EXPLORE Accredited Experiential Scheme

About the EXPLORE Accredited Experiential Scheme

The EXPLORE Accredited Experiential Scheme, known as EXPLORE Experiential, is co-ordinated by the Oxford Centre for Academic Enhancement and Development (OCAED) with support from Faculty-based colleagues, and carries Advance HE accreditation.

Fellowships awarded by Advance HE are globally recognised and demonstrate professionalism, commitment and a critically evaluative, reflective and evidence informed approach to teaching and/or supporting learning in higher education. A Fellowship is awarded if you have met the appropriate standards for teaching and supporting learning in higher education, aligned to the Professional Standards Framework 2023 (PSF 2023)

We offer the Scheme for awards at all categories of Fellowship. You can find out more about each category by accessing the following AHE pages: 

Who is it for?

The EXPLORE Accredited Experiential Scheme is for incumbent staff teaching on a Oxford Brookes programme of study on campus or at an Associate College Partner institution. 

New staff who meet the criteria for Senior or Principal Fellowship are triaged onto this Scheme when they enrol for the EXPLORE First Three Years and complete the Expression of Interest Form.

If you teach an Oxford Brookes programme of study at one of our Associate College Partner institutions, please ask your institution about their level of Advance HE membership as an additional charge to that institution may be due to Advance HE (50% of the current direct application fee) when you gain Fellowship. All support from OCAED is at no cost. We can support up to 10 individuals from ACPs per annum; places are allocated based on meeting the criteria for Fellowship, which you can find here: Associate Fellowship, Fellowship, Senior Fellowship, and Principal Fellowship

Workload planning

For incumbent Oxford Brookes staff, this scheme draws on up to 45 hours of your Professional & Scholarly Development time.

All academic staff (0.5 FTE or above) new to Oxford Brookes are allocated 240 hours to complete  EXPLORE, split between 100 hours in the first and second years and 40 hours for year three (see Workload Planning Tariffs).

Duration

The Scheme takes place over one academic year. Once you are registered (on or around the 1 October each academic year), you can start your application and submit in the same academic year.

Mode of delivery

This scheme is facilitated in Fellowship cohorts. Online workshops with colleagues completing the same category of Fellowship will help you stay focused, engaged, and connected (Lawrence et al., 2022). You will receive support for completing your application including:

  • five online cohort workshops during the academic year;
  • a mentor to provide you with individual support (available for up to 5 hours, including reading drafts of your application)
  • access to our EXPLORE Experiential Scheme Staff Learning site.

How to join

To enrol, please complete the EXPLORE Experiential Scheme Expression of Interest Form, which will enable us to determine the most appropriate Fellowship category for you. You will need between 15-20 minutes to complete this form. 

Registration for this year (2024/25) has now closed. Registration for the 2025/26 cohort will be open from spring 2025 and will commence in October 2025. 

Deadlines

The submission deadline for applications is 25 June 2025 at 12.00 noon GMT.

Contact us

If you have any questions or require more information, please contact explore@brookes.ac.uk.