A member of academic staff seeking promotion to Assistant Professor (Level B) will be expected to have demonstrated scholarly achievements. The applicant will be required to have made a superior contribution to scholarship by teaching or research, or to have made significant contributions to both. Service to the University, the profession and the community will be considered.
Where academic staff seeking promotion have fractional appointments, the University expects the same level and quality of achievements and recognition as full time academic staff. In terms of quantity of output, such as teaching load, research publications and service, the expectation is of at least pro-rata output consistent with the level of achievement required for promotion.
The Academic Promotions Committee will give due consideration to matters such as fractional or joint appointments and interrupted careers (perhaps due to caring responsibilities or illness) and differing opportunities for research output by comparing rates of achievement rather than total aggregates. Applicants must advise the Committee of these circumstances
When assessing an application the Committee will take account of an applicant's entire body of work, with a particular focus on the achievements since their last promotion.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Criteria: Applicants should demonstrate a professional contribution and commitment to high quality teaching at several levels, a commitment to the maintenance of academic standards within the discipline and a willingness to perform the full academic and related administrative responsibilities as coordinator of one or more units.
Teaching Standards: An Assistant Professor (Level B) demonstrates an understanding of the student learning experience through a commitment to high quality effective teaching practice, including the ability to incorporate research, scholarship and/or professional practice into teaching activities and a commitment to improvement and innovation in response to feedback.
The applicant can address the promotion criteria in teaching, and demonstrate that they have made significant advances towards meeting the Assistant Professor (Level B) teaching standard by drawing on evidence gathered on their teaching activities contained in the teaching criteria framework and contextualised in the relevant discipline.
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP AND/OR OTHER RELEVANT CREATIVE WORK
Applicants will be required to show evidence of achievement in a relevant area of research (or other creative work, in the case of appointments in the Arts).
This could be demonstrated in a number of ways, including:
a personal commitment to, and achievement in, scholarly research and communication of that achievement to others;
a willingness to undertake research with groups and individuals in the School, both within the particular discipline and within related disciplines and
a willingness to direct and supervise major Honours or Postgraduate research projects.
Documentation should include evidence of completed publication (or the equivalent including patents granted, compositions performed and reviewed, paintings exhibited and favourably reviewed, successful product marketing, etc.) with emphasis on the period since appointment. References to publications should be given in full with, for example, exact pagination and dating. Satisfactory performance on indicators (a) and (b) is essential. Satisfactory performance on other indicators is supportive but not essential.
Publication in refereed journals or series, or by publishers recognised as leaders in the field:
Applicants should demonstrate the quality of their output, for instance, by giving a brief explanation of the quality and reputation of the refereed journals or publishing houses which have produced their work. In studio arts or architecture there is a range equivalent to that of publications, from appearance in juried shows or collections, an invited one-person show at a distinguished gallery or institution, through to an appearance at a mixed gallery - this last being roughly the equivalent of the selected conference paper for other academic disciplines.
As with research publications, in the Arts it will be the quality, status and recognition of works that will be considered and assessed. For example, in musical composition, the work or the soloist will need to have been chosen for performance in a competitive or highly selective context, or be favourably reviewed by independent reviewers. For both research publications and creative works in the Arts, work presented or published in less prestigious formats will also be considered but will depend more heavily for its weighting on independent and authoritative assessment of merit as in (b) or (d) below.
High ratings of the publications and other research or creative work as attested (where appropriate) by citations indices, by references in published literature which cite the applicant's work as definitive or in letters from distinguished scholars or critics in the field (a substantial number of whom must come from outside The University of Western Australia).
Value to industry of knowledge, processes and products developed.
Favourable published reviews of the publications or creative works.
Awards by professional associations for outstanding research or creative work.
Invitations to positions, lectures or demonstration at outstanding institutions or leading professional conferences.
Grants based on competitive jury recommendations.
Research leadership, as evidenced by team achievements or, with suitable justifications, citation indicies.
Breadth of expertise.
Any other clear evidence of exceptional contribution to the chosen field.
SERVICE
Service at The University of Western Australia is normally considered under three headings:
Academic Citizenship
Professional Leadership within the University
Community Service and Leadership
All applicants for promotion will need to document their contributions to Service in a Service Folio.
4.1.2 Sustained contribution to the development of a collegial and supportive work environment
4.2 Professional Leadership in the University
4.2.1 Sustained contribution to University governance
4.2.2 Regular contribution to policy development
4.3 Community Leadership and Service
4.3.1 Sustained service to the discipline/profession at local, state, national or international levels
4.3.2 Community service through teaching
4.3.3 Community service through sharing of academic expertise
As in the preceding categories, quantity and quality should be documented in any cases where emphasis is being placed on the service component. Documentation should be from peers familiar with the contributions in each specific sub-area.
