• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Scope
• Confirmation
• Promotion
• Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements
• Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities
• Local Confirmation Committee (LCC)
• Local Promotions Committee (LPC)
• Professorial Confirmation and Promotions Committee (PCPC)
• Vice-Chancellor
• Provost
• Faculty Executive Dean
• University-level Institute Director
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure)
• Head of School/Faculty-level Director
• Chief Human Resources Officer
• Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance
• Section 5 - Recording and Reporting
• Promotions

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) The University of Queensland (UQ or the University) is committed to ensuring a robust career and performance development approach exists for academic staff which provides a foundation for the achievement of academic excellence.

(2) This Policy identifies the underpinning principles of the academic confirmation and promotions process that demonstrate academic staff have met the expectations of academic excellence for the relevant academic level and category as detailed in the criteria for academic performance.

Scope

Confirmation

(3) This Policy applies to all academic staff employed on a continuing basis who are subject to a three-year probation period.

Promotion

(4) This Policy applies to all academic staff applying for promotion: all academic levels and categories; conjoint staff and academic secondees where UQ is the lead employer; and health professional academic title holders.

Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements

(5) The University is committed to academic confirmation and promotion process principles which:

1. Support the University’s objectives with regard to excellence of academic contribution;
2. Acknowledge the University’s commitment to providing an equal opportunity environment, incorporating the principles of performance relative to opportunity;
3. Make decisions based on merit without constraint by quota;
4. Assess performance in line with the duties and responsibilities relevant to academic category and classification, having regard for specific discipline requirements as relevant;
5. Have appropriate regard for actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest;
6. Maintain confidentiality of applicant information and committee deliberations;
7. Acknowledge UQ’s commitment to the protection of academic freedom.

Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Local Confirmation Committee (LCC)

(6) The relevant LCC is responsible for making recommendations to the Chair regarding confirmation for staff at Academic Levels A-D.

Local Promotions Committee (LPC)

(7) The relevant LPC is responsible for making recommendations to the Chair regarding applications for promotion to Academic Levels C and D.

Professorial Confirmation and Promotions Committee (PCPC)

(8) The PCPC is responsible for making recommendations to the Chair regarding confirmation for staff at Academic Level E.

(9) The PCPC is responsible for making recommendations regarding Professorial promotion applications and providing these recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor for approval.

Vice-Chancellor

(10) The Vice-Chancellor is responsible for approving recommendations for promotion to Level E.

Provost

(11) The Provost will chair and hold decision-making responsibility for confirmation decisions within the Professorial Confirmation and Promotions Committee (PCPC), ensuring appropriate delivery of these processes.

(12) The Provost will act as an escalation point for relevant matters that arise within the LCCs and LPCs as appropriate.

(13) The Provost, in consultation with the President of the Academic Board, will be responsible for approving the membership of each LCC and LPC on an annual basis.

Faculty Executive Dean

(14) The Faculty Executive Dean will chair and hold decision-making responsibility for confirmation and promotion applications considered by the relevant LCC and LPC.

(15) The Faculty Executive Dean will consider promotion applications for Level A to B.

University-level Institute Director

(16) The University-level Institute Director will approve promotion for candidates applying for promotion from Level A to B from within their own Institute.

(17) The University-level Institute Director will supply recommendations for confirmation and promotion as required.

(18) The University-level Institute Director must oversee a process to ensure that staff applying for promotion are provided with appropriate guidance and support with their documentation and interview preparations and the timing for their application. If, for reasons of scale or discipline alignment, the Institute Director does not directly provide this support, this must be undertaken by the Deputy Director or other equivalent senior academic staff member in the Institute.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure)

(19) The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure) (PVCRI) will approve promotion for candidates applying for promotion from Level A to B from Collaborative Research Platforms (CRP) within the PVCRI portfolio.

(20) The PVCRI will supply recommendations for confirmation and promotion as required.

(21) The PVCRI must oversee a process to ensure that staff within PVCRI CRPs applying for promotion are provided with appropriate guidance and support with their preparations.

Head of School/Faculty-level Director

(22) The Head of School/Faculty-level Director will supply recommendations for confirmation and promotion as required.

(23) The Head/Director must oversee a process to ensure that staff applying for confirmation or promotion are provided with appropriate guidance and support with their documentation and interview preparations and the timing for an application for promotion. If, for reasons of scale or discipline alignment, the Head/Director does not directly provide this support, this must be undertaken by the Deputy Head/Director or other equivalent senior academic staff member in the School/Faculty Institute.

Chief Human Resources Officer

(24) The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) (or nominee) calls for academic confirmation submissions and ensures that the applied principles and stakeholder responsibilities are enacted in an effective and consistent manner.

(25) The CHRO (or nominee) is responsible for the initial assessment of appeal requests prior to consideration by the Authorised Officer.

Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance

(26) The Provost, President of the Academic Board and CHRO collectively make recommendations on University Policy relating to academic confirmation and promotion.

(27) The CHRO (or delegated authority) is responsible for the monitoring and review of this Policy and associated procedure and process, assuring its operational effectiveness.

Section 5 - Recording and Reporting

Promotions