These webpages are for Theological Education Institution (TEI) Staff within Durham's Common Awards Partnership. Durham Staff/Students interested in development opportunities in teaching should contact the Durham Centre for Academic Development for more information.
Please note that Staff in Common Awards TEIs will need to have a Durham account to enrol on the following:
This programme provides participants with the opportunity to work through interactive online content in their own time, to discuss their learning with colleagues across the UK and with facilitators from Durham University’s Centre for Academic Development.
Successful completion of the Account of Professional Practice confers Associate Fellowship of the High Education Academy (now known as AdvanceHE) and the post-nominal letters AFHEA. For more information see the Advance HE Fellowship page. Following completion of this programme other programmes may be available; please contact the Common Awards Team for further information.
The programme launches in December each year with an introductory session. See our Common Awards Calendar and our Events page for this year’s specific registration deadline.
Following the initial introduction session, the remainder of the programme will be delivered online through a specially designed site in Durham’s online learning environment. Participants will be encouraged to build on their understanding of the content via online discussions with other Common Awards teaching staff, and through reflection on their own practice.
The programme is open to all part-time and full-time members of core staff or associate staff who teach on Common Awards programmes in TEIs. Participants should normally have undertaken a minimum of 12 hours teaching and/or supporting learning over the most recent academic year.
The programme will be delivered provided that there is a minimum of six participants and can normally accommodate a maximum number of 40 participants.
University Teaching: Core Skills comprises six strands:
A discussion board will be associated with each strand to allow for interaction with colleagues and with the facilitators.
The course will also provide advice and resources on the successful completion of the Account of Professional Practice.
The length of each strand is about two hours. Participants should also factor in time to write their Account of Professional Practice and gather supporting references, as well as participate in the online discussions. There are three submission opportunities per year, but we would encourage participants to aim for the June deadline.
What is the Professional Recognition Pathway?
The Professional Recognition Pathway (PRP) is Durham University's accredited pathway to HEA Fellowship categories. It is an experiential route, meaning that it is designed for staff who have 'considerable' experience in teaching and learning (typically 3+ years) and who have also a strong knowledge of pedagogy and are routed in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Durham's Professional Recognition Pathway allows staff to submit an application for HEA Fellowship free of charge via an internal process. Fellowship is subsequently issued and awarded by Advance HE.
The Professional Recognition Pathway doesn’t have a start/end date. This pathway supports experienced staff in their engagement with the 2023 Professional Standards Framework (PSF) and helps them to evidence their engagement through a written application route. Participants join the pathway and begin preparing an application for submission at any of the three submission (February, June & October). The University offers support mechanisms throughout the process:
Introductory Workshops
Mentor Support (recommended)
Writing Retreats (optional)
Draft Review Workshops (optional)
Self-Access Materials (optional)
Compiling an application for HEA Fellowship requires a commitment of 3-6 months on average, based on engagement with the Pathway and participants’ availability. An application can be submitted at any time – there is no deadline as such, although we do encourage and endeavour to support participants in submitting within this general timeframe.
More information can be found here: PRP Overview - Home
If you have a Durham University email, please complete the expression of interest form if you wish to join the PRP.
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