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- York Professional and Academic Development scheme (YPAD)
York Professional and Academic Development scheme (YPAD)
The YPAD scheme is a professional development and recognition scheme designed to be inclusive of any member of staff who teaches or supports student learning (including academic staff, graduate teaching assistants, research staff, associate staff and professional services staff). It caters for all levels of experience, from individuals who are new to teaching/supporting learning in higher education, to senior staff with institutional leadership roles. Engagement is based upon the University’s Peer Support for Teaching policy and involves participants working to develop their practice in groups supported and facilitated by an experienced colleague.
YPAD is accredited by Advance HE. This means individuals who successfully undertake the scheme will secure professional recognition through the award of a category of HEA Fellowship appropriate to their role and their level of responsibility for teaching and supporting learning.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the scheme, you can register to attend an introduction to YPAD workshop. You can also email: academic-practice@york.ac.uk.
How YPAD works
Staff who engage with YPAD will be organised into action learning groups facilitated by an Advance HE-accredited member of staff. The groups meet three times over the course of registration (which lasts approximately 35 weeks) to provide support for each other in undertaking a small learning and teaching project and writing an application for professional recognition.
At the end of their engagement, participants submit their application, which is assessed internally by a panel of appropriately qualified York staff.
Key dates
Key dates
YPAD recruits two cohorts per year, with engagement lasting for approximately 35 weeks.
Cohort 1: starts October 2026 and finishes June 2027
Cohort 2: starts June 2027 and finishes February 2028
| Details | Cohort 2 (2025/26 start) | Cohort 1 (2026/27 start) | Cohort 2 (2026/27 start) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to YPAD Workshop |
Wednesday 10 June 2026 (1pm to 3pm) |
Wednesday 28 October 2026 (1pm to 3pm) |
Wednesday 9 June 2027 (1pm to 3pm) |
| YPAD Registration Deadline | Wednesday 22 July 2026 | Wednesday 9 December 2026 | Wednesday 21 July 2027 |
| YPAD Application Support Workshop | Wednesday 11 November 2026 (1pm to 3pm) | Wednesday 21 April 2027 (1pm to 3pm) | November 2027 (date/time TBC) |
| YPAD Application for Recognition Submission Deadline | Wednesday 3 February 2027 | Wednesday 16 June 2027 | Wednesday 2 February 2028 |
Application process
Application process
Before submitting an application form, we would recommend you explore the different categories of HEA Fellowship that are available to see which is most appropriate to your role and responsibilities:
If you are unclear which category is most appropriate, you may find this Fellowship Category Tool useful.
These categories of HEA Recognition are accredited against the Professional Standards Framework 2023 (PSF 2023) Descriptors 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
We recruit to two YPAD cohorts per year. For those who are interested in joining the scheme, you should book onto an Introduction to YPAD workshop using the relevant Google Form:
- Cohort 1: 28 October 2026 (book onto workshop)
- Cohort 2: 9 June 2027 (TBC) (book onto workshop)
The workshop is a ‘gateway’ to engaging with YPAD but does not in itself commit you to doing so. After attending, if you wish to proceed with engagement, you will be invited to complete an enrolment form.
Please note: staff who are undertaking PGCAP as an expectation of employment are not able to engage with YPAD until they have successfully completed that programme.
Who to contact
Duncan Jackson
Head of Academic Practice
YPAD Scheme Director
duncan.jackson@york.ac.ukAdministration email
academic-practice@york.ac.uk