Professor Anne Tallontire awarded Principal Fellowship (PFHEA) 

Professor Anne Tallontire has become the ninth colleague currently at the University of Leeds to be recognised as a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) for her leadership in student education across the institution.

Principal Fellowship is awarded by Advance HE to colleagues whose practice involves a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership and extensive impact on high-quality learning.

Anne said:

As chair of the Professional Development and Recognition Oversight Group that guides on strategy in this area, it was important for me to apply for Principal Fellowship and practise what I preach by reflecting on my practice and experience as a leader, shaping institutional policy that benefits our students. Putting together my application gave me the crucial space and framework to reflect on my contributions and consider where I add value.

Professor Simon Kelley, Head of the School of Earth and Environment, said:

“I’m so pleased that Anne’s contribution to student education at the University of Leeds has been recognised with Principal Fellowship. I know we’ll all continue to benefit as Anne brings her expertise into the school teaching practice and develops the Sustainable Curriculum across the University.”

Anne joined the University as a lecturer in 2007 and was made a Senior Lecturer in Business, Environment and Corporate Responsibility in 2010, before becoming a Professor of Sustainability and Business in May 2019. After being Director of Student Education for School of Earth and Environment from 2012 to 2016, Anne then became the Pro-Dean for Student Education for the Faculty of Environment until 2022.

Anne is currently a Fellow of the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE) and part of her work has been to lead on professional development for teaching colleagues, and is part of the Sustainable Curriculum leadership team, and until recently led the University’s new approach to welcome, induction and transition for students.

Anne has also initiated a project to generate and sustain a more supportive culture for teaching in the university and has linked up with like-minded academics and professional service staff internationally. She brings this experience and insight into the University’s new Career Pathways project which aims to provide colleagues with a greater clarity on the opportunities for career progression and transparency around how to navigate these.

“Reflecting on case studies of projects is an important part of the process to become a Principal Fellow, but for me the focus on Integrative Academic Practice was the most compelling element. It’s about a holistic approach to being an academic leader – bringing together values, practice, relationships, and knowledge in a reciprocal way.”

As a Professor of Sustainability and Business with a background in global development, her disciplinary, and indeed inter-disciplinary focus is on working towards a more sustainable future through education, informed by social and environmental justice.

Anne explains that:

“In my leadership I seek to connect research, theory and educational practice, and to ensure that change initiatives are not silos but inform related activities.  I act as a broker working across disciplinary borders (inter-disciplinarity) and bridging between academic and practitioner worlds (trans-disciplinarity).”

She highlights the importance of academics working in partnership with professional service staff, which has been critical for creating new spaces for organisational learning, such as in our new approach to Welcome in the Sustainable Curriculum programme which draws on the expertise of the Sustainability Service in partnership with insights from teaching staff across disciplines.

In her future leadership work, Anne aims to continue to build links between institutional initiatives, and to ensure that strategies are both values-led, and importantly, embedded into professional development, support structures and everyday practice.