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Education Fellowships

Fellowships Case Study: Diana De

7 November 2025
Ela Pari Huws

Ela Pari Huws

Receiving my Principal Fellow (PF) confirmation from Advance HE was a massive personal and professional achievement. It’s certainly a milestone in my academic career and a testament of my contribution to the Higher Education sector.

Principal Fellow recipients need to demonstrate a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership of high-quality learning, teaching and supporting others in higher education. There is strong emphasis on displaying vision, steer and transforming practice, policy and national guidance. Evidence of making a real difference with positive impact must be presented across 3 separate case studies. This had to span across 5-7 years, at least.

I’ll admit, it wasn’t easy. It took me a quite some time to craft my final application. Selecting my three case studies (out of a long list of options) and planning how to present these required time and careful consideration. Ascertaining the unique part which I played in influencing significant strategic change had to be clearly articulated and substantiated with data and further evidence across a total of 7000 words. The whole process was hugely reflective, and once I began, my write-up began to flow more easily. My claims, then, had to be corroborated by three independent advocates from the Higher Education sector, including at least one that was external to my own institution.

Don’t be put off by those who might say ‘oh, that will never get through’. That’s what I told a colleague from the Law School who felt this had been his main barrier to pursuing PF. Remember, each application will be unique. Go for it. Seek out support from the Cardiff University Fellows network and the Learning and Teaching Academy. The Advance HE also provides helpful guidance. Talking to other Advance HE fellows, regardless of level can be motivational and could provide you with inspiration.

I think PF cements your leadership, worth and professional credibility. It provides recognition on the contributions you have made and are still making within academia and beyond. As an example, my recent involvement as an expert nurse educator representing the British Society for Haematology global taskforce to Zambia, I was tasked to conduct a review of the country’s ‘safe blood transfusion’ training and how it could be more effective. My report included recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of current training. My input with such not only strengthened international partnership working, it also fed into a project between NHS England and the Zambian National Blood Transfusion Service in a wider aim to drive quality improvement of patient morbidity and mortality outcomes across maternity services. On a more local level, I shall share some recommendation with the Adult Nursing team to incorporate some of those recommendations into local haemo-vigilance teaching to our student nurses, at Cardiff University.

Find out more about the Education Fellowship Programme or get in touch with the team on ltacademy@cardiff.ac.uk.