The PgCertHE programme team at the University of Lincoln reflect on adapting the course to meet the Professional Standards Framework (PSF).
The Academic Development Team at the University of Lincoln is pleased to share the successful update and accreditation of our Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PgCertHE) programme, now formally accredited with Advance HE’s Professional Standards Framework (PSF) at Descriptor 2 (D2) Fellowship level.
The completion of our first accredited cohort marks a significant step in our ongoing commitment to supporting educators in evidencing their professional practice and achieving national recognition through Fellowship.
Programme overview
The PgCertHE has been designed as a developmental pathway to enable staff to reach their full potential while contributing to the University’s strategic goals. The programme supports participants in developing inclusive and accessible teaching practices, responsive and agile approaches to student needs and pedagogically sound methods. It supports reflective practice, curriculum development, flexible delivery and digital capability.
The programme consists of two 30-credit modules; Effective Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. On successful completion, participants exit the programme with a PgCertHE, recognised across the sector as a qualification to teach in higher education and D2 Fellowship from Advance HE.
Aligning with the PSF
To meet the requirements for D2 Fellowship accreditation, we introduced several key enhancements to the programme. One of the central updates involved a detailed mapping of the full PSF to the existing module learning outcomes and assessment criteria. In collaboration with Advance HE, we agreed that achieving a pass grade of 50% or above for each individual learning outcome would provide sufficient evidence of meeting the corresponding PSF criteria. As the programme was originally designed with close alignment to the original UKPSF, this mapping process required only minor adjustments to ensure clarity and consistency.
Embedding collaboration
We modified a presentation assignment in our Assessment and Evaluation module into a group assignment to specifically address the inclusion of the new PSF dimension V5: “collaborate with others to enhance practice.”
Edgerley and Crawford (2025) note, while collaboration is increasingly emphasised in the PSF, its practical enactment in HE settings, particularly among third-space professionals, remain underexplored. The group assignment provided an opportunity to embed structured and constructively aligned group work throughout the weekly classes.
An assessed peer-marking and feedback component, mapped to V5, further strengthened the collaborative element and encouraged meaningful peer dialogue. We have found that the peer-mark rubric, which describes collaborative leadership behaviours, has supported groups to establish their working expectations, communicate openly about accountability and has made for a successful group assessment.
Authenticating practice
To facilitate the authentication of practice, we introduced a second observation of practice to be conducted at the end of the programme. This serves as a formal confirmation that learners are applying the PSF dimensions in their teaching.
To ensure quality, mentors/observers must now hold D2 or higher, which has limited our pool of potential mentors, particularly in professional service roles. While this change added some complexity in terms of scheduling and workload for observers, the benefits of peer observation, particularly in fostering reflective practice have made it a valuable enhancement.
Final review process
We implemented a final summative assessment, completed by the programme leader, to confirm that each learner has met all dimensions of the PSF through their assessments and observed practice. This final review is submitted to the internal board for the awarding of Fellowship, ensuring a robust and consistent process for recognising professional achievement.
Broadening access to Fellowship
An important added benefit of the updated programme is that it provides a clear route to Fellowship for professional service staff who teach.
The programme has always aimed to support third-space colleagues and to recognise and reward contributions to teaching and learning across boundaries. By including these colleagues, we are broadening access to professional recognition and supporting a more inclusive academic community (Shotts and Shaw, 2021). This aligns with our institutional commitment to recognising the diverse contributions of all staff involved in teaching and learning.
First cohort success
We are proud to report that our first cohort of learners has now completed the newly accredited programme, with 21 participants successfully achieving D2 Fellowship alongside their Post Graduate Certificate qualification.
Clara Cutts, Graduate Teaching Fellow, College of Health and Science
“Taking part in the PGCert as part of the Graduate Teaching Fellow cohort was an incredibly positive experience. The programme team was not only supportive and inclusive, but also flexible in working around our busy PhD schedules. As a carer, I especially appreciated how thoughtfully they accommodated my circumstances, which made me feel seen and supported throughout.
“Gaining Fellowship has truly boosted my confidence as an early career academic and affirmed my commitment to high-quality, reflective teaching. It feels like meaningful recognition of the care and thought I put into supporting students, and it’s encouraged me to see a future for myself in academia. I know it will be a valuable part of my journey as I work towards becoming a professor one day.”
Addressing regulatory challenges
Implementing these changes was not without its challenges. One of the more complex aspects was introducing a variation to academic regulations to allow for optional resits. This was necessary in cases where learners had passed the module overall (module grade above 50%) but had not achieved a passing grade against every individual learning outcome and therefore had not fully met the PSF criteria. It was important that this resit remained optional, as some learners already held Fellowship or preferred to retain their original grade rather than undertake a capped resit. The variation required careful wording and approval but ultimately provided a fair solution.
Following this amendment, we also formally validated two exit routes: Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (with Advance HE Fellowship), and Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education.
Looking ahead
The successful accreditation and completion of the first cohort marks a significant milestone for us. We remain committed to providing a rigorous, supportive and professionally enriching pathway to Fellowship for all our educators at the University of Lincoln.
We’d be very interested to hear how other institutions are approaching PSF alignment within their PgCertHE programmes.
What strategies have worked well for you and what challenges have you encountered?
Michael Shaw is the programme leader for the PgCertHE, within the Lincoln Academy of Learning and Teaching at the University of Lincoln (LALT). LALT is the University’s strategic centre for teaching, learning and the educational experience of students.
References
Edgerley, R. and Crawford, R. (2025) LEGO, fishbowls, and collaboration. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (33).
Shotts, J., and Shaw, M. (2021) Recognising and developing talent, rewarding integrated practice across boundaries; In McIntosh, E., and Nutt, D. (Eds.), The impact of the integrated practitioner in higher education: Studies in third space professionalism. Routledge.
