Prestigious Principal Fellowships at ACU

Congratulations to Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis and National Head, Peter Faber Business School Professor Susan Dann who were recently awarded Principal Fellowships of the Higher Education Academy.

Advance HE, formerly the UK-based Higher Education Academy, provides formal recognition of professional practice in higher education teaching and learning support through awarding Fellowships to academics, university teachers and higher education professionals who have successfully applied to have their practice assessed against the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). Principal Fellowship are typically awarded to highly experienced staff who can provide evidence of strategic impact and influence in relation to teaching and learning within their own institution and beyond. Approximately 1 per cent of the 141,000 fellows worldwide are Principal Fellows. In Australia, there are only 128 Principal Fellows.

Professor Skrbis and Professor Dann now join this small but prestigious group, recognised for their commitment and contribution to student learning and the positive influence on their colleagues through leadership. ACU has over 50 Advance HE Fellows, including our new Provost Professor Belinda Tynan, who is also a Principal Fellow (PFHEA).

On this award representing not only his personal commitment to professional development in leadership and academic practices, but for all ACU staff, Professor Skrbis said, “Building a community of Fellows at ACU is the first and most critical step forward for the university and will be a significant step towards achieving excellence in teaching quality – a standard that will not only be recognised within the institution, but one that is validated at the international level.”

Professor Dann said that while this is personally a great honour, this award “validates the underpinning student centric philosophy of our business programs which are based on the three pillars of being global in orientation, practical in application and ethical in practice.”

On the inclusive nature of the Fellowship scheme, Professor Dann said, “Not everyone fits into the same linear career path and Advance HE's recognition of this opens up a world of possibilities for all academic staff.”

Fellowships at ACU

Since the LTC started the ACU Fellowship pilot program at the end of 2019, the university has achieved 42 successful fellowship applications across the faculties. This includes 19 new Fellows since December 2020: five Fellows of the Higher Education Academy; 11 Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy; and two Principal Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. Congratulations to all.

ACU continues to partner with Advance HE in 2021, providing the opportunity for our academics to join this growing community of educators.

If you are interested in applying for an Advance HE Fellowship, please visit the LTC website for more information or contact Dr Vanessa Fredericks, Senior Lecturer in Academic Development at Fellowships.LTC@acu.edu.au

New HEA Fellows at ACU since December 2020

• Mrs Melissa Aguey-Zinsou, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• A/Prof Michael Buchanan, Faculty of Theology & Philosophy, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr May Fong Cheong, Faculty of Law & Business, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Peter Mahony, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Kimberley Wilson, Faculty of Education & Arts, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Adam Burston, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Richard College, Faculty of Theology & Philosophy, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Amanda Gutierrez, Faculty of Education & Arts, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Santhamma James, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Isabelle Lys, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Jason McFarland, Faculty of Theology & Philosophy, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Hemant Mehta, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Michael Noetel, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Tracey Sanders, Faculty of Education & Arts, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Vicki Thorpe, Faculty of Education and Arts, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Cecilia Yeboah, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Dr Daniel van den Hoek, Faculty of Health Sciences, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Prof Susan Dann, Faculty of Law & Business, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Prof Zlatko Skrbis, Vice-Chancellor & President, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Prof Zlatko Skrbis, Vice-Chancellor and President, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Prof Susan Dann, Faculty of Law and Business, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy