: respond to the wider context in which higher education operates, recognising
implications for practice
+ V5: collaborate with others to enhance practice.
D1.2. Application of appropriate Core Knowledge, including at least K1, K2 and K3
+ K1: how learners learn, generally and within specific subjects
+ K2: approaches to teaching and/or supporting learning, appropriate for subjects and
level of study
+ K3: critical evaluation as a basis for effective practice
+ K4: appropriate use of digital and/or other technologies, and resources for learning
+ K5: requirements for quality assurance and enhancement, and their implications for
practice.
D1.3. Effective and inclusive practice in at least two of the five Areas of Activity
+ A1: design and plan learning activities and/or programmes
+ A2: teach and/or support learning through appropriate approaches and environments
+ A3: assess and give feedback for learning
+ A4: support and guide learners
+ A5: enhance practice through own continuing professional development.

Therefore, for the award of Associate Fellowship, the applicant must demonstrate that their HE
practice evidences two of the five Areas of Activity, appropriate Professional Values (which
must include V1 and V3) and application of appropriate Core Knowledge (which must include
K1, K2 and K3) of the PSF 2023.

Associate Fellowship Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement 4

Preparing to write your Supporting Statement
The applicant needs to first provide you with their Account of Professional Practice (APP).
Please read this account before you begin to write your Supporting Statement to verify its
accuracy. You may also wish to refer to the website for more information about Advance HE
and/or specifically about becoming an Associate Fellow.
Format of the Supporting Statement
A template is provided for you to complete your Supporting Statement. A copy of the template
is included in this guidance for your information. The template is available as a Word document
and should be completed in this format. Scanned documents or those with a scanned image
cannot be accepted.
In association with the Descriptor 1 criteria of the PSF 2023, as a guide, you should comment
on the following in your Supporting Statement:
+ your own personal experience of the applicant’s recent and effective HE practice;
+ if you have been involved in peer observation of the applicant’s teaching and/or
support of learning, please draw on relevant examples from this;
+ any inclusive practice and/or contribution to developments by the applicant in
teaching and/or supporting learning within their context as appropriate;
+ your perspective on the practical examples provided within the application to illustrate
the Associate Fellowship requirements.
If English is not your first language and you are not able to provide the Supporting Statement
in English, Advance HE will accept a certified English translation of your statement. It is your
responsibility to provide the certified translation for the applicant and you will be required to
agree and accept the Declaration in the Supporting Statement Template upon completion.
After completing your Supporting Statement
Once you have completed the Supporting Statement Template, please return it to the
applicant in PDF format. The applicant will upload the Supporting Statement from you through
the MyAdvanceHE portal.
Quality Assurance Process
As part of the process you will be asked to confirm that you have written the Supporting
Statement yourself and that the information you have provided has been written specifically for
this applicant.
As part of Advance HE’s ongoing quality assurance process, Advance HE routinely checks
Supporting Statements for individual authenticity by means of textual review in Turnitin.com. In
addition to the use of anti-plagiarism software, some individuals will be contacted to confirm
that the Supporting Statement submitted by the applicant through MyAdvanceHE is the
statement that they have prepared and completed.
If the professional integrity of the Supporting Statement is in question, the statement will not be
accepted.

Associate Fellowship Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement 5

Associate Fellowship
Supporting Statement Template

Your Name
Applicant Name
Your institution/organisation/other
Your current role
Email address
Your Fellowship status (if
appropriate)
Relationship to Applicant
How long have you worked with
the applicant (insert dates)

In submitting your Supporting Statement, you are

confirming that the applicant’s submission relates to
their higher education professional practice and that
your statement is your own work and has been
written specifically for this applicant. If the
professional integrity of the Supporting Statement is
in question it will not be accepted.
Declaration

I confirm that I have read and agree with the

declaration above:

Date:

Associate Fellowship Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement 6

Supporting Statement

Please provide your statement to verify and endorse the applicant’s submission for Associate
Fellowship in the following section. You are required to comment on the applicant’s recent
higher education practice (usually within the last 3 years), providing examples to support your
statement wherever possible.
In completing this Supporting Statement you are confirming that you have read the Advance
HE Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement. In association with the
Descriptor 1 criteria of the PSF 2023, as a guide, you should comment on the following in
your Supporting Statement:
+ your own personal experience of the applicant’s recent and effective HE practice;
+ if you have been involved in peer observation of the applicant’s teaching and/or
support of learning, please draw on relevant examples from this;
+ any inclusive practice and/or contribution to developments by the applicant in
teaching and/or supporting learning within their context as appropriate;
+ your perspective on the practical examples provided within the application to illustrate
the Associate Fellowship requirements.
+ A single page statement will normally be sufficient for this category of Fellowship.

Associate Fellowship Guidance for Referees writing a Supporting Statement 7

Contact us

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.advance-he.ac.uk

@AdvanceHE
Advance HE helps HE and research be the best they can be.

We are a member-led, sector-owned charity that works with institutions and higher education
across the world to improve higher education for staff, students and society. We are experts
in higher education with a particular focus on enhancing teaching and learning, effective
governance, leadership development and tackling inequalities through our equality, diversity
and inclusion (EDI) work.

Our strategic goals to enhance confidence and trust in HE, address inequalities, promote
inclusion and advance education to meet the evolving needs of students and society, support
the work of our members and the HE sector.

We deliver our support through professional development programmes and events,

Fellowships, awards, student surveys and research, providing strategic change and
consultancy services and through membership (including accreditation of teaching and
learning, equality charters, knowledge and resources).

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charity in England and Wales no. 1101607. Registered as a charity in Scotland no.
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