GUIDANCE FOR REFEREES
Quick links:
Associate Fellow (D1), Fellow (D2), Senior Fellow (D3)
Principal Fellow (D4)
The Role of the Referee: Associate Fellow (D1), Fellow (D2), Senior Fellow (D3)
You will have been asked by the applicant to take on this role as they feel you will be able to endorse what they are claiming in all, or part, of their submission for a category of Advance HE fellowship. In agreeing to act as a referee we will expect to see approximately 500 words (or about 5mins on video) on the template provided, that endorses the claims made by the applicant. This is a qualitatively different role to that of referee for a job interview and you will need to return your statement to the applicant once you have completed it. As your statement forms part of their evidence, you should not be surprised if the applicant discusses your statement with you and possibly asks for an amendment or two!
You should ensure that you have read/seen the final version of the application which is to be submitted; there is no harm looking at drafts, and perhaps preparing some preliminary notes, but your statement needs to be a corroboration of the full application as it will be submitted.
The claims the applicant will be making will relate to the descriptor criteria and dimensions of practice within the PSF 2023 and so where appropriate it would be helpful to align your remarks to the relevant PSF 2023 dimensions and descriptor criteria.
You may also comment on relevant characteristics of the individual’s practice (are they known for the quality of their learning resources/approachability/inclusive practice?)
On the other hand, you do not need to comment on activities, interventions or practice that the applicant has not claimed in their submission.
One of the referees (Referee 1) will be asked by the applicant to observe them in practice as appropriate to the category of fellowship applied for and the role of the applicant. For example, at D1/D2 level the observation should be of direct teaching or teaching related sessions which may consist of staff training; one-to-one student guidance; PhD supervision tutorials. At D3 level it might involve observation of chairing a L&T related committee meeting. (See the ‘Further information’ section below for more guidance on observation of practice.)
If you are the referee asked to act in this capacity, you should make sure that you have at least the same category of fellowship being applied for. This observation is designed as a supportive peer process without any formal requirement for feedback or recording of outcomes to the TALENT scheme, although you may want to refer to it in your referee’s statement, if appropriate and relevant. You might also want to think of it simultaneously, as a way of fulfilling the requirement for annual PRE observation.
When approached by an individual to act as a referee try to ensure:
- That you have substantive knowledge of their practice over time and that you will be able to comment in reasonable depth on their practice or a specific aspect of their practice
- That the applicant has a clear timescale for submission so that you can produce the statement when required
- If you are being asked to observe practice, that this can take place to fit the timescale for submission
For more help with what is required from a referee statement, you might like to look at some exemplars (coming soon) that have been anonymised for your use.
How the statement will be used
Your statement, in conjunction with other statements and the evidence presented in the submission, will be used to make a judgement about the practitioner’s alignment to the fellowship category they are applying for (Associate Fellow, Fellow or Senior Fellow). Note that in borderline cases the statements could be particularly significant in the panel’s deliberations.
If, for whatever reason, you feel unable to endorse the applicant in any way, feel free to contact talent@shu.ac.uk to discuss this.
The Role of the Advocate: Principal Fellow (D4)
You will have been asked by the applicant to take on this role as they feel you will be able to endorse what they are claiming in all, or part, of their submission for Principal Fellow.
In agreeing to act as an advocate we will expect to see approximately 500 words (or about 5 mins spoken pre-recorded) on the template provided, that endorses the claims made by the applicant. As your statement forms part of their evidence, you should not be surprised if the applicant discusses your statement with you and possibly asks for an amendment or two! You will need to return your statement to the applicant once you have completed it and not to the TALENT team.
You should ensure that you have read/seen the final version of the application which is to be submitted; there is no harm looking at drafts, and perhaps preparing some preliminary notes, but your statement needs to be a corroboration of the full application as it will be submitted.
The function of the statement is to provide a peer review of the applicant’s practice over the last five to seven years and to support and supplement the information given in their submission.
Your statement should primarily refer to the applicant’s experience and achievements in relation to their impact on teaching and learning and should refer to their research record only insofar as this directly informs learning and teaching practice. Your statement should support any claims made in relation to leadership and/or strategic development or policy implementation of specific aspects of learning and teaching provision within the context of their role(s). Please provide practical examples to support your comments wherever possible. Similarly, please comment on any innovative practice, or contribution to external national initiatives in developing approaches to teaching and learning within the discipline in which the applicant is involved.
Please base your reference on how the applicant meets the dimensions of the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) 2023 at D4 for Principal Fellow, using your perspective on the examples of strategic leadership provided within the application to illustrate the requirements of Principal Fellow, focusing on the way(s) in which the applicant has had demonstrable strategic impact.
Advance HE expects a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership of high-quality learning and extensive impact in all the Dimensions – Areas of Activity, Core Knowledge and Professional Values – in the PSF 2023 to underpin the practice of those recognised at D4 (Principal Fellow) (see below). Please provide examples, where appropriate, of ways in which this underpinning is apparent in the account.
How the statement will be used
Your statement, in conjunction with other statements and the evidence presented in the submission, will be used to make a judgement about your colleagues alignment to Principal Fellowship. Note that in borderline cases the statements could be particularly significant in the panel’s deliberations.
If, for whatever reason, you feel unable to endorse the applicant in any way, feel free to contact talent@shu.ac.uk to discuss this.