SHL psychologist awarded professional achievement accolade

by British Psychological Society


Professor Dave Bartram, research director for SHL Group plc has been chosen to receive the prestigious ’Award for Distinguished Contributions to Professional Psychology’ by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

The award - a mid-career recognition of outstanding contribution to professional practice in applied psychology - recognises the extensive work he has carried out in occupational assessment and testing, both nationally and internationally.

The accolade recognises Dave’s instrumental role in driving up assessment standards in the workplace, which has had direct impact on businesses by improving the selection and recruitment process. His innovations include developing computerised pilot aptitude testing for the Ministry of Defence during the 1980s - which are now used by two of the world’s major international airlines. He has also authored a range of assessment products for SHL that have been adapted for online delivery and are used across industries, in over 30 countries.

Dave’s extensive work with the BPS both nationally and internationally was a major factor in the decision to present him the award. He led the development of standards for occupational assessment use, both in the evaluation of criteria and in test user certification. The test quality criteria have now been adopted as the basis for European-wide test standards. In addition, Dave served as President of the International Test Commission until 2002, where he led projects into both test user guidelines and guidelines for computer-based and Internet testing. This, along with the new BPS Psychological Testing Centre that Dave helped found, firmly established the BPS on the international map for psychological testing.

Finally, Dave’s contribution to professional psychology across the board made him an ideal candidate for the achievement award. Not only was Dave instrumental in the adoption of a standards-based approach to professional psychological competence across the Society, but he has also contributed to a major Leonardo project to develop a common professional standard for applied psychologists across Europe.

Dave commented, Receiving this award is a real honour as it’s not often that you can combine contributions to the development of one’s profession, researching an academic subject like objective assessment and providing a real benefit to businesses. Our commitment to raising assessment standards internationally has meant that HR departments can be more efficient, finding the right person for job more quickly and cost-effectively.

He continued, I’d also like to add that the work towards establishing the BPS’ status in international testing would have been impossible without the contribution of many other people, both inside and outside the Society. In that respect, I’d like to think that this award reflects as much on all the members of the Steering committee on Test Standards, the various Verifier Groups and the PTC office staff, past and present as it does on me.

Charles Johnson, a Fellow of the BPS and one of those who nominated Dave said, I am delighted that Dave has been given this award. I cannot think of anyone who has done more over the last twenty years to promote good practice in the use of psychological tests for occupational purposes. Each year over 300,000 graduates enter employment and almost all will be tested at some time, often more than once. Virtually all these tests will be administered and interpreted by individuals who are qualified to the BPS’s test user standards, and although many people were involved in developing them, I am sure that all would agree that Dave was the driving force behind their development and acceptance.