Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Guidelines 1. PURPOSE The University has established Awards for Research Excellence to acknowledge outstanding contributions to research by individuals and teams. Academic staff who believe their recent research has advanced knowledge in a significant and sustained way are invited to apply. Research teams, which may involve staff from more than one (1) Faculty, who believe the group has made a significant research discovery, or has advanced research in their field in a significant and sustained way, are invited to apply for a Vice Chancellor's Award. 2. 3. OBJECTIVES 2.1 Encourage staff of Charles Sturt University (the University) to improve and enhance their own performance and the capability of others to develop to their full potential. 2.2 Individual Award: To recognise and encourage staff who have made a sustained contribution in advancing the research culture of the university by either: maintaining an exceptional record of sustained research activity during their employment with the University, especially within the last three (3) years or a major research breakthrough 2.3 Team Award: To recognise a research team or group, which may be multidisciplinary and/or cross School or Faculty, that has contributed to the research culture of the University by: together maintaining a research program of sustained excellence, which has contributed to the significant creation of new knowledge in the field or a major research breakthrough. 2.4 Support ongoing professional and career development of University staff. NUMBER OF AWARDS There is one (1) Vice-Chancellor’s award allocated in recognition of Research Excellence for either an individual or a team. 4. STAFF ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA The Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence is open to staff who meet the following eligibility criteria for an individual or team nomination: Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Guidelines 25 February 2014 Page 1 (a) Individual award nominations: All academic staff members who currently hold a continuing or fixed-term appointment at Charles Sturt University, have completed a minimum of two years’ service at the University, and have successfully completed probation are eligible to apply. No researcher is entitled to receive more than one Vice-Chancellor’s Award in any three (3) year period. (b) Team award nominations: All staff members and members of the research team, including technical staff and research assistants and other significant contributors who are not members of staff of the University, should be included in the team nomination. 5. NOMINATIONS 5.1 Any Charles Sturt University staff member, student, member of the University community or an external professional partner of the University may nominate a staff member or team that he/she considers to be deserving of a Vice-Chancellor’s Award. 5.2 Staff may not be nominated or receive an Individual Award and a Team Award for the same achievement in any year. 5.3 Staff are not eligible to receive or to be nominated for an Individual Award if they have been a recipient of an individual award in this category within the past three (3) years. 5.4 Each nomination must meet all relevant eligibility criteria for either an individual or team nomination to be considered for an award. 5.5 Self nominations are not accepted for this award category. 5.6 Original plus five (5) copies of the nominations for awards are welcomed from all levels of academic staff, that is, from Associate Lecturers through to Professors. 5.7 Copies of nominations for Individual Awards are to be lodged with the Deputy ViceChancellor (Research) during the nomination period. 5.8 Nominations from teams should cite all members of the team who have made major contributions to the research program of sustained excellence or the research discovery, including those who may have left the University, and technical staff and research assistants, etc. 5.9 Team nominations which cross School or Centre boundaries should be lodged with the unit to which the majority of the team are attached. The Deans, Head of School or Director of the Research Centre should attest to the quality of this supporting material in his/her letter of support. 5.10 Nominations should not exceed five (5) A4 pages in at least 11 point font. Material presented in excess of five (5) pages will be removed. 5.11 Copies of publications, reports and other materials should not accompany the application form. Such materials are to be made available on request. Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Guidelines 25 February 2014 Page 2 5.12 Nominations for Individual Awards should make plain the contribution of the nominee and others to any collaborative work. 5.13 Nominations for the Team Award should make clear the particular contribution of each member of the team. 6. 7. 8. SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA 6.1 All nominations must be based on excellence in research, which demonstrates clear alignment with the University’s Strategy, culture and values. 6.2 The selection committee meets to evaluate the nominations for the ViceChancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence. In presenting evidence, nominees are advised to prepare and submit a research portfolio for the past three (3) or more years under the following headings: a summary of the key research achievements; provide evidence of the significance of the contribution to new knowledge, noting the national or international distinction of the contribution; details of recognition given to the quality of the individual’s or team's achievements (e.g. attracting funds or invitations at international, national or regional level); details of the individual’s or team's publications by the HERDC categories or Creative Works Categories. Include the full reference details of up to 10 key outputs and an explanation of their importance in a sentence or two for each. Citation statistics and Journal Impact Factors should be presented where appropriate for these outputs. SELECTION COMMITTEE 7.1 The selection panel will be chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), or nominee, and comprised of three (3) members of the Board of Graduate Studies, and one (1) of the previous year's recipients. The Committee must be comprised of at least two (2) females. 7.2 Depending upon the quality of the nominations received, the selection committee will normally recommend one (1) individual or team for an award to the ViceChancellor. 7.3 The selection committee’s recommendation and the Vice-Chancellor’s determination of an award are not subject to internal appeal or review. EXPECTATIONS OF AWARD RECIPIENTS The recipients of Individual Awards will be expected to make their research philosophies and/or practices more widely known throughout the University. For example, they may be invited to participate in seminars or presentations, write a paper, act as a resource person or act as a mentor to their colleagues. APPENDIX 1: Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Official CSU Nomination Form Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Guidelines 25 February 2014 Page 3 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence OFFICIAL CSU NOMINATION FORM 1. Nominator’s details. Nominator’s name and title: Staff/ Student/ other (please specify): Division/Section, Faculty/School/ Centre, Course/year of study/ other: CSU campus / location: Phone: E-mail: I wish to place a nomination for the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence: Individual Award Team Award This nomination meets all eligibility criteria Signature: Date: 2. Nominees Details. Name of nominated employee or team: Name of team leader (applicable to a team nomination only): Staff number: Position title: Classification level: Division/Section, Faculty/School/ Centre: CSU campus/ location: Phone: E-mail: I accept this nomination for the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence and, if successful, agree to make my/our practices more widely known throughout the University. Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Nomination Form 25 February 2014 Page 1 3. Details of team members (applicable to team nomination only).Date: Signature: (1) Nominee’s name: Staff number: Staff position: Classification level: Section: CSU campus/ site: E-mail: Phone: I accept this nomination as a member of the nominated team. Signature: Date: ___/___/___ (2) Nominee’s name: Staff number: Staff position: Classification level: Section: CSU campus/ site: E-mail: Phone: I accept this nomination as a member of the nominated team. Signature: Date: ___/___/___ (3) Nominee’s name: Staff number: Staff position: Classification level: Section: CSU campus/ site: E-mail: Phone: I accept this nomination as a member of the nominated team. Signature: Date: ___/___/___ (4) Nominee’s name: Staff number: Staff position: Classification level: Section: CSU campus/ site: E-mail: Phone: I accept this nomination as a member of the nominated team. Signature: Date: ___/___/___ (5) Nominee’s name: Staff number: Staff position: Classification level: Section: CSU campus/ site: E-mail: Phone: I accept this nomination as a member of the nominated team. Signature: Date: ___/___/___ Please copy and paste additional boxes as required. Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Nomination Form 25 February 2014 Page 2 4. Please indicate your reasons for nominating this individual or team. Expand this section 5. Research portfolio provided by the individual or team. Please address each of the following (a) Individual or team nominee’s key research achievements over a sustained period of 3 or more years; (b) Evidence of the significance of the contribution to new knowledge, noting the national or international distinction of the contribution; (c) Details of recognition given to the quality of the individual’s or team's achievements (e.g. attracting funds or invitations at international, national or regional level); and (d) Details of the individual’s or team's publications by the HERDC categories or Creative Works Categories. Include the full reference details of up to 10 key outputs and an explanation of their importance in a sentence or two for each. Citation statistics and Journal Impact Factors should be presented where appropriate for these outputs. Expand this section 6. I endorse this nomination for the Vice-Chancellor’s Award. Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Nomination Form 25 February 2014 Page 3 Expand this section Signature: (Nominees Supervisor/ Manager) Date: 7. Nomination checklist. Please ensure you have completed all requirements of this nomination form. Nomination meets all relevant eligibility criteria. Each section of the nomination form is completed as required. Nominee(s) contact details are provided along with signed acceptance. Statement provided by the nominees Supervisor / Manager. Completed nomination forms may be emailed to vcawards@csu.edu.au by 30 May. Privacy Statement The personal information you provide on this form is protected by the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW). Provision of this information is a requirement of participation in the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence. Access to the information you provide is available to the nominator, nominee, nominee’s supervisor, nominee’s most senior manager, and those persons authorised to access the information in the course of their duties at CSU. This document will be stored in the Organisational and People Capability Directorate of the Division of Human Resources, Wagga Wagga. Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Excellence: Nomination Form 25 February 2014 Page 4