Guidance for Heads of Department on their role in the academic promotion process.

1. Role

Heads of Department have a key role in ensuring that staff are provided with appropriate opportunities to fulfil their academic potential in support of the departmental plan.

This includes providing staff with access to the necessary support to enable them to contribute fully and develop their skills and experience, including providing opportunities to progress through promotion, in accordance with their talents, aspirations and expertise.

Heads of Department are also role models for other members of staff in the pursuit of academic excellence.

The following provides further detail on the role and responsibilities of the Head of Department specifically in relation to the promotion of staff in their department.

2. Guidance - general

2.1 As promotion procedures are reviewed annually, Heads of Department should ensure that they are familiar with the current arrangements so that colleagues who may wish to apply for promotion are advised appropriately, and ensure that all staff in the relevant categories are aware of the details. Heads of Department are responsible for consulting appropriate senior colleagues on applications.

2.2 Heads of Department should encourage appropriately qualified staff to apply for promotion, bearing in mind that some people underestimate their own achievements. While all applications will be treated strictly on the basis of merit and without regard to gender, ethnicity or other protected characteristics, Heads of Department should take account of the University’s aims to encourage under represented groups to progress to senior posts.

2.3 Because all promotions beyond Grade 7 require elements of performance at Level 2, annual objectives should be set from the start of post-probation employment. Heads of academic departments and academic mentors should advise staff members and help them identify which area might be developed to Levels 2 and 3.

2.4 Heads of Department should encourage applicants to consider the full range of criteria when compiling an application using the guidance provided in the CV template.

2.5 Bearing in mind the two-year rule, Heads of Department are asked to take particular care in advising applicants on the timing of their application. For example, the timing of publications which may not be cited before they are in the public domain. Heads of Department are reminded also of the potential importance in career terms of assigning appropriate academic citizenship responsibilities to colleagues who may be seeking promotion in the future.

Guidance - Head of Department report

3.1 The Head of Department is responsible for preparing a report, sharing it with the applicant and submitting the final version by a specified date. The Head of Department is also responsible for confirming the order in which referees should be contacted by completing a separate HoD Referees Report. These can be referees provided by the applicant or additional referees of the HoD's choosing.

3.2 If applicants have a joint appointment, a HoD Report will be required from both departments. Applicant’s can request a HoD Report from both departments during the application process.

3.3 Where applicants are embedded in a department or school i.e. their contract of employment is for one department, but are hosted by another department, only one HoD report is required. This should be from the department detailed in the contract of employment, not the department where they are embedded.

3.4 Where applicants are embedded in host departments, or work across more than one department, reports will be requested from the Head of each department.

3.5 Heads of Department should consult with professorial and other appropriate colleagues on applicants for promotion and are asked to confirm that such consultation has taken place. They are also asked to consult, as appropriate, with colleagues in any other department with which an applicant has (or has had) a significant connection. A list of colleagues consulted should be circulated to academic staff within the department and made available, on request, to the Academic Promotions Committee.

3.6 Heads of Department are asked to state explicitly how the criteria are addressed by providing supporting evidence and also to identify any weaknesses. If an applicant is working in a research field where it is more difficult to attract PhD students, this should be noted and due consideration will be given to it. In giving appropriate weight to teaching performance the Committee expects HoDs’ reports to be based on observation, student feedback and other forms of objective evidence. Anecdotal evidence is not sufficient to enable the Committee to reach sound conclusions.

3.7 Heads of Department are asked to ensure that the report provides a clear and concise view of the applicant’s achievement against the criteria. It is not necessary to repeat the applicant’s CV.

3.6The Committee does not accept separate reports from other colleagues on particular aspects of an applicant’s work.

Download a blank example HoD report form - individual forms will be emailed to the HoD when an application is made.