Policy Statement

1.1   All academic staff, other than those on casual appointments, are eligible for academic promotion.

Ordinarily a minimum employment period of two years is expected. It is possible, however, to apply for promotion within two years of the initial appointment. In these cases the applicant and/or Head of School may wish to first discuss the special circumstances to justify the applicant's case with the Chair of the Academic Promotions Committee.

When assessing an application the Committee will take account of an applicant’s entire body of work, with a particular focus on their achievements since their last promotion.

Fractional Appointments

Where applicants 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 the 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.

1.2   Promotion to levels below Professor or Senior Principal Research Fellow

Applicants should normally hold a position at one level lower than the position sought.

Prior to submitting an application for promotion, it is expected that the applicant will have discussed the matter with the Head of School and perhaps also with the Dean. Where necessary, the Chair of the Academic Promotions Committee can also be available for discussions with intending applicants.

1.3   Promotion to Professor or Senior Principal Research Fellow

Any member of academic staff may apply for promotion to Professor or Senior Principal Research Fellow providing that requirements outlined in 1.1 are met. Alternatively, a member of academic staff may consider applying for promotion to Professorial Fellow. This position may be appropriate for academic staff whose contributions are primarily in research or teaching and learning rather than in all three areas of teaching, research and service. All applicants to Professorial level positions will need to demonstrate contributions in the area of service.

Full Promotion criteria for each level can be found at Table of Contents – Promotion Criteria.

2.1   It is the role of the Academic Promotions Committee to assess all applications for promotion and to provide the Vice-Chancellor with a list of its recommendations presenting each category separately according to the Committee's assessment of the merit of the applicants. The Vice-Chancellor will report to Senate on recommendations being made concerning applications received for promotion.

2.2   If the Academic Promotions Committee considers, on the basis of submitted material, assessors' reports and the report from a corresponding member, that a case exists for promotion to Professor, the application will be considered by the Senate Promotions Committee, chaired by the Vice Chancellor.

2.3   Membership of the Academic Promotions Committee

The membership of the Academic Promotions Committee is comprised of the Chair, two nominees of the Vice-Chancellor, three nominees of the Academic Board, elected Staff Representative, the Manager Equity and Diversity, Human Resources. The Committee has an Executive Officer also in attendance at meetings. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for current membership.

3.1   The Academic Promotions Committee will assess applications on the basis of the documentation submitted including the applicant's, Personal Statement, Academic Portfolio and Curriculum Vitae, having regard for how well and to what extent the applicant satisfies the criteria for promotion.

3.2   Research Profile

The Socrates RQF system has been designed to gather data from a variety of UWA databases in order to present information required by the Federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), for the Research Quality Framework (RQF).

The Academic Promotions Committee has University level access to data on the SOCRATES system and will be viewing this as it applies to applications for promotion.

Applicants can check their profile at https://www.socrates.uwa.edu.au

3.3   Assessors

It is the policy of the Academic Promotions Committee to refer applications to assessors external to The University of Western Australia where it is satisfied that a prima facie case for promotion has been established. For procedures on nomination of assessors, see Academic Promotion – Procedures.

3.4   Professorial and Senior Principal Research Fellow Applications

In addition to items assessed for all promotions, the following additional assessments are made for promotion to Professorial Level.

In applications for promotion to Professor or to Senior Principal Research Fellow, if the Academic Promotions Committee considers that a prima facie case for promotion exists following a review of assessors' reports, the Committee may seek the views of a Corresponding Member. The Corresponding Member is a senior academic who may not be in the same specific area of specialisation as the applicant, but who is nevertheless able to provide a broad assessment of the applicant's suitability for promotion to Professor.

When assessing applications for Professorial and Senior Principal Research Fellow promotion, the Academic Promotions Committee will consider all aspects of the application including service to the University and the wider community. In addition, successful applicants must clearly meet the standards for an equivalent appointment in major international universities. That adequate standards have been met is normally established – and must be attested to – by the Head of School in his or her supporting letter.

If the Academic Promotions Committee decides, on the basis of the submitted material, assessors' reports, and the report from the Corresponding Member, that a prima facie case exists for promotion to Professor or to Senior Principal Research Fellow, it will recommend to the Vice-Chancellor that the application proceeds to a Senate Promotions Committee for interview. The Senate Promotions Committee will normally interview all applicants recommended for promotion to Professor or Senior Principal Research Fellow by the Academic Promotions Committee.

The Senate Promotions Committee is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and consists of the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, a Lay Member of Senate, Chair of the Academic Board, Chair of the Academic Promotions Committee and two Co-opted Professors of the University nominated by the Vice-Chancellor.

A vision statement will now be a requirement at this level. Before an applicant is invited for interview, they will be asked to provide a written vision statement for the Chair and members of the Senate Promotions Committee in which they outline what they plan to achieve in the next three years.

Following the interview with the Senate Promotions Committee, applicants will be invited to meet with the Vice-Chancellor to discuss the result of the application.

Sub-Professorial and sub-Senior Principal Research Fellow Promotion

Promotion is effective from the date of the Academic Promotions Meeting in which the decision was reached to recommend promotion.

Professorial and Senior Principal Research Fellow Promotion

Promotion is effective from the date the applicant was interviewed by the Senate Promotions Committee and where a decision was reached to grant promotion.

NB: Promotion is not backdated and promotions are recommended to commence at the first salary point of the level to which the applicant is promoted

The Academic Promotions Committee will consider applications where a staff member wishes to seek promotion by two levels or higher than their existing level. Applicants need to give a clear explanation in the Personal Statement as to why an accelerated promotion is being sought. The Head of School and Dean are also expected to refer to this request in their accompanying comments.

The University is committed to retaining high quality staff. To support this it has introduced Fast Track Promotion procedures for use only in exceptional circumstances. They enable the University to respond rapidly to opportunities to retain high quality staff. It is envisaged that for the majority of academic promotions, the standard promotion process will be used.

Where a staff member has applied for a position in another University which is above their current level at UWA, and where the Head of School sees it as important to retain the staff member, the Head of School may wish to encourage the staff member to apply for promotion. This means that their case for promotion can be considered at the same time as their application to the other institution. Where time frames are limited, however, and particularly where the staff member has received an offer of employment at a higher level, such promotion applications may be considered under the Fast Track Promotion procedures.

Please note that in order to facilitate the efficient and timely handling of applications for Fast-Track promotion and to ensure delays do not occur, the following procedures are to be followed:

APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:

1. A letter of offer (if available) including preferred timeframe for the outcome of the application, or a written indication of intention to offer an appointment.
2. Academic Portfolio
3. Written confirmation that they have sighted the comments from the Head of School and Dean on appropriate form Application for Academic Promotion Form – 2.
4. Two nominated assessors, one for teaching, one for research, or in the case of a Research application, two nominations for research. Full title, postal address, email and telephone contact details must be provided. These should be provided on the Application for Promotion – Form 1.

HEAD OF SCHOOL AND DEAN OF FACULTY REQUIREMENTS:

1. A case to support a Fast-Track application for promotion must be approved by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor prior to electronic submission to the Executive Officer, Academic Promotions Committee.
2. Head of School and Dean comments should be provided on Application for Academic Promotion Form 2 and if necessary, may include additional information on a separate page.
3. Prior to submission to the Executive Officer, Academic Promotions Committee, assessors must be contacted by the Head of School and advised that invitations may be forwarded to them to act in this capacity for a Fast-Track promotion application. This will ensure that they are standing by to accept material electronically and are aware of the short timeframe involved. All assessors nominated may not be invited, the final choice remaining with the Chair and members of the Academic Promotions Committee.
4. Application for Academic Promotion Form – 3 with the names of four nominated assessors. Full title, postal address, email and telephone contact details must be provided.
5. An indication of the time by which a recommendation is required.

THE PROCESS:

• All applications will be acknowledged on receipt.
• The case for Fast-Track promotion is circulated to the Chair and members of the Academic Promotions Committee who will review the case and invite assessors from those names provided by the Head of School.
• On acceptance of invitations, application material is forwarded to assessors electronically and they are given an indication of the timeframe by which a report will be required.
• It is very important that the Executive Officer is advised if the timeframe is shortened and where the applicant is expected to give the other institution an earlier response than originally anticipated.

When all assessors’ reports have been received, they are circulated by the Executive Officer to the Academic Promotions Committee which will review the case and make a recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor. The Committee will consider whether there is a need for a further review of the application by a corresponding member, or an interview process with the Senate Promotions Committee. However, the request to proceed to a corresponding member may be waived at the discretion of the Vice-Chancellor.

The Committee, after reviewing the case, may recommend payment of a retention allowance as an alternative to promotion.

PROMOTION TO PROFESSOR (FAST TRACK)

In accordance with the policy for promotion to Professor a report from a corresponding member may also be included with the recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor. The Senate Promotion Committee will normally also interview the applicant and may invite the corresponding member to attend such an interview if the Vice-Chancellor so desires, usually by telephone conference.

The Vice-Chancellor, at his discretion, is empowered to deviate from the normal guidelines in certain circumstances – for example, where the Academic Promotions Committee is unanimous in its decision to recommend promotion and has forwarded its recommendation for approval. In considering the recommendation, the Vice-Chancellor may, waive the requirement for a corresponding member and postpone the interview process where the timeframe does not allow for this to take place in the normal way. The Vice-Chancellor will consult with the Chancellor or nominee, either in writing, or verbally, to seek approval of this course of action.

Following such circumstances the Vice-Chancellor would provide the members of the Senate Promotions Committee with a brief statement of explanation in order to ensure the Committee is aware of the background to the case and the reasons for handling it in this manner.

The following principles are applied by the Committee when considering applications:

7.1   Applicants not recommended for promotion up to and including Level D may seek a meeting with the Chair of the Academic Promotions Committee to discuss the outcome of the promotion application.

7.2   At the discretion of the Chair, an unsuccessful application for promotion may be referred back to the Academic Promotions Committee where:

• it can be demonstrated that relevant information of a significant nature submitted as part of the application had been overlooked or misinterpreted; or
• where clear evidence of a significant procedural irregularity having occurred can be demonstrated.

7.3   All applicants to Level E not recommended for promotion either by the Academic Promotions Committee or by the Senate Promotions Committee may meet with the Vice-Chancellor to discuss the outcome of the promotion application.