Overview

Promotion offers academic staff recognition and reward for demonstrated and sustained excellence in the three elements of academic endeavour – teaching, research and community engagement.  In each of these areas, ideas and actions are informed by a critical reflection on existing knowledge and practice.  Equally, the outcomes of academic work contribute to scholarship through the development of new knowledge and enhanced practice.  The three academic elements are mutually supporting; each contributing to the development of the others in ways that are jointly productive and beneficial.  Each activity is valued.

Scope

Policy

Promotion will be on the basis of merit.

• at least one year’s service (or its equivalent in broken periods of service) in an academic position at Macquarie University by the closing date for applications
• completed their Performance Development and Review (PDR) in the preceding year

Promotion and Selection Criteria (see Appendix A)
Applicants for promotion will be expected to demonstrate how they meet the criteria of the level to which they seek promotion. They must also demonstrate that their all-round performance clearly exceeds the expectations and criteria of their current level.

Applicants for Levels B and C must demonstrate their achievement in all three elements of academic endeavour – teaching, research and community engagement – whilst emphasising excellence in at least one.

Applicants for Level D must demonstrate their achievement in all three elements of academic endeavour – teaching, research and community engagement – whilst emphasising excellence in at least two.

Applicants for Level E must demonstrate how they meet excellence in all three elements of academic endeavour – teaching, research and community engagement.

Applicants need to demonstrate that they have maintained active and effective scholarship in their disciplines by contributions to learning and teaching, research and community engagement.

• they will demonstrate how teaching, research and community engagement have contributed to one another
• they will be able to demonstrate an increase in the quality, impact and effectiveness of their teaching, research and community engagement, as appropriate to their discipline
• their contribution to their discipline will be increasingly influential
• they will demonstrate increasing quality and impact in their leadership and mentoring

All three elements of academic endeavour – teaching, research and community engagement – are to be addressed in an application for promotion. It is recognised that the three elements are interlinked and can be evidenced in more than one element. An applicant is to indicate the relative contribution of each element in their application.

An applicant's whole career will be taken into account but special attention will be paid to the applicant's achievements relative to opportunity since appointment or promotion to their current level at the University.

The weight given to teaching, research and community engagement will take account of an applicant’s workload allocation and nature of appointment.

• four Level B Committees, one for each Faculty
• one Level C Committee
• one Level D Committee
• one Level E Committee

External Assessor
External Assessors will be called upon to assess each Level E application. They will be external to Macquarie University, have international standing in their discipline area and be of the level of Professor.

Appeals Committee
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Provost) will establish a committee for appeals. The Appeals Committee will uphold an appeal only if it is satisfied that the Macquarie University academic promotion procedure was not followed and that this failure had a material effect on the decision to not recommend promotion.

Management
The Director, Human Resources, will ensure the academic promotions cycle is managed efficiently and effectively.

The University does not impose quotas on the number of positions available at any of the levels to which promotion may be sought.

A written offer of appointment to a higher level from another university may be used by a staff member to demonstrate that they have met the requirements for promotion to the stated level. The University reserves the right to determine whether or not to rely on another University's decision as evidence to promote the staff member. In such cases, the effective date will be as determined by Macquarie University.

Equity and Diversity
The University will adhere to its principles of equality of opportunity, fairness and social inclusion.

Effective Date
A promotion will be effective one month after the scheduled notification date for the relevant round.

Review
A review will be undertaken each year to inform and improve the process.

Confidentiality
All staff involved in academic promotions will maintain complete confidentiality at all times.

• Cover Sheet and Checklist
• CV Template
• Referee Report
• Discipline Report