Promotion Policy for Teaching and Research Staff
Responsible officer: Vice-Chancellor
Designated officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Council approval: Resolution C00/55, 13 June 2000
Last amended: C07/94, 28 August 2007
Related policies:
Overview
The University of the Sunshine Coast pursues international standards in teaching, research and engagement. To achieve these standards, it is essential that the academic performance of the University’s staff be of high quality. To attract, develop, motivate and retain high quality staff, it is important to recognise and reward their academic performance. Promotion for Teaching and Research (T and R) staff is a very significant way of recognising and rewarding sustained academic performance at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Policy
1. The University of the Sunshine Coast provides T and R staff with access to a promotion scheme. The principal purposes of promotion are to recognise and reward sustained academic performance at the University and provide an academic career path enabling staff to achieve at the highest levels in their respective disciplines.
2. Access to promotion also:
- provides a positive framework within which T and R staff can systematically reflect on their careers and development, and achieve their professional aspirations
- ensures all T and R staff are clear about what the University values in relation to academic work and the standards of performance expected at each classification level
- encourages alignment between the work of individual T and R staff, and University and Faculty goals
- fosters the achievement of the University’s Strategic Plan by ensuring that the performance which is formally recognised and rewarded contributes to the achievement of the University’s Mission
3. There is a call for applications for promotion each year.
4. T and R staff can be promoted from Levels A to B (associate lecturer to lecturer), B to C (lecturer to senior lecturer), C to D (senior lecturer to associate professor), and D to E (associate professor to professor).
5. To be eligible to apply for promotion, a T and R staff member has:
- a full-time or fractional appointment of 0.5 time fraction or above, and
- been employed by the University of the Sunshine Coast for at least 2 years by the end of the year in which applications are called for
A T and R Staff member who has applied unsuccessfully for promotion in two consecutive years is not eligible to apply in the year after his/her last unsuccessful application (ie, in the third year).
6. Promotion is awarded on merit. The criteria defining merit relate to:
- academic Qualifications in accordance with the T and R Staff Member Position Classification Guidelines (PCGs), and
- sustained academic achievement in teaching, research and engagement
7. To be promoted, a T and R staff member must demonstrate sustained academic performance commensurate with the level to which they are applying to be promoted. Promotion is recognition that a staff member is consistently performing at a higher level than that to which they are currently appointed.
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8. Areas of Performance
There are three areas of performance for academic work – teaching, research and engagement.
8.1 Teaching
The University's learning and teaching Mission is to enable successful student learning through effective teaching, excellent curriculum design, and the generation of a positive academic environment.
At the University of the Sunshine Coast, teaching is viewed as a demanding scholarly endeavour that starts with what a T and R staff member knows about a discipline/field and its connections with other disciplines/fields, and proceeds through structured learning processes to the point where learners achieve understanding. Effective teaching aims to motivate and excite learners to be critical, creative thinkers with the capacity to go on learning throughout their lives. University teaching is a multifaceted activity involving design, delivery, evaluation and improvement of teaching and curricula that enables diverse groups of students to graduate with attributes appropriate for active and productive participation in contemporary society. These attributes are encapsulated in the University’s Statement of Graduate Attributes.
Teaching is a scholarly practice that may include:
- maintaining currency in one’s discipline/field
- maintaining currency in effective learning and teaching practices through professional interactions, especially in one’s discipline/field
- designing, developing, evaluating and improving curricula
- lecturing, tutoring, conducting workshops, seminars and field trips, and demonstrating
- assessing, and giving feedback to, students
- leading learning and teaching development processes within and beyond the University
- developing and maintaining strategic partnerships that enhance the quality of learning and teaching within the University and beyond
- conducting “practitioner research” into learning and teaching and communicating the outcomes of that research, particularly in quality refereed journals
- being invited to teach at other universities and give addresses in various learning and teaching fora, and
- contributing to the development and maintenance of a positive academic environment that is conducive to high levels of engagement and standards of performance in learning and teaching
8.2 Research
The University’s research Mission is to undertake research and research training at international standards that contribute to the advancement of the region.
At the University of the Sunshine Coast, the definition of research is consistent with that used by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST): that is, research comprises “creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge”. Research is further classified into four types of activity: pure basic research; strategic basic research; applied research including new ways of achieving specific and predetermined objectives such as clinical practice; and experimental development”.
An essential characteristic of research activity is that it leads to publicly verifiable outcomes that are open to peer appraisal. Research is also characterised by originality; it has investigation or creation as a primary objective and has the potential to produce results that are sufficiently general for humanity's stock of knowledge (theoretical, creative or practical) to be recognisably increased.
Research is a scholarly practice that may include:
- purposefully developing focused expertise in a discipline/field
- developing a research agenda and, in some cases, establishing a research team(s)
- framing research problems and researchable questions
- designing and conducting research projects and writing research reports
- developing and maintaining strategic research partnerships
- communicating research outcomes to both expert and lay audiences through publishing, exhibiting and performing
- successfully applying for research grants, particularly external competitive grants
- developing and exploiting intellectual property
- successfully supervising candidates for higher degrees by research
- being invited to conduct research with colleagues at other universities and give addresses in various research and research training fora, and
- contributing to the development and maintenance of a positive academic environment that is conducive to high levels of engagement and standards of performance in research
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8.3 Engagement
Engagement at the University of the Sunshine Coast includes regional, national and international engagement and engagement within the University.
The University’s Mission statement provides a framework for the University’s commitment to regional, national and international engagement. The Regional Engagement Plan 2007-2009 articulates the importance of partnerships and ongoing consultation and cooperation with regional stakeholders, which also extends to other regions, including internationally, where there are common issues and concerns.
Engagement, which involves using specialist knowledge for the benefit of the community, is a scholarly practice through which T and R staff apply their academic knowledge and skills to consequential problems in the world beyond the University. It can be both in a remunerated capacity as consultancy, or without remuneration. Engagement provides a base from which new teaching and research outputs can be generated. Through engagement, worthwhile social, civic and professional functions are performed.
Engagement within the University is a scholarly practice that has the purpose of helping the University to define and achieve its goals and enable it to be a healthy organisation.
Engagement may include:
- developing and maintaining strategic and productive partnerships, connections and relationships with people, groups and organisations at local, national and international levels
- contributing to pre-University education in the region through interactions with schools
- editing journals and being a member of review panels
- creating opportunities for discussion of intellectual, social, economic and cultural issues of importance to the wellbeing of the community
- making professional commentary on issues in the general media and within the wider community which involves bringing specialist expertise to bear on issues of general public interest in a range of fora
- undertaking major consulting projects through the University
- making contributions to significant projects that advance the achievement of the University’s Mission
- taking on roles of responsibility within the University, such as key coordination roles
9. An applicant’s task is to demonstrate that they are consistently performing at a higher level than that to which they are currently appointed. To make a case, an applicant makes performance claims against the criteria defining merit to demonstrate significant impact and quality outcomes in teaching, research and engagement.
10. Applicants need to provide clear evidence in support of their claims about the quality and impact of their academic performance:
- Evidence in relation to claims about teaching must address effectiveness as a teacher, which may include: analyses of, and responses to, student feedback on teaching and courses using the University’s approved instruments; diverse contributions to student learning; innovation in curriculum design and delivery; and scholarly activities that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching at the University and beyond
- Evidence in relation to claims about research must address effectiveness as a researcher, which may include: refereed publications in quality journals; external competitive grants, particularly National Competitive Grants; numbers of, and timely completions by, candidates for higher degrees by research; and the quality and impact of research
- Evidence in relation to claims about engagement must address effective engagement in, and outcomes of engagement within the region and/or beyond and/or within the University which may include: the applied use of knowledge to address contemporary issues and problems in industry, commerce, communities and government; consultancies; professional practice including leadership roles in professional bodies/associations; and contributions to the achievement of significant outcomes within the University
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11. Academic levels
At Level B and above, it is expected that a T and R staff member is competent in all three areas of performance. However, the focus of a T and R staff member’s work and the balance between the three areas of performance can change throughout their career.
The University uses the Position Classification Guidelines (PCGs), which are generic statements, to describe the broad categories of responsibilities of T and R staff at different levels.
The work of T and R staff is such that the various levels of appointment share common tasks. The University has identified distinctions between levels of appointments in the activities, outcomes, quality and impact of teaching, research and engagement. To clarify these distinctions, profiles of the levels have been developed to complement the PCGs.
Level B (Lecturer)
A Lecturer is an established academic who can demonstrate competence in all three areas of performance. While they are an effective teacher, they are also maintaining and developing their research profile, can have responsibility for research projects and for supervision of honours students and candidates for higher degrees by research. They can provide evidence of success in publishing in refereed journals. They are making important connections with and contributions to their discipline/field and/or within the region and beyond. They are also actively engaged in Faculty/School development.
Level C (Senior Lecturer)
It is recognised that specialisation in one area of performance may occur at this Level. Where this is the case, the expectation is that performance and outputs in the designated area are significantly superior.
A Senior Lecturer makes significant contributions to the teaching effort of the Faculty/School which can be demonstrated through teaching and course evaluations and additional outputs from areas such as scholarship (publications), grants for teaching innovation (especially external competitive grants), leadership in curriculum design and development and external and internal recognition (for example, Carrick Award/Citation).
They play a major role in research by leading research projects and supervising candidates for higher degrees by research. Evidence of the level of research can be demonstrated through publications in quality journals of national/international standing, National Competitive Grants and leadership as a supervisor and mentor.
They make significant connections with, and contributions to, their discipline/field and/or within the region and beyond. They have some involvement in and impact on the development of their own discipline, which is recognised and acknowledged by peers nationally. They can also make significant contributions to Faculty/School and University development which can be evidenced by substantial outcomes.
Level D (Associate Professor)
An Associate Professor is a leader whose performance is of national/international standing in at least one of the three areas of performance. They often choose to specialise in an area of performance, but active participation in, and high levels of output from, research activity and/or the scholarship of teaching are expected.
As a leader in learning and teaching, they often provide scholarly leadership that is recognised externally through awards (for example, Carrick Award), invitations to serve on national/international panels, scholarly publications and keynote addresses at national/international conferences on learning and teaching.
As a research leader, they manage significant research projects, mentor other researchers and supervisors, have high levels of output in quality journals of national/international standing, have consistent success with National Competitive Grants and serve on national/international discipline panels (for example, ARC panels of experts and RQF assessment panels). They can demonstrate significant involvement in the development of their discipline/field nationally, and sometimes internationally, the outputs of which are recognised and acknowledged by peers as noteworthy.
As a leader in engagement, an Associate Professor has substantial involvement in University and/or regional development. They are able to demonstrate sustained performance that has led to significant outcomes, which can be established through standard academic outputs such as publications and grants and/or through recognition from the community and/or the University.
Generally the performance of an Associate Professor exemplifies national best practice.
Level E (Professor)
A Professor is an international leader in teaching and/or research and/or engagement. They make significant contributions to the development of the University. They can specialise in one area of performance, but again, active participation in research and/or the scholarship of teaching is required. This can include the management of major research projects, mentoring other researchers, and evidence of an established profile in high quality journals and for major external competitive grants, particularly National Competitive Grants.
A Professor also has significant involvement in the development of their discipline/field, both nationally and internationally, having made a clear and formative impact, which is recognised and acknowledged as significant by leaders in the discipline/field. They have national and/or international prominence due to the impact and influence of their work, which is recognised by national and international leaders in the field/discipline.
As a leader in engagement, a Professor has significant involvement in University and/or regional development. They are able to demonstrate sustained performance that has led to major outcomes for the University which result in high levels of recognition (for example, through publications and ARC linkage grants) and significant social, economic and cultural impact that benefit the region and/or beyond.
Generally they demonstrate established and continuing international expert status.
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12. The University recognises that the institution’s wellbeing and reputation depends on a wide and varied range of contributions. Thus when considering a case for promotion, the University recognises that:
- staff members work in a wide variety of disciplines that have differing expectations and profiles
- staff members, whilst engaged in all three areas of academic performance, allocate time and resources in different ways
- staff have diverse responsibilities or varying opportunities to engage in the full range of academic activities
13. The Faculty Promotions Committees consider and evaluate applications for promotion from eligible Faculty staff and provide advice to the University Promotions Committee.
The University Promotions Committee evaluates applications and makes recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor.
14. The Vice-Chancellor can approve or not approve any recommendation to promote.
15. Promotions take effect from 1 January in the year following the call for applications.
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