ALPINE Success Interviews

Ann Tilbury SFHEA

Executive Office UHI

Category of Fellowship: Senior Fellow HEA

Now you have been through the ALPINE scheme, what do you wish you could have asked yourself or thought about before starting the process that may have prepared you for completing the reflection?For me it would be a greater awareness of the opportunity to reflect on my professional practice in a holistic way and with that a reminder that reflection takes time and patience!

What did having an ALPINE mentor mean for you?
My ALPINE mentor was wonderful. All of our meetings were virtual and yet we quickly established a way of exploring my draft application which was challenging and supportive while appearing light touch. My mentor had no prior knowledge of my work and although we knew of each other, our knowledge was fairly limited. This helped me take a step back from my professional practice and by doing so enhance the focus of my reflection. Although the mentoring relationship finished some time ago, we have had many opportunities since to support each other in our respective roles within the University which has been really rewarding.

What advice would you give to someone writing their reflection?
Spend time at the outset on structuring the reflection across the professional practice and two case studies and ensure that your unique professional identity and purpose has a chance to shine through.

What does your Fellowship mean to you?
It was an endorsement, in my own mind, that my professional practice was valued and recognised as being informed by theory. It has also given me the opportunity to support colleagues through mentoring which I hope to continue.

What has been the benefit to your students and/or people that you support?
As I see it, the main benefit for those that I support is that I can share and refer to the UK Professional Standards Framework as reference point to explore professional practice and as a basis to develop programmes to enhance professional practice.

What has been the best part of the ALPINE process for you?
Being able to stand back and review my professional practice in a holistic way, and the start of a great friendship with my mentor, if I can have two ‘best parts’

Elizabeth McFarlane FHEA

Argyll College UHI

Category of Fellowship: Fellow HEA

Now you have been through the ALPINE framework, what do you wish you could have asked yourself or thought about before starting the process that may have prepared you for completing the reflection?
I had just come out of the TQFE so I had been reflecting a lot over the previous 12 months. The sensible question might have been about having enough time available to commit fully to the task. I am so glad I didn’t, because 18 months later I still wouldn’t have had the time and it has been the most rewarding experience.

What did having an ALPINE mentor mean for you?
My ALPINE mentor helped me kick my imposter syndrome into touch.

What advice would you give to someone writing their reflection?
Write about everything (career-wise) that you do, everything you are proud of and the lessons that you have learned. Take note of everything you have achieved, everything you want to achieve and all the reasons you want to achieve them. Get familiar with the framework. THEN, start the formal process.

What does your fellowship mean to you?
Fellowship has given me the confidence to say yes to new career challenges. I have also attended events that I would never have felt I fitted into before.

What has been the benefit to your students and/or people that you support?
Gaining Fellowship has allowed me to mentor new applicants and sit on some recognition panels. Through this I regularly learn about the great work colleagues are undertaking throughout the partnership. I am not saying this has necessarily made me better at what I do, but it regularly reminds me that I need to keep trying.

What has been the best part of the ALPINE process for you?
ALPINE has offered me a framework of CPD that I really needed. I think the LTA is a superb resource and I love attending lunch time seminars, workshops and larger events. I am excited about the new mentorship scheme. You don’t need ALPINE to access these, but the process really motivated me to keep learning, keep meeting new colleagues and keep me pushing my comfort zones.

Jelena Farkic AFHEA

Centre for Recreation and Tourism Research

West Highland College UHI

Category of Fellowship: Associate Fellow HEA

Now you have been through the ALPINE framework, what do you wish you could have asked yourself or thought about before starting the process that may have prepared you for completing the reflection?
Thinking of the seemingly insignificant situations that made huge difference.

What did having an ALPINE mentor mean for you?
I had a rather friendly relationship with my mentor from the very beginning. Their role certainly meant a lot, particularly in highlighting the points that needed strengthening, as well as encouraging me to reflect on concrete personal experiences to justify the points I was trying to make.

What advice would you give to someone writing their reflection?
Be less general and more specific.

What does your fellowship mean to you?
I see a title of Associate Fellow as an important building block in my academic career, as well as an acknowledgement of my previous work and recognition for all the efforts I made to support learning and teaching alongside my doctoral studies.

What has been the benefit to your students and/or people that you support?
I developed a more holistic, mentoring approach in my relationship with students. I see it as a two-way process from which we all learn and benefit.

What has been the best part of the ALPINE process for you?
The process of reflection. We are sometimes unaware of the amount of work that we have made and spending some time thinking of my personal motives as well as pull and push factors to delve into certain aspects of academic work is simply rewarding and gives me more confidence for future work.