Aston University's Advance HE accredited professional development recognition scheme.

The RITE Scheme enables Aston University staff to apply for and gain professional recognition for four different categories of fellowship.

Advance HE Fellowship

Advance HE has published a Fellowship category tool, to assist you in selecting the category of Fellowship which is most suitable. 

Associate Fellowship

Associate fellowship is appropriate for those members of staff who are involved with teaching but do not yet engage with the full range of learning and teaching responsibilities in higher education. For example, a graduate teaching assistant who delivers seminars and marks provides feedback on work but does not plan learning events or design programmes.

Fellowship

Fellowship is particularly suitable for early career academics (such as Lecturers), academic-related staff, support staff holding substantive teaching and learning responsibilities, and experienced academics relatively new to UK higher education. Also for staff with (sometimes significant) teaching-only responsibilities including, for example, within Aston’s work-based learning provision.

Senior Fellowship

Senior Fellowship is relevant for experienced staff (such as Senior Lecturer or Reader) able to demonstrate, impact and influence through, for example, responsibility for leading, managing, or organising programmes, subjects, and/or disciplinary areas. Importantly, Senior Fellows will be able to demonstrate mentoring, supporting and/or supervising other members of staff in relation to learning and teaching.

Principal Fellowship

Principal Fellowship is relevant for colleagues able to demonstrate a sustained and effective record of impact at a strategic level. This can be in an institutional, national, and/or international setting. Principal fellows are typically highly experienced and/or senior staff (such as readers or professors) who have strategic impact and influence in relation to teaching and learning that can extend beyond their own institution. They are often responsible for institutional strategic leadership and policy-making in the area of teaching and learning.

To join the RITE programme you will need to register your interest by emailing and confirming the following: 

  • Intended category of fellowship (where known).
  • The intended timescale of application.

Registering your interest will:

  • Provide you with access to a Blackboard module where all the resources (application forms, guidance notes, successful exemplars etc). For completing applications are held.
  • Coordinate processes for formally allocating a trained mentor to support you.
  • Signpost additional staff development and CPD workshop support.
  • Confirm details of forthcoming submission deadlines and RITE Panel dates.

Other important information:

Promotion criteria

The categories of fellowship are now mapped to different levels of promotion and can be used as evidence in support of the following:

  • Fellowship: Senior Lecturer
  • Senior Fellowship: Senior Lecturer/Readership
  • Principal Fellowship: Professor 

See Appendix B and E of the academic promotions criteria.

Find further advanced HE resources.