Professional Development Program (PDP) Policy
Responsible officer: Vice-Chancellor
Designated officer: Director, Human Resources
Council approval: C00/112, 28 November 2000
Last amended: C05/25, 7 June 2005
Related policies:
Overview
PDP provides opportunities to undertake particular projects such as external research and visiting appointments that contribute to an individual's professional development and the achievement of the University's strategic goals. It may include:
- acquisition or maintenance of professional and industry experience and knowledge
- research, specialised project work, visiting appointments or other activities which will improve teaching and learning or operations at the university and
- completion of a formal relevant research higher degree
Applications will need to meet eligibility and criteria requirements and will be judged on their merit by a committee. The committee makes recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor.
Applicants must provide a satisfactory report on the outcomes of their PDP upon return.
Current salary will be paid if the approved program is followed. Additional financial assistance is also available to successful applicants.
Policy
1. Eligibility
All full time and fractional (.5 fractional time and above) staff, both ongoing and fixed term, with a minimum of three years' continuous service with the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) will be eligible to apply for PDP.
Individuals who have an approved period of PDP are not eligible to reapply until such PDP has been completed and deemed to be satisfactory. A minimum of three years will normally intervene between periods of PDP.
Current committee members are not eligible to apply for PDP.
Fixed term staff members will not be granted PDP unless there is sufficient time remaining in their current contract of employment to ensure a return to the University for a period not less than the period of absence. PDP will not extend a fixed term appointment.
2. Duration
PDP will not normally be shorter than two (2) months or longer than six (6) months. Applications to undertake PDP for longer than six months will require a substantial case to be made, and in any case, PDP will not extend beyond 12 months.
3. Location of PDP
PDP provides opportunities for staff to benefit from an extended time away from their regular duties to undertake significant professional development activities, such as completion of a research higher degree or a significant project related to research or learning and teaching. To ensure that participants are able to withdraw fully from campus duties, PDP may not be undertaken on the USC campus, although USC facilities may be used if available. While applicants are encouraged to make national and international linkages necessitating relocation, in cases where projects may be properly pursued without relocation, relocation will not be required.
4. Other leave
PDP will be deemed to include the pro rata amount of annual leave due and to be inclusive of University holidays occurring during the leave. Public holidays declared for the location in which PDP is being taken will also be deemed to be included in the period of PDP.
A staff member may add recreation leave, long service leave, and/or leave without pay to a period of PDP, as approved by the cost centre manager.
5. Conditions of approval
A staff member who has received approval for a period of PDP must perform all duties associated with their position to the satisfaction of their cost centre manager prior to commencing PDP.
Approval is made on the condition that the staff member undertakes to resume full normal duties in the University on completion of PDP and to continue in those duties for a period not less than the period of absence. If the staff member does not comply with this requirement, repayment of salary and allowances received during the period, or a pro rata proportion of them, will be recouped by the University. Successful applicants are subject to the rules, regulations and policies of the University whilst on PDP.
In arriving at its recommendations, the PDP Committee will be entitled to take into account the success of previous PDP programs.
6. Reporting
The University considers reporting to be a contractual and important component of the PDP program. Within one month of return from a period of PDP, the staff member will be required to provide their cost centre manager with the following:
- a statement of income and expenditure for the period of PDP (including the travel diary)
- a report on PDP outcomes and
- a presentation or report to the relevant University community
A copy of the PDP report will also be sent to the Director, Human Resources.
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