Published on Aug 2025
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The higher education sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Globalization, digital disruption and shifting student expectations are redefining what it means to offer quality education. Nowhere is this evolution more evident than in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where universities are embracing innovative approaches to remain globally competitive and locally relevant. At the heart of this change is a renewed emphasis on teaching excellence—and one of the most impactful strategies being adopted is the ProfessionalStandards Framework (PSF) and its associated Fellowship scheme.
Developed by the non-profit Advance HE, the PSF was developed and launched in the UK in 2006 in response to the need for national standards for teaching in higher education. Its goal was to enhance the credibility of the profession and bring about much needed reform, along with checks and balances, aimed at a more student-centered approach to teaching and learning in higher education.
Since 2006, the PSF has been reviewed—first in 2011 and more recently
in 2022—as part of a global sector-led review in consultation with
government ministries, Advance HE members and other higher education
stakeholders, with changes being made to reflect the ‘interests’ of
global HE.
The PSF for teaching and supporting learning in higher education 2023 (PSF 2023) builds on the strengths of the previous PSF while placing much more overt emphasis on:
With a greater emphasis on digital/technology, professional values, support for students and collaboration, the recent revisions ensure the PSF is fit-for-the-future and remains relevant and compelling wherever and however higher education teaching and learning are delivered.
PSF 2023 identifies three related sets of Dimensions that outline what teachers in higher education should ‘do,’ ‘know’ and ‘be.’ Each Dimension has five ‘statements’ that provide the basis for which a claim for Fellowship can be made by individual academics or professional services staff who work in teaching and supporting learning.
There are four categories of Fellowship: Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow and Principal Fellow. Individuals will apply for the most appropriate category that aligns to their practice and professional experience. To date, Advance HE has recognized over 207,000 individuals with a category of Fellowship in over 100 countries, and this figure is growing daily.
The PSF and Fellowship have expanded as universities around the world recognize the value of the framework in enhancing practice, while also rewarding and appreciating those staff working to support student success. Furthermore, the framework has helped raise the profile and importance of teaching and learning and has brought about a parity of esteem alongside research activities.
As institutions across the MENA region pursue international partnerships, digital learning innovations and student-centered pedagogies, they increasingly acknowledge that world-class teaching must be more than an aspiration. It must be measurable, supportable and embedded within institutional culture. The PSF offers a structured yet flexible model for identifying and developing teaching and learning professionals. It provides a common language to discuss effective teaching practices and a framework for reflective development at all career stages.
In addition, Fellowship offers a clear signal of teaching quality and institutional commitment to professional growth. Just as research metrics have long influenced university reputations, teaching credentials are becoming equally significant in shaping perceptions and decisions.
Several leading MENA universities have begun to strategically align their teaching development efforts with the PSF through Advance HE Teaching and Learning Accreditation. Institutions such as Zayed University and Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE run Advance HE accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs, which allows them to bestow Fellowship on behalf of Advance HE. Similar schemes exist at universities in Bahrain (at the University of Bahrain, Applied Science University and Bahrain Polytechnic) and in Saudi Arabia (Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University).
Advance HE accredited schemes are growing in popularity, as more and more universities see the added value of embedding the PSF into institutional Teaching and Learning policy and practice. To date, over 187 universities run accredited provision, with many more engaging directly with Advance HE for support with direct Fellowship applications.
Many institutions across the GCC are joining Advance HE’s membership community because these markers not only celebrate individual excellence but also foster a culture of evidence-based, reflective teaching practice.
As one senior leader
commented:
I started my career as an Assistant Professor over twenty years ago when I completed a postgraduate certificate in university teaching and became a Fellow. It was one of the most rewarding professional development experiences of my academic career…Becoming a qualified university teacher gave me the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies that made my job easier, more enjoyable and for my students to enjoy a much more enriched high quality learning experience.
The Principal Fellowship focus on institutional improvement has allowed me to provide the necessary leadership to enhance Abu Dhabi University’s culture of student success enabled by faculty development.
The benefit to students is twofold. First, when faculty are encouraged and supported to seek Fellowship recognition, students are more likely to experience teaching that is inclusive, engaging and informed by pedagogical best practice. Second, students gain confidence that their university values high-quality learning experiences, not just academic prestige.
Furthermore, in a region where student populations are increasingly diverse—with international branch campuses, online learners and transnational programs on the rise—the PSF provides a unifying standard across educational contexts.
Evidence of impact also highlights the importance of the PSF and Fellowship, with universities reporting that it improves student engagement in their studies, reduces drop-out rates and, while no direct correlation can be drawn, anecdotally, Advance HE members suggest there is a link between the PSF, Fellowship and better graduate outcomes.
In a time of rapid change, students and their families are rightfully asking more questions about teaching quality. Fellowship and the PSF offer transparent, credible answers. For institutions across the MENA region, embracing this framework is more than a badge of honor¾it’s a strategic move to ensure they remain at the forefront of global higher education.
As regional universities continue to move at pace, innovate and internationalize, the PSF is proving to be an essential constant, aligning teaching excellence with institutional ambition. For prospective students, it offers a vital lens through which to evaluate their future educational experiences.