• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Part A - Principles
• Part B - Eligibility
• Part C - Requirements for Promotion
• Fields of Academic Practice
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) This document establishes the policy for academic promotion to Levels B, C, D and E, providing recognition and reward for staff excellence and achievement.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) The University seeks to attract, retain and develop very high quality staff to put into effect its educational and research plans and to achieve its goals. As part of this commitment it seeks to encourage, by way of promotion, those members of academic staff who demonstrate outstanding qualities in the performance of their responsibilities.

(4) This policy applies to academic promotion to Level B, Level C, Level D and Level E.

Part A - Principles

(5) The University regards its policy and procedures governing the appointment and promotion of its academic staff as an instrument for achieving its mission. Through promotion, the University acknowledges the contributions made by academic staff within the University and the wider community. A high level of commitment from the staff is integral to achieving the University mission.

(6) The University does not impose quotas on the number of staff approved for academic promotion in any one round.

(7) The University values sustained excellence, achievement, quality and innovation in:

1. teaching and learning;
2. educational development;
3. research and development;
4. scholarship and the advancement of knowledge; and
5. leadership, service and engagement.

(8) The University recognises academic staff members' diverse achievements, talents and career trajectories, and supports different pathways to academic excellence.

(9) The University has accordingly adopted the following principles, which govern actions taken to promote academic staff:

1. the University is committed to equal employment opportunity, diversity and inclusion. Consistent with state and federal legislation, staff should not be treated less favourably due to their sex, relationship status, pregnancy, parental status, breastfeeding, age, race, impairment, religious belief or religious activity, political belief or activity, trade union activity, lawful sexual activity, gender identity, sexuality, family responsibilities, or association with, or relation to, a person identified on the basis of any of the above attributes. The University recognises that some of these attributes may impact on a staff member's capacity to work uninterrupted or on a full-time basis.
2. the University will assess academic staff on their achievements relative to opportunity, based on requirements for promotion across the fields of academic practice of Teaching and Learning; Research, Scholarship and Development; and Leadership, Service and Engagement. Applications will be assessed with consideration to fractional appointments, personal circumstances, or both.
3. the University will establish an Academic Promotions Committee to consider applications lodged by academic staff for promotion to Levels B, C, D and E.
4. An applicant may only apply to the level immediately above their current level.
5. Academic Promotion will be to step one of the new level.

Part B - Eligibility

(10) Subject to clause 11 of this Policy, Academic staff are eligible to apply for promotion if:

1. they have a continuing appointment or fixed-term contract, either full-time or part-time;
2. they have served at least twenty-four months employment at the University at time of application submission; and
3. they have a current, signed workload agreement, and have participated constructively and in good faith in the Academic Performance Planning and Review process.

(11) Promotion of a person who is employed on a non-renewable contract does not vary the length of the contract.

(12) In exceptional cases, newly-appointed academic staff may be considered eligible for an early application for academic promotion. The decision to waive the eligibility period will be determined as part of the probationary process, on a case-by-case basis.

(13) Academic staff are ineligible to apply for promotion if:

1. they are employed on a casual basis; or
2. their employment is externally funded, unless the funding includes provision to support the promotion.

Part C - Requirements for Promotion

Fields of Academic Practice

(14) Applications for academic promotion will be assessed against the University's general standards for appointments, described in the Position Classification Standards in the current University Academic Staff Agreement.

(15) Applicants are required to make their case to the Academic Promotions Committee, addressing three fields of academic practice:

1. Achievements in Teaching and Learning, including but not limited to, any one or more of: engaged teaching, curriculum development, educational leadership, and student learning development.
2. Achievements in Research, Scholarship and Development, including but not limited to, any one of more of: engaged research, research impact, research leadership, and research-based professional consultancy activities.
3. Achievements in Leadership, Service and Engagement, including but not limited to any one or more of: institutional leadership at this University, and contributions to higher education and other sectors, the relevant profession or academic discipline, and communities in Australia or overseas.

(16) It is expected that applicants will demonstrate a high standard of performance in all three fields of academic work (unless an exceptional case is made), and that they demonstrate their performance and achievements at a level commensurate with requirements and expectations, described in the Position Classification Standards of the level for which they are applying.

(17) Assessments of applications for academic promotion will take into account applicants' overall career trajectories and achievements, but will focus on applicants' achievements over the shortest of:

1. the previous five years,
2. the period since the applicant's last promotion at the University; or
3. the period since the applicant's appointment to the University.

(18) In the case of applicants with documented career interruptions, an extended timeframe of achievements may be considered.

(19) Note: The process for considering career interruptions is described in the Academic Promotion Procedures.

Section 4 - Procedures

(20) Refer to the Academic Promotion Procedures.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(21) Refer to the Associated Documents.