Dr. Lobar Babakhodjaeva from University of Westminster Tashkent, Uzbekistan, reflects on her journey to Advance HE Senior Fellowship recognition.

Advance HE Fellowship helped me reflect on myself, prize myself, and be proud of myself. I usually underestimate my achievements, so this was a very helpful exercise to own what I did, why I did it, how it impacted people around me in my professional community and, importantly, categorise it according to the Professional Standards Framework. Having a session with an expert from Advance HE, who explained and navigated us through the process, was also invaluable and I’m grateful for my institution providing that opportunity. 

It seemed challenging at the beginning as I had to go through the PSF framework, get myself acquainted with it, and think about how my practice can be linked and contribute to the Dimensions listed there. It was not hard, but it took time and effort in between my busy schedule of teaching, researching and supervising.  

The process of applying for a Senior Fellowship with Advance HE proved to be a useful exercise in critically evaluating my professional practice. I had to look back at myself and see how my actions influenced the present, not only mine but others as well. Far more than a procedural requirement, the reflective framework compelled me to synthesise my experience – academic leadership, curriculum design, staff management and postgraduate supervision – into a coherent narrative that articulated not only what I have achieved but how and why my approaches have driven meaningful impact.  

While writing, I had to dig into the feedback I received from my colleagues and students some time ago, and it resonated very differently after some time had passed. I also talked to some of them to investigate the impact of my professional practice on their experience and further impact on their students.  

The process also revealed areas for future growth. While my application highlighted strengths in strategic leadership and research-informed teaching, it prompted me to explore how I might further embed inclusivity and digital innovation into our postgraduate program. For example, I am now piloting AI-driven tools to support the research process in the Developing Educational Research Practices module, an initiative born from reflecting on K5 (‘Leading Innovation’) and global shifts in EdTech.  

I think Fellowship is a very good tool to reflect on one’s own practice, set new aims and objectives for professional growth, and most importantly, a celebration of professional achievement. Achieving Senior Fellowship has validated my expertise and redefined my purpose as an educator and leader. It has instilled a heightened sense of accountability to model lifelong learning, advocate for evidence-based practice, and nurture environments where students and staff thrive.  

  

Dr. Lobar Babakhodjaeva is an academic passionate about higher education development and transnational education. With over 22 years of experience in education, she has developed expertise in research skills, quality assurance and enhancement systems, and leadership and management in HE.  Born and raised in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, she graduated with a BA in Business Management from Tashkent State Technical University, an MSc in Business Computing from the University of Westminster, a PhD and a DSc in Education. Today, she works at Westminster International University in Tashkent, teaching an MA in Learning and Teaching course. Together with her colleagues, Dr Babakhodjaeva created their blog on LinkedIn, “Teaching Horizons”, where they share their experience, reflect on their practices and invite others to collaborate: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9861164/