1. University of Sussex Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE)
Course leader:
Dr Tamsin Hinton-Smith
Senior Lecturer in Higher Education
School of Education and Social Work

2. Course team contacts
Dr Tamsin Hinton-Smith, Course leader PGCertHE (FHEA) Essex House room 147
Dr Liz Sage, Module convenor Starting to Teach (AFHEA)
Essex House room 239
Dr David Walker, Head of Technology Enhanced Learning Essex House room 234
Emmy Bastin, PGCertHE course administrator
ADQE office, Sussex House room 332A
Clare Wolstenholme, ADQE manager
ADQE office, Sussex House room 332A

3. Descriptors 1. Associate of the Academy (AFHEA)
A minimum of 2 areas linked to core knowledge and all professional values
2. Fellow of the Academy (FHEA)
Expected of all staff with substantive teaching responsibilities and covers all of dimensions of the framework
3. Senior Fellow of the Academy (SFHEA)
Considerable experience over time including mentorship, co-ordinating, supervising and managing individuals and groups
4. Principal Fellow of the Academy (PFHEA)
Strategic leadership of academic practice and development

4. Overview of training and professional development pathways
Starting to Teach (including AFHEA for those with HE teaching experience)
PGCertHE (FHEA)
FHEA, SFHEA, PFHEA – Individual application route

5. PGCertHE Provides an academic qualification
Accreditation via Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Co-ordinated by ADQE
60 credit level 7 course
Two modules support the range of aspects of HE Teaching and Learning development
Module and course assessment on a Pass/Fail basis
Workshop session participation in agreement with mentor
Mentor is critical to support - not involved in assessment
Peer and tutor support through action-learning sets
Module Study Direct sites for course information and resources, and active participant contribution and discussion

6. Who can do it? PGCertHE Requirements and eligibility
Mandatory for all permanent lecturers and TFs at or above 0.4fte with less than three years’ consecutive HE teaching experience in a substantive faculty role
Optional for all permanent lecturers and TFs at or above 0.4fte with more than three years’ consecutive HE teaching experience in a substantive faculty role
Optional for all permanent RFs and teaching-engaged professional services staff (including library, careers, IT) at or above 0.4fte with any level of HE teaching experience
Accessible by RFs at or above 0.4fte on contracts of at least 2 years duration, and with a large amount of service on fixed term contracts, at the discretion of Head of School
n.b. Line managers are required to agree the required 0.1 remission from workload for any staff for whom course participation is agreed.

7. PGCertHE Module 2: Teaching and learning in higher education
A 45 credit module with individually tailored participation in a programme of 8 workshops, to be agreed with course mentors based on prior experience and developmental need
Workshops include:
Curriculum design
Principles of effective assessment and feedback
Approaches to teaching - Large and small group teaching
Supporting students’ learning: library, study skills and career development
Technology in teaching, learning and assessment
Postgraduate teaching, supervision and assessment
Supporting equality and diversity in HE teaching and learning
Teaching international students

8. PGCertHE Module 2 assessment
A piece of scholarship (up to 5,000 words) addressing an aspect of your teaching practice. This may take a variety of forms, for example:
A critical commentary on an example of curriculum development or teaching and learning innovation, which may include technology enhanced learning, with reference to relevant literature.
A review and assessment of policy. This may be national or University policy and could involve an examination of how the policy has been implemented and an assessment of its impact. This may involve looking at similar subjects within the University or at different universities with reference to relevant literature.
An exploration of a particular conceptual framework, methodology or theoretical perspective relevant to teaching in your discipline, perhaps in the format of a proposal, supported by appropriate evidence, for change in your department.
There is not a fixed style for this work, popular formats include reports, journal papers, conference proceedings and essays but more creative non-text based formats are also possible.
2 teaching observation reports from a member of the PGCertHE observation team + 2 reports of your learning from the role of being an observer

9. The Higher Education Academy Accreditation Panel identified some areas of particularly good practice in relation to your accreditation submission and they wished to commend you on the following aspects:
The University of Sussex demonstrates a clear institutional commitment towards the integration of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) into HR policies and processes relevant to career probation, promotion and reward and provides opportunities for the professional development of staff to suit different career stages
The creation of the new Academic Development and Quality Enhancement Office (ADQE) further supports the longer term vision which articulates ambitious strategies to promote excellence in Learning and Teaching
Collaboration between the Staff Development Unit, Technology Enhanced Learning team, Library, and Doctoral School enhances the participant experience and provides additional opportunities for development
Provision of discipline specific opportunities for development will encourage dialogue around pedagogic practice across teams and consequently foster a stronger community of learning within the institution
The assessment strategy on the Starting to Teach programme allows participants to set the UKPSF within the context of their practice
Guidance for the process of peer observation is linked to the UKPSF
The institutional commitment to the development of staff that teach and/or support learning is clearly demonstrated in the allocation of time from workload to participate

10. PGCertHE Participant feedback
‘I would like to put on record that I have found the module very helpful, that I have learnt a lot and that it was extremely well organised. (The Study Direct site is also very well-designed.) Having both the workshops and the action learning groups was a brilliant idea and I thought you ran the groups exceptionally well, providing inspirational and supportive leadership in what ultimately turned out to be a collective effort to reflect on good teaching practice. These compulsory courses can be a chore and I am grateful to you that you turned the module into an enjoyable experience.’
Lecturer, School of History, Art History and Philosophy

11. ‘I just wanted to drop you a line
‘I just wanted to drop you a line. I am an early career lecturer who has been attending the second module of the PgCertHE that you run at the University of Sussex. As you may recall I started out doing this ‘reluctantly’ having come into academia in later life and previously having had a career as a teacher, school leader and local authority adviser. However, I want to tell you – a little shame- facedly – just how much I have been getting out of the PGCertHE sessions that you have been leading this term. Against my ‘better judgement’ you have drawn me in, gently guided and challenged me and given me precious ‘time’ to talk, think and work with colleagues in what I know deem as a ‘precious pedagogic space’ for reflection and learning. In fact, I have now come to think of my experiences in your teaching sessions as some of the times I most look forward to my very hectic weeks. And, of course, I realise that I have much to learn (not least humility).’ Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work

12. Mentors
Each course participant has a mentor, assigned by Head of School or Department or Director of Teaching and Learning
Mentors are identified as having relevant experience in HE teaching and learning
Participants’ official mentors are used where possible
Participants’ PGCertHE learning plan together through identification of prior experience and developmental need
Mentors contribute relevant departmental/subject-related guidance and perspective
Mentors may provide: information and advice on teaching in discipline areas, navigating local practices and procedures, and connecting mentees to useful contacts and networks
Mentors act as a critical friend, which may include by providing feedback on teaching development and giving the opportunity for reciprocal peer review or observation of teaching
Mentors undertake at least one observation of their mentee’s teaching while they are enrolled on the course, and provide formative feedback

13. PGCertHE Action-Learning Meetings
Four course-team-facilitated, scheduled group meetings during module 2:
Welcome and induction – Introduction to the module
Introduction to the assessment – including observation and the UKPSF
Assessment planning
Final assessment session including mapping to the UKPSF:
Participants are also encouraged to meet independently for additional support and reflection
A space to prepare for assessment, discuss teaching, share learning from development activities and independent reading, and arrange peer observations of teaching with each other
Identifying issues > Getting feedback from peers > Reflecting > Taking action > Reporting back > Reflecting on learning and development

14. Further pathway information and course registration:

15. Questions?