Professional Development
Individual Development Fund
The Individual Development Fund (IDF) is designed to financially assist all members of staff
undertaking vocationally relevant courses/qualifications where no equivalent internal
provision is available.
Criteria for Funding
Please read these criteria carefully, as your application for funding will be assessed against
them. Your application will need to meet all of these criteria to be considered by the IDF
Panel
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Vocational relevance. The course/qualification must be related to your current role in
the University. You must demonstrate that the knowledge and skills you gain from the
course/qualification will assist in helping you successfully carry out your role. The
application form requires you to specifically identify these job-related gains.
External Courses. You must show that the course/qualification is not available internally
(eg through Professional Development or Central Short Courses).
Level of Course/Qualification. As long as the course/qualification is vocationally
relevant, then there is no bar on applying for funding for degrees/higher degrees.
Support from the Line Manager. It is important that you have support for the planned
activity from your line manager who agrees that there is a job related gain and is
prepared, where appropriate, to ensure that you are given the time to attend the activity.
The application form requires line manager input.
Details of Proposed Activity. In your application you must supply full details of the
activity you are planning to attend. This must include evidence of the cost of the
course/qualification.
Use of Funding. Your application should only make a claim for course fees and
examination fees. Claims for travel expenses study materials…etc will not be considered.
Period for Funding. Claims for funding can only be made in within the academic year of
your studies taking place.
Exclusions
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Any activity that would normally be funded by a School/Department is excluded from this
funding. It will be the judgement of the IDF Panel about which applications fall into this
category
Applications for funding to attend conferences will normally be rejected unless they are
part of a wider developmental activity.
Applications for funding for activities which exclusively result in only personal development
will not be considered.
Applications for funding which relate to internal charges made for IT courses and certain
Professional Development (PD) accredited courses. Such nominal charges should be met
from School/Department budgets.
Priorities for Funding where Applications Exceed Budget
In exceptional circumstances, where applications to the fund exceed available budget, grant
decisions will be taken in the following order. Any applicant, who is rejected on this basis,
will be encouraged to apply to the next round of funding.
1.
2.
Funding for staff who are already on a funded programme of study which is longer than
one academic year.
Applications from members of staff who fall into the manual, clerical and technical
equivalent support staff grades.
Revised 1 August 2011
Professional Development
3.
Individual Development Fund
The date order in which the remaining applications were received.
Funding Formula
Professional Development will contribute a maximum of £500 towards the cost of a course /
qualification per academic year.
* For courses longer than one academic year in duration, the full cost must be broken down
into an annual cost. PD will contact applicants on annual basis to confirm the cost of the
subsequent year and that they intend to carry on with their studies. There is no need to reapply to the fund for continuation of funding.
Please Note:
Any member of staff, who receives funding from PD and leaves the University
within one year of completing the funded activity, will be expected to pay back the
amount of funding granted.
Process for Application
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All members of staff may apply to PD for a contribution towards the costs of fees on
external and internal courses/qualifications (please note exclusions).
The support of the School/Department will be required from each applicant.
You must make your application using the Individual Development Fund Application Form
The Individual Development Fund Panel will decide whether to fund an application.
Closing dates for applications are 30th September.
Applications which miss a closing date will be returned to the applicant and it will have to
be re-submitted for another panel.
For applicants undertaking a course of study lasting longer than one year, it is the
responsibility of the individual to contact PD, on an annual basis, indicating whether you
require the agreed funding for the next year.
Further Information and Enquiries
If you have any questions or would like to discuss an application, please contact Professional
Development on (0115) 823 2888.
Revised 1 August 2011
Professional Development
Individual Development Fund
Application Form
Personal Details
Name
School/Dept
Email
Staff Category & Level
Please select...
Please select...
Payroll number
Course / Qualification Details
Course Title / Qualification
Name of provider
(eg New College Nottingham)
Date course commences
Date course ends
Total duration of course
(if longer than one academic year)
Course / Qualification Learning
Outcomes
Is an equivalent course available
internally (eg through
Professional Development or
Central Short Courses)?
If ‘Yes’ why haven’t
you applied for the
internal course?
Costs
Total Cost (£)
Cost per annum*
Year 1
total (£)
Year 2
total (£)
Year 3
total (£)
Year 4
total (£)
Year 5
total (£)
(if longer than one academic year)
Courses / Qualifications offered by the University of Nottingham
Please complete this section if you are applying for funding for a UoN course. It will enable PD to work
in conjunction with Student Financial Services and ensure efficient payment of fees.
Student I.D number
Allocate funds direct to tuition
fees?
Continued...
Revised 1 August 2011
Professional Development
Individual Development Fund
Vocational Relevance
Applicant’s Statement (please provide details of how the course / qualification will contribute to your
current role. What are the specific job related gains – you may want to relate your statement to the
learning outcomes of the course).
Line Manager’s Statement of Support
Please email your application to:
PD@nottingham.ac.uk
Revised 1 August 2011