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Teaching & Learning

Apply for an AdvanceHE Fellowship

 

AdvanceHE Fellowships

AdvanceHETU Dublin is a member in Advance HE, an international organisation that provides support to Higher Education Institutions through specific programmes, events, and online supports. 

Advance HE offers a prestigious professional fellowship programme that provides international recognition for teaching excellence to staff in Higher Education Institutions at four levels, according to the dimensions of Advance HE’s Professional Standards Framework (PSF).

There are over 150,000 Advance HE fellows globally, with over 650 in Ireland, including in TU Dublin. Fellows are permitted to use postnominal letters (AFHEA, FHEA, SFHEA or PFHEA). The use of these letters is highly regarded internationally as an indicator of professional achievement and standing. 

Fellowship Levels

The four levels of fellowship are as follows:

  1. Associate Fellow (AFHEA): To achieve this fellowship, the applicant must demonstrate an understanding of specific aspects of teaching and learning support, typically with a limited teaching role.
  2. Fellow (FHEA): To achieve this fellowship, the applicant must demonstrate effective, broad-based teaching and learning practice across a range of activities.
  3. Senior Fellow (SFHEA): To achieve this fellowship, the applicant must show sustained effectiveness and leadership in teaching and learning practice. This includes mentoring or supporting others and influencing practice beyond one’s own teaching. Leadership does not need to be restricted to management staff.
  4. Principal Fellow (PFHEA): To achieve this fellowship, the applicant must have demonstrated strategic leadership and a sustained record of impact on teaching and learning at an institutional or sector level. Principal Fellows will have shaped policy, culture, and practice, influencing others at a significant scale.

AdvanceHE's Fellowship Category Tool guides applicants to the most appropriate category for them. 

TU Dublin staff applying for FHEA or SFHEA

TU Dublin staff are encouraged to apply for FHEA or SFHEA, depending on their experience. 

Academic Affairs offers support and guidance to FHEA and SFHEA applicants through a series of workshops and resources. This will enable TU Dublin applicants to develop their applications for FHEA or SFHEA while making use of online supports and in-person and online workshops over the course of an academic year.

The workshop dates, times and locations for 2026-27 are as follows:

Date and Time Session Description Location
21 October 2026, 3-5pm Induction: Getting Ready for Fellowship
  • Introduction to AdvanceHE
  • Understanding the levels of Fellowship
  • Using the self-assessment tool
  • Induction to the TU Dublin AdvanceHE Fellowship Programme
 Online
18 November 2026, 3-5pm Workshop 1: Beginning and Progression the Application
  • Reflective writing
  • Gathering evidence
  • Mapping evidence to the Professional Standards Framework
  • Demonstrating impact
 Online
13 January 2027, 3-5pm Workshop 2: Work in Progress Presentations and Discussion
  • Presentations and discussion
  • Exploring common challenges in the application process
  • Sharing emerging drafts and ideas
 Grangegorman
10 March 2027, 3-5pm Workshop 3: Pulling it all together
  • Acting on peer feedback
  • Structuring the final application
  • Preparing for submission
 Online

Following completion of the workshops, applicants will finalise and submit their application directly to AdvanceHE. The applicant will seek the support of their school or function to cover the cost of the application.

TU Dublin staff applying for PFHEA

While workshops are not provided for PFHEA applicants, anyone considering applying for PFHEA should contact Learning Teaching Assessment (LTA) for advice and guidance.

Application Costs and Fees

Applicants will need to request funding from their school or function to cover the cost of their application. The fees to apply for a fellowship from a member institution are currently (September 2026) UK£225 (~€265) for FHEA, UK£335 (~€395) for SFHEA and UK£55 (~€650) for PFHEA. This includes a 50% discount for member institutions. These fees may change - the most up to date information on fees is on the AdvanceHE website.

Find out More about AdvanceHE Fellowships

For more information on AdvanceHE Fellowships, visit the AdvanceHE Fellowships website and the AdvanceHE Frequently Asked Questions page.

Join the TU Dublin AdvanceHE Fellowship Programme

To join the TU Dublin AdvanceHE Fellowship Programme for 2026-27, complete this form by 14 October 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact Learning Teaching Assessment (LTA).