Recognising Excellence: Professional Recognition and Celebration

At Advance HE, we believe in the power of recognition to inspire excellence. Our 2025–26 portfolio provides valuable opportunities for educators to gain professional recognition and to celebrate the outstanding contributions made across the teaching and learning community.

Recognition isn’t just a milestone—it’s a motivator. Advance HE’s events and frameworks support staff in evidencing their impact, building professional confidence, and contributing to a culture of educational excellence.

Download our Educational Excellence Programmes and Events 2025-26 Brochure

Request your copy of the Teaching and Learning for Student Success in Higher Education 2025-26 brochure.

Celebrate and Advance With

• Fellowship pathways to formally recognise teaching expertise
• Events that showcase innovation and impact across the global HE landscape
• Peer networks and communities of practice to share success and inspire others

The Value of Recognition

Gaining professional recognition fosters pride, deepens institutional reputation, and strengthens an individual’s journey toward leadership in teaching and learning. Advance HE is here to help you make that journey visible—and celebrated. 

Get Recognised and Celebrate Excellence →

Advance HE Fellowship

Advance HE fellowship demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and provides recognition of practice, impact and leadership in teaching and learning.

Fellowships are awarded based on evidence of personal professional practice that meets the requirements of the Professional Standards Framework 2023 (PSF 2023), the standards framework for the higher education sector. The category of fellowship you can apply for will depend on which of the four Descriptors of the PSF 2023 is most appropriate to your practice and professional experience.

Have you tried our Fellowship Category Tool?

Our Fellowship Category Tool has been designed to help you understand which category of Fellowship most closely reflects your current practice and to reflect on your ongoing professional development and career aspirations.

Fellowship

Fellowship is suitable for you if your teaching and/or supporting learning practice with higher education learners enables you to evidence depth and breadth across all PSF 2023 Dimensions (at Descriptor 2). 

Request your application guidance pack
If you feel that you are working within this category, download your Fellow guidance pack to find out more about how to apply by completing the form below. 

Fellowship Application Builder
A six-week online, self-directed course designed to enable individuals to use their experience of their teaching and supporting learning practice in higher education to develop a direct application for Fellowship.

Senior Fellowship

Senior Fellowship is suitable for you if you have a sustained record of leading or influencing the higher education practice of your colleagues or other peers who teach and/or support high-quality learning. You will be using your own effective and inclusive practice across all PSF 2023 Dimensions (at Descriptor 3) as a basis for your work. 

Request your application guidance pack
If you feel that you are working within this category, download your Senior Fellow guidance pack to find out more about how to apply by completing the form below. 

Senior Fellowship Support Programme

This programme, led by an experienced PSF 2023 Consultant, will support you to develop an application for Senior Fellowship in a structured way over 12 weeks, as part of a cohort.

Senior Fellowship Writing Retreats

The online Advance HE Senior Fellow Writing Retreat is an invaluable opportunity to take some time and space to progress your application to become a Senior Fellow, receiving expert analysis and feedback in the process.

Principal Fellowship

Principal Fellow is suitable for you if you are a highly experienced individual whose practice involves a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership of high-quality learning. You will need to show the extensive impact of your work on high-quality learning (within or beyond your institution, or across a discipline or profession), incorporating all PSF 2023 Dimensions (at Descriptor 4).

Request your application guidance pack
If you feel that you are working within this category, download your Principal Fellow guidance pack to find out more about how to apply by completing the form below. 

Principal Fellowship Support Programme

This programme, led by an experienced PSF 2023 Consultant, will support you to develop an application for Senior Fellowship in a structured way over 12 weeks, as part of a cohort.

Principal Fellow Record of Strategic Educational Impact Support Sessions

These virtual one-to-one sessions are designed to provide support for colleagues who are starting the process of completing their Principal Fellow direct application (Descriptor 4 of the PSF 2023), and who need more guidance on the Record of Strategic Educational Impact (RSEI) element.