Academic Promotions
Applicant Information Session
Thursday 6 February 2014
Professor Stephen Garton
Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Academic promotion policy
› Promotion is one strategy to reward and support retention of high
performing staff – other options exist
› Applicants must provide current evidence of their ability to perform
at the level for which promotion is sought (i.e. promotion is not a
reward for lifetime achievement, or time served)
› Teaching and research are core activities
› Service – University, discipline/profession, community
› Assessment is by a committee of peers with ability to “benchmark”
promotion across the University
› You must have completed a formal performance review (AP&D or
equivalent) in the previous 15 months, or complete one by 30 June
to be eligible for promotion
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Preparing yourself for promotion
› Read the Academic Promotions policy, procedures and guidelines
for applicants
› Overtly incorporate promotion criteria into your application
› Focus on achievements since appointment or last promotion
› Provide independently verifiable evidence
› Don't double-dip in the use of evidence
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Preparing yourself for promotion
› No interviews for Levels B – D
› Familiarize yourself with the criteria required for promotion particularly via
the Education and Research-focused streams
› LPC can change stream in which an applicant has applied (but only
where they would otherwise be unsuccessful)
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Three Promotion streams
The University of Sydney recognises three streams for promotion:
› Teaching and Research
› Education-focused
› Research-focused
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Minimum Required Standards for Promotion
TEACHING AND RESEARCH STREAM – Minimum required standards
Promotion
sought
Teaching
standard
Research
standard
Service
standard
Comment
Level A to Level B;
Level B to Level C;
Level C to Level D
Superior or
Outstanding
Superior or
Outstanding
Superior
At least one Outstanding is
required
Level D to Level E
Outstanding
Outstanding
Superior
N/A
EDUCATION FOCUSSED STREAM – Minimum required standards
Promotion
sought
Teaching
standard
Research
standard
Service
standard
Comment
All
Exceptional
Superior or
Satisfactory
Superior or
Satisfactory
At least one Superior is
required, in either
Research or Service
RESEARCH FOCUSSED STREAM – Minimum required standards
Promotion
sought
Teaching
standard
Research
standard
Service
standard
Comment
All
Superior or
Satisfactory
Exceptional
Superior or
Satisfactory
At least one Superior is
required, in either
Teaching or Service
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Regardless of Pathway
Promotion does not change the type of role
to which you have been appointed – either
teaching and research, research or teaching
intensive
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Preparing the case for promotion
› Providing verifiable evidence – USE information, grants, awards,
publications,
› Focus on personal achievement and development since
appointment or last promotion
- lifetime record a factor, but not as important
› Resist the temptation to overstate achievement, for example
- carefully document your part in shared activities
- don’t recycle achievements
› Relative to opportunity
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Preparing the case for promotion
›Get help!
- Seek advice from your mentor/discipline head
- Get someone to read through the application
- Reflect honestly on your competitive position
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Academic Promotions – Historical Statistics
Number of applicants and promotions 2004-2013
240
230
220
210
200
190
180
170
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Total applicants
Total successful
Female applicants
Successful female applicants
Male applicants
Successful male applicants
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
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Points to Remember
› Build Relationships:
- Mentor, supervisor, the Dean, referees (international)
› Communication:
- Written application - Get someone else to read it
› All three promotion criteria are valued
- Balanced approach to performance
- You will not succeed on any one criterion alone
› If you’re unsuccessful in applying for Promotion
- Discuss with your supervisor, Dean, Chair of LPC
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