Advance HE Fellowship at DCU
Fellowship of Advance HE is a form of accreditation of your practice by Advance HE, a charitable organisation based in the UK. Achieving Fellowship demonstrates a personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education.
In October 2019 DCU became a member institution of Advance HE and formally launched a pilot of the Fellowship Scheme. In 2021, the TEU opened the scheme to all staff and the first Supported Journey to Fellowship was launched. Check out a recent blog post by Clare Gormley, co-facilitator of the Supported Journey, describing how far fellowship has come at DCU, with the numbers of successful applicants continuing to grow.
We are delighted to have a thriving Community of Fellows here at DCU, which comprises both those who achieved Fellowship at DCU, and colleagues who arrived with Fellowship. The Community actively supports new applicants through reviewing draft applications, sharing advice, and peer support.
Are you a Fellow yet?
Across four categories, from Associate to Principal, Fellowship provides individuals with recognition of their practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning. Information on Advance HE, the categories, and application requirements are available from the Fellowship area of the Advance HE website.
The Advance HE Fellowship process enables you to think about your professional and personal development planning and is an excellent way to reflect on your strengths and identify areas for improvement. The process and application allows you to articulate your capabilities and increase your employability and progression prospects. The Fellowship certification provides a portable, internationally recognised, Advance HE-accredited recognition of your practice in teaching and/or supporting learning in Higher Education.
The TEU Supported Journey to Fellowship
The Supported Journey to Fellowship was the first of its kind nationally. DCU has supported over 120 staff members to achieve Fellowship, including colleagues from all Faculties and several Units. The Supported Journey is therefore considered the most successful route to Fellowship by numbers awarded of any HEI in Ireland.
The Supported Journey to Fellowship is led by the Teaching Enhancement Unit, and the current co-facilitators are Clare Gormley and Maeve O’Dwyer. We’re proud to support all staff who teach and/or support learning to achieve Fellowship at the category that’s right for them.
The Journey includes workshops, work in progress sessions, peer review, and a private online space for accessing sample applications and other resources. A key element of the process is the inclusion of an internal review process to provide feedback on working drafts.
Start your own journey to Fellowship
If you are considering applying for Fellowship of Advance HE with DCU, our next cohort begins January 2025.
Please contact teaching.enhancement@dcu.ie for more information.