Appointment at/progression to Grade H: Associate Professor

Please note that the process for the Education and Scholarship job family is currently being amended and will be updated by the end of January 2012.

The grade of Associate Professor (grade H) serves as a stepping stone to a full Professorship for staff in the 'Teaching and Research' and 'Research' job families. There is also the opportunity for a limited number of staff (who may be in the in the 'Teaching and Research' or 'Teaching and Scholarship' job families) to be promoted to Associate Professor on the basis of academic management and entrepreneurship.

Progression/Promotion to Grade H

The University has agreed the following revised procedures for promotion to Associate Professor.

The University will establish a pool of suitably qualified professorial staff from which interview panels will be drawn to make a prima facie assessment of the suitability of candidates for promotion to Associate Professor or Personal Chair. All current and former Deputy Vice Chancellors and Deans, plus College Deans and Directors of Research will be members of this pool.

Panels will be chaired by the relevant line managing DVC and will comprise the College Dean plus three other members of the pool with relevant academic backgrounds but not from the same school as the applicant. Every effort should be made to ensure that Sub Panels reflect an appropriate gender balance.

In advance of the interview with the Panel, applicants will be required to complete a personal statement and to provide an up-to-date version of their CV. Applicants for Associate Professorships will, additionally, be asked to identify whether their application is being made on the grounds of excellence in research or academic management and entrepreneurship. Interviews will be conducted with reference to the relevant role profile and promotion criteria. A report will be prepared for VCEG stating whether or not a prima facia case for promotion has been established.

Successful prima facie cases

Where a prima facie case is successfully made on the grounds of research excellence:

• the College Dean (unless he or she has a personal relationship with the applicant, in which case the Director of Research) will agree with the relevant DVC a list of 6 assessors, of whom no more than 1 should be from overseas. All assessors should hold chairs at reputable, research intensive institutions. Candidates should not be involved in any way in the selection of these assessors. Assessors will be paid a nominal fee for providing an independent report on the merits of the applicant.
• Human Resources will then contact the first 4 named assessors and invite them to provide an assessment of research quality. In the event that any of the 4 decline for any reason, then the 5th named assessor – and if necessary the 6th named assessor – will be contacted and asked to provide a report. In the event that they too decline to provide an assessment this fact (and the reasons for it) will be reported but further assessments will not be sought.
• When all assessors’ reports have been received they will be considered by VCEG. Promotion will normally only be recommended if 4 positive reports have been received.
• In the event that VCEG determines that the External Assessors’ reports contain insufficient support for promotion then the original Panel that considered the prima facie case for promotion will be sent copies of the reports and be asked to express an opinion. VCEG will then make a final decision based on all of the available evidence.

Where a prima facie case is made on the grounds of academic management and entrepreneurship, a further interview will be held by a panel Chaired by the DVC Resources. This panel will be comprised of the Registrar and Secretary, a Senior Lay Member of Council, the DVC Education and a College Dean. This panel will make a final recommendation to VCEG regarding the suitability of the applicant for promotion.

When a member of staff is known to have been short listed for promotion at another research intensive institution the Vice Chancellor may, at the request of a College Dean endorsed by the line managing DVC, decide to initiate “fast track” procedures. “Fast tracking” procedures assume that the prima facie case for promotion has been made and the steps described in the section on successfully making a prima facie case are then implemented immediately. “Fast tracking” is essentially a reactive, defensive measure which should only be used as a last resort where there is a very real retention risk. Given that staff will be able to apply for promotion at any time of the year it is anticipated that the use of fast track procedures will quickly decline.

In order to bring the University’s practices into line with many comparable institutions, promotions will be announced as soon as the recommendation has been confirmed by VCEG, with promotion taking place with immediate effect. A list of all those promoted will be prepared for Senate and Council.

Appointment at Grade H

An appointment may be made at Associate Professor (grade H) level (subject to funding approval via the SR1 process and the approval of the line manager Deputy Vice-Chancellor) subject to a minimum of two external references and the approval of the Vice-Chancellor.