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Continuing Professional Development

PASSPoRT

PASSPoRT is our continuing professional development (CPD) pathway. It is undertaken by staff who have more than three years of experience teaching in a higher education context wishing to gain recognition of their experience and understanding and to gain Associate Fellow, Fellow or Senior Fellow status from Advance HE. Application for Fellowships in the CPD pathway are by written submission. 

Further information can be found in: 

Further information about e-PASSPoRT is available from CELT

The University of Suffolk’s PASSPoRT scheme is a continuing professional development (CPD) route to awards of HEA Fellowships. PASSPoRT is fully aligned and shaped around the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), in order for University staff to gain professional recognition of their teaching and/or support of learning by Advance HE.

Depending upon your role, expertise and experience, the PASSPoRT pathway offers you the opportunity to gain recognition as an Associate Fellow, a Fellow or a Senior Fellow of the HEA (Descriptor 1, 2 and 3 of the UK PSF respectively). If you wish to apply for Principal Fellowship (Descriptor 4), you must apply directly to Advance HE.

Staff seeking professional recognition for their teaching and/or support of students’ learning via PASSPoRT, do this by making a written submission. Submission proformas help you to build your application, enabling you to critically reflect upon your academic practice across the dimensions of practice of the UKPSF and aligned to the statements for the relevant Descriptor (D1, D2 or D3). Each written submission should include two references.

PASSPoRT awareness events and webinars are held periodically to assist you in building your application and selecting relevant evidence for your application. We also offer writing sessions for each category of Fellowship, and in which applicants can discuss collaboratively on their application and, as part of the process, you will be connected with a mentor to provide you with individual support and guidance while preparing your application.

Panels meet three times each academic year. The Panel is made up of reviewers but always includes the PASSPoRT External Reviewer. Panel members are Fellows, Senior Fellows or Principal Fellows of the HEA. The panel will confirm on a decision regarding whether an application is accepted for award, or referred. Submissions for D1-D3 are made via the portal in the e-PASSPoRT area of Brightspace. 

  • If you are applying to Associate Fellow, you will find guidance here.
  • If you are looking for a Quick Guide to Applying for Fellowship follow this link.
  • If you are looking for a Quick Guide to Applying for Senior Fellowship follow this link.

To provide evidence of your professional activity, you need to include in your application at least one completed Peer Review and Enhancement of Learning and Teaching proforma, where it is appropriate to your role. If the observation will be carried out on a non-apprenticeship course, please review the information here and if the observation will be carried out in the context of an apprenticeship, please review the information here. 

Further information is available in the PASSPoRT Handbook or from the Programme Lead, Dr Javiera Atenas: j.atenas@uos.ac.uk