Latest round of UON academics become newest Fellows of Advance HE Academy

Congratulations to the University of Northampton’s academic professionals who have become the latest Fellows of the Advance Higher Education (Advance HE) Academy.

Advance HE Fellowship* demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and provides recognition of practice, impact and leadership in teaching and learning.

The first successful academic to receive a Fellowship is the Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology’s Chris Talbot in professional recognition of his practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning.

Chris Talbot is currently the Technician Demonstrator for Sports Science at the University of Northampton.

Former Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, Alan Lovell, was also awarded a Fellowship partly for his work in the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL) at the University of Northampton.

The University of Northampton’s additional newest Advance HE Fellows are as follows:

Faculty of Education, Arts, Science and Technology

Beverley Shergold, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine

On her appointment as Fellow, Beverley Shergold said: “I’m delighted to have achieved Fellow status with Advance HE. Gaining formal recognition for my commitment to teaching, learning, and enhancing the student experience is truly rewarding. I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received from colleagues across the university who helped me reach this milestone.

“I’ve been involved in training nutritional therapists for many years, initially through a partner institution of the university. It’s a profession that deserves greater visibility and recognition, and I hope to use this award to champion the high-quality education, training and support we provide to our students.

“Above all, I want to encourage others who share a passion for this subject to consider entering the profession. It’s a career where your work can truly improve people’s lives and contribute to a healthier, more informed society.”

Mohammad Ghaleeh, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering & Design

On his appointment as Senior Fellow, Mohammad Ghaleeh said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have been awarded Senior Fellowship through UON’s Academic and Professional Practice Scheme.

“It feels incredibly rewarding to have my work in inclusive teaching and leadership recognised. This milestone really inspires me to keep pushing forward, blending research-informed teaching to make learning more engaging and effective for students.

“I’m excited to continue working with international partners, schools, and further education to create inclusive, high-quality learning spaces. I can’t wait to use this Fellowship to further support my colleagues and students, grounding my teaching in evidence-based research to spark even more growth and inspiration.”

Faculty of Health, Sport and Behavioural Sciences

Pierre Bonnaud, Lecturer in Physiotherapy

On his appointment as Fellow, Pierre Bonnaud said: “Earning the Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy feels like a hard-won victory. It was a journey I had a profound love-hate relationship with, relentless and often isolated endeavour achieved while juggling my responsibilities as a new lecturer. The process itself was all the more challenging by the unique demands of my neurodivergence and ADHD where simply getting to grip with the guidance was a challenge in itself.

“Yet, through all of that, the reading and critical evaluation of the research allowed me to integrate the evidence into my pedagogical practice. The reward was a real clarity in my developing role. As a health educator in physiotherapy, I shifted from simply teaching to truly understanding the ‘why’ behind what I do.

“For me the Fellowship is not just a credential; it is a profound validation of every frustrating moment, every late night and long weekends writing, editing, and every doubt I overcame. I still have impostor syndrome but maybe less and I like to think I have a more robust foundation to build upon and support my students in their learning journey.”

Alexandros Mouzakitis, Lecturer in Physiotherapy

On his appointment as Fellow, Alexandros Mouzakitis said “Being awarded Advance HE Fellowship (FHEA) feels like recognition for the quiet, everyday work of making learning usable in real physiotherapy context.

“My ICU cardiorespiratory background taught me to keep things calm, clear and human under pressure, and that’s the spirit I try to bring to teaching; simulation that feels real, assessments students can navigate, and feedback they can act on.

“I’ll use the Fellowship to keep strengthening that approach, share it with colleagues, and help more of our students stay steady, think clearly and keep safe when patients need them most.”

Dr Nicola Preston, Associate Lecturer in Education

On her appointment as Senior Fellow, Dr Preston said: “I read an article recently about whether the pursuit of Senior Fellowship was worth the time and effort. In the article, two statements resonated for me when the author stated that “one of the most transformative aspects of pursuing Senior Fellowship is the reflective practice it encourages” and that “over time, this habit of reflection strengthens your ability to lead and mentor others more effectively”.

“I really valued the process of the Fellowship at UON run by Erica Morris (Head of Strategic Academic Practice) and the UON team of mentors and critical friends who ran a detailed programme of monthly development sessions. This has strengthened my desire to be a reflective, lifelong learner and hopefully positively influence as many others as I can.

“I have worked with some amazing leaders over 40 years of full-time employment but the one thing that is very clear to me is that you don’t necessarily need to be a manager to lead, and that building and maintaining relationships underpins everything.

“My route has been a slow one but I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Faculty of Business and Law

Dr Ahmed Mohamed, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering & Design

On his appointment as Fellow, Dr Mohamed said: “I am delighted to have been awarded the Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (FHEA), which represents not only a personal achievement but also a recognition of my commitment to teaching, learning, and supporting students.

“For me, the Fellowship highlights the importance of continuously reflecting on and improving academic practice to enhance the student experience and shaping innovative and inclusive pedagogies.

“I intend to use this Fellowship to further develop innovative approaches to teaching, deepen my engagement with evidence-based approaches to curriculum design, assessment, and student support, while also fostering collaborative projects with colleagues across disciplines and contribute to the wider academic community at Northampton.”

Dr Deniz Meric, Deputy Head of School – Strategy, Management & International Business (SMIB)

On her appointment as Senior Fellow, Dr Deniz Meric said: “I am truly honoured to have been awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). This achievement represents a significant milestone in my career as an educator within higher education. The Senior Fellowship acknowledges experienced professionals who exhibit a profound expertise in teaching and learning, contributing to the improvement of educational practices and setting high standards across the sector.

“As I move forward, I am committed to pursuing further personal and professional development, particularly in advanced teaching and learning practices, in order to stay aligned with both current and emerging trends in education.”

 

*The Associate Fellowship, Fellowship and Senior Fellowship categories achieved by our six academics reflect the diverse roles of those who teach and support learning at our institution, highlighting the significant impact they make on staff and students around them.

Senior Fellowship is awarded to professionals whose comprehensive understanding and effective practice provides a basis from which they lead or influence the learning and teaching practices of others (peers, colleagues, mentees, etc.) who teach and/or support high-quality learning.

Fellowship is awarded to individuals whose practice with learners has breadth and depth and demonstrate effectiveness of practice in teaching and/or support of high-quality learning.Associate Fellowship is awarded to professional individuals from a wide variety of different contexts to recognise who demonstrate effectiveness of practice in teaching and/or support of learning as demonstrated through evidence of meeting the criteria.