ACADEMIC CAREER DEVELOPMENT
GROUP CAREER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES 2013
Guidelines
Introduction
In keeping with the University’s commitment in Open to Talent and The UTAS Academic to
support academic staff members in enhancing their performance and developing their
careers, a number of new initiatives will be implemented in 2013. Applications for the first of
these initiatives, the Career Development Scholarships for Academic Staff are open and
close on Monday 8 April, 2013.
To complement this program UTAS is offering funding support to faculties/
institutes/divisions and cross disciplinary areas for groups of staff to undertake career
development activities that will support the advancement of individuals and assist the area/s
to achieve their academic strategic objectives.
Who can apply?
Proposals for funding can be submitted by or on behalf of any group of five or more
academic staff, preferably with the support of relevant academic leaders. Applications are to
be submitted through Deans or Heads of Institute/Division who are responsible for ranking
applications submitted through them.
What activities might be funded?
A wide variety of activities are potentially fundable including:
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skills enhancement workshops such as grant and publication writing and quantitative
methods training;
workshops, forums or seminars;
a visit by a group of staff to another university to learn more about a specific
innovation;
setting up mentoring programs or communities of interest;
developing a cross disciplinary project.
These are examples only; applicants are strongly encouraged to be innovative in considering
how their needs may be met.
The selection panel reserves the right to fund applications in whole, in part or not at all. In
some cases, it may be desirable to negotiate a modification to the proposal or to facilitate
collaboration between applicant groups. The intention of the selection panel will be to ensure
the maximum possible benefit to the greatest number of people, and this may require a
degree of flexibility in determining projects to be funded.
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What are the principles of selection?
The selection panel will consider proposals based on the following principles:
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clearly defined purpose, outcomes and benefits;
strength of expected longer term benefit to the individual staff members and their
faculty/institute/division or cross disciplinary area;
number of staff to benefit;
evidence of a link to Career and/or Performance Development conversations;
alignment to Open to Talent, The UTAS Academic and the Faculty or Institute’s
expectations around teaching and research;
clarity of the statement of how participants will be supported and/or followed up
following participation in the activity;
priority given to the proposal by the Dean or Head.
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Note:
 proposals from cross-disciplinary groups will be considered favourably;
 proposals that are innovative in terms of resourcing (for example in securing cofunding) will be looked at positively;
 decisions of the panel are final;
 generic feedback only will be provided;
 funds will not be provided to support teaching relief or to contribute directly to
research activities;
 funds must be utilised by 31 December, 2013.
Applications
Applications are to be made on the Proposal for Group Career Development Activity form
and sent to the most relevant Dean or Institute/Division Head by Friday 3 May, 2013.
The Dean/Head will be requested to provide a ranking in priority order and to submit the
ranked applications to career.proposals@utas.edu.au by Friday 17 May, 2013.
Selection process
A panel of staff will consider the proposals and make decisions on funding allocation. It is
expected that outcomes will be known by Friday 31 May, 2013.
Funding allocation
Up to $250,000 is available to support this scheme in 2013. Given the variety of activities
envisaged the panel has a level of flexibility with amounts allocated to each activity. Some
activities may require only $2,000 to $3,000 whilst others will require more. Within the overall
budget, there is no specific upper limit on funds to be provided. Nevertheless, activities
proposed at the lower end are encouraged.
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Obligations
By 28 February, 2014 fund recipients will be expected to provide a short (approximately 200
word) report back to career.proposals@utas.edu.au about the outcomes of the activity and
how it underpins performance enhancement and career development.
Further information
Further information can be obtained at career.proposals@utas.edu.au
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