MAP:HE
Your path to HEA Fellowship
“My Accredited Pathway to HE”, in short, MAP:HE, is Canterbury Christ Church University’s accredited route to gaining HEA Fellowships, for all staff at the University and in partner institutions involved in the delivery of Higher Education courses. The scheme is open to all staff with substantial experience of working in the Higher Education sector, who are involved in supporting student learning, whether you are an academic, researcher or work in professional services. It is also open to some colleagues working at the University’s strategic collaborative partner institutions.
Why should you be interested in an HEA Fellowship?
Becoming an HEA Fellow means joining an internationally-recognised network of professionals working in Higher Education today.
The application process (we call it a 'claim') is a good way of developing your professional skills and reflective practice. It gives you the space to look back over your achievements and accomplishments, enabling you to build on that base and identify your next career goal, by highlighting where your strengths lie.
Gaining a HEA Fellowship also gives you national and international status and recognition, as many Higher Education Institutions require this qualification for academic posts, including at more senior levels. At Canterbury Christ Church University, you will need to have gained HEA Fellowship as part of your internal promotion application for the role of Senior Lecturer and Professor, and Senior Fellowship for the post of Principal Lecturer.
Canterbury Christ Church University is an approved accreditor of HEA Fellowships and our simple, structured application process will help you to achieve the fellowship you want with support at every step of the way.
Colleagues who have successfully completed their Fellowships have provided very positive comments, as you can read from these short blogs:
Wayne Barry - 'On the shoulders of giants - my Senior Fellow experience'
Nicole Pollock - 'Becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy'
Hazel Hyder - 'My engagement with AFHEA'
What are HEA Fellowships?
Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy, HEA) is the UK national body which champions teaching quality. Their mission is to improve learning outcomes by raising the quality and status of teaching in Higher Education as an essential driver for student success. The Fellowships form part a national recognition programme which enables individuals and institutions to continuously develop teaching quality. The sector-agreed core standards for teaching at different stages of an individual’s career are also held by Advance HE and are known as the Professional Standards Framework (PSF, see document on the right-hand side of this page). The PSF is used as the basis for preparing for and evaluating claims for the different categories of Fellowship.
The categories of Fellowship and their typical characteristics are:
Associate Fellow: Is suitable for staff whose practice enables them to evidence some Dimensions. Effectiveness of practice in teaching and/or support of learning is demonstrated through evidence.
Fellow: Is suitable for staff whose practice with learners has breath and depth, enabling them to evidence all Dimensions. Effectiveness of practice in teaching and/or support of high quality learning is demonstrated through evidence.
Senior Fellow: Is suitable for staff whose comprehensive understanding and effective practice provides a basis from which they lead or influence those who teach and/or support high quality learning. This is demonstrated through evidence.
Principal Fellow: Is suitable for highly experienced staff whose practice involves a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership of high quality learning. Their impact is extensive and individuals are able to demonstrate this through evidence.
The University is accredited to award all categories of Fellowship apart from Principal Fellow. If you are particularly interested in pursuing a Principal Fellowship, please get in touch using the email below, and you will still receive support from us to prepare your claim. However, you will submit your application directly to Advance HE.
Who to contact
In the first instance, please contact your Faculty Director of Learning and Teaching.
If you are working in a professional service role supporting learning, please contact maphe@canterbury.ac.uk
For other information, please email maphe@canterbury.ac.uk
How to prepare my claim
The handbook on the right-hand side of this page gives you plenty of information about the content of your claim for each Fellowship category.
We also have a dedicated MAP:HE Blackboard site which contains more guidance, to support you through your application process. Please email maphe@canterbury.ac.uk to be given access to the site.
You will also be allocated a mentor if you request one, and you will be able to take part in writing retreats during which you can spend a bit of time “away from the day job” and make progress with your claim.