LSST’s Dean of Learning and Teaching Celebrates Landmark Principal Fellowship Achievement
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 5 February 2026
LSST is delighted to announce that Mr Syed Rizvi, Dean of Learning and Teaching and Academic Dean of LSST Elephant & Castle and LSST Stratford, has been awarded Principal Fellowship (PFHEA) of AdvanceHE. This prestigious national recognition represents the highest level of professional distinction in leadership in learning and teaching and places Mr Rizvi among just over 2,000 Principal Fellows worldwide.
Mr Ali Jafar Zaidi, LSST’s CEO, said: “Within the UK higher education landscape, Principal Fellowship of AdvanceHE remains a rare distinction, held by a select cadre of senior academic leaders. It recognises not only individual pedagogic authority but also LSST’s capacity to build reflective practice and sustained enhancement of the student learning experience. For LSST, this achievement signals our growing influence within national conversations on teaching excellence and professional development.”
Louise Lumsden, Head of Fellowships at AdvanceHE, said, “Congratulations to Syed.”
“AdvanceHE’s Principal Fellowship recognises and supports outstanding strategic leadership in teaching and learning across global higher education. With only just over 2,000 Principal Fellows around the world, it is a category of Fellowship that honours academic leaders who drive excellence, innovation and lasting influence in higher education.”
“Our community of Principal Fellows plays a crucial role in enhancing student outcomes across the sector. Through their strategic leadership and commitment to sharing innovative practices, they’re actively shaping how institutions approach teaching and supporting learning. The collaborative nature of the community means that successful strategies are shared and adapted across institutions globally.”
“As higher education continues to evolve, Principal Fellows are at the forefront of strategic innovation in teaching and learning, ensuring that student success remains at the heart of institutional development.”
Reflecting on his award, Mr Syed Rizvi said: “This recognition is deeply meaningful, not as a personal honour, but as a testament to the collective commitment to teaching excellence across LSST. The Principal Fellowship recognises sustained leadership and impact and I am proud to contribute to an institution that places learning, inclusion, and student success at the heart of everything that it does. The true value lies in empowering colleagues and, ultimately, enhancing the LSST student experience.”
Principal Fellowship is reserved for senior leaders who demonstrate strategic vision, sustained influence, and long-term impact on learning and teaching across institutions. With over 25 years of experience in higher education and 14 years at LSST, Mr Rizvi’s award reflects his enduring contribution to academic leadership, educational quality, and student-centred practice at the highest level.
As Dean of Learning and Teaching, Mr Rizvi provides strategic direction for LSST’s academic framework, ensuring that teaching practices are coherent, evidence-informed, and aligned with national benchmarks. His leadership shapes institutional approaches to assessment, feedback, curriculum design, and professional development, with a consistent focus on inclusive, reflective, and innovative pedagogy.
A defining feature of Mr Rizvi’s impact is his ability to translate strategic vision into tangible improvement across the institution. Through mentoring, structured development initiatives, and active engagement with colleagues, he ensures that LSST staff are supported in aligning practice with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). This approach has strengthened teaching quality, a culture of confidence and academic reflection throughout LSST, and led to NSS scores of 94.5% for Teaching Satisfaction in 2025.
For additional information or interviews, please direct questions to LSST’s Public Relations Manager and Editor of LSST Life via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.
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