A programme open to academic and PS staff who lead or influence the teaching and learning practices of others.
About the programme
Senior Fellowship of Advance HE (SFHEA) recognises colleagues who demonstrate a sustained record of leading or influencing teaching and learning practice in higher education.
The University of Sussex provides a fully accredited institutional route to Senior Fellowship aligned with Descriptor 3 of the Professional Standards Framework (PSF 2023). This means your application is submitted, mentored, and reviewed internally by Sussex peers, with no fee to Advance HE.
Who is Senior Fellowship for?
Senior Fellowship is open to both academic and professional services staff who lead or influence the teaching and learning practices of others. It is not strictly tied to job titles or seniority.
You may be leading practice through formal roles (such as course lead, head of department or learning designer) or through informal influence (such as mentoring, leading cross-institutional projects or driving curriculum innovations).
To be eligible, you should:
- be a permanent member of staff appointed at 0.4 FTE or above
- have a sustained record of leading or influencing colleagues involved in teaching or supporting high-quality learning, typically over the last three to five years
- normally score 60% or higher for Descriptor 3 on the Advance HE Fellowship Category Tool.
If you’re interested in Senior Fellowship but don’t yet have the appropriate experience, please explore our Strategic Scholarship Programme and Scholarship pages for other opportunities.
Programme options
We offer flexible ways to complete your Senior Fellowship depending on your current readiness and preferred way of working.
1. The supported route
If you prefer a structured pathway, you can join our core supported programme. This includes:
- access to our Canvas site with resources, templates, and successful past applications
- four core workshops covering PSF 2023 Descriptor 3, developing a narrative of leadership, and evidencing impact
- regular supported writing workshops to carve out dedicated writing time
- allocation of an experienced mentor to guide your submission.
You are welcome to join this cohort at any point in the year.
2. The early pilot submission route
If you already have a well-developed reflective account of your leadership and wish to fast-track your recognition before Christmas 2026, you can submit directly at our early pilot deadline in November. You will be assigned a mentor to review a draft of your application prior to submission. This includes:
- access to our Canvas site with resources, templates, and successful past applications
- allocation of an experienced mentor to guide your submission.
What does the application involve?
The portfolio submission consists of two main elements.
1. Account of Professional Practice, submitted via either:
- written option: a 300-word context statement, a 2,000-word reflective account and two 2,000-word case studies (6,000 words total)
- presentation option: a 300-word context statement and a 45-minute pre-recorded presentation covering the reflective account and two case studies, accompanied by slides.
2. Two supporting statements: written endorsements from two professional referees who can verify and endorse your higher education leadership practice.
Key dates for 2026/27
The key dates for the upcoming academic year are as follows:
- applicant introduction session: Wednesday 7 October 2026 at 2pm (in person)
- early pilot submission deadline: Monday 2 November 2026 at 5pm
- standard annual submission deadlines: first Wednesday of November, February and June.
How to apply
To register your interest or apply to join the scheme:
1. Complete the online Advance HE Fellowship Category Tool and save a screenshot of your Descriptor 3 result.
2. Obtain written approval from your line manager.
3. Email SFHEA@sussex.ac.uk attaching your manager's approval and your category tool result. Please indicate whether you intend to target the 2 November early submission or join the main cohort.
Once registered, you will be given access to the SFHEA Canvas area, added to our Teams channel, and matched with a mentor.
Get involved: become a mentor or reviewer
If you already hold Senior Fellowship (SFHEA) or Principal Fellowship (PFHEA), you can support the wider Sussex community by joining our pool of institutional mentors and reviewers.
Reviewers typically evaluate one to three applications per year, with full training provided (1.5-hour online session on Monday 2 November 2026 at 2pm). Mentors support applicants through light-touch guidance (around four to five hours across the year) supported by an on-demand Canvas training module.
If you are interested in acting as a mentor or reviewer, please email SFHEA@sussex.ac.uk.