12 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

12.01 Professional Development and Training

12.01.02 The University must support your professional development in each of the relevant areas of its business - learning and teaching, research and community outreach, leadership and management, and administrative and specialist support. You will also be helped to develop the generic skills needed for effective operation in the workplace.

12.01.03 Effective professional development of staff is also linked to the development of the University and the organisational units.

12.01.04 Professional development policies and practices must focus on supporting your development and that of the University.

12.01.05 Professional development will be in line with EEO and address the particular problems of staff with special needs that may stop them taking full advantage of development opportunities, e.g. literacy problems.

12.01.06 Responsibility for planning and carrying out professional development will be shared between the Vice-Chancellor who has formal responsibility, senior officers, organisational units and individual staff.

12.01.07 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) has the delegated responsibility for policy development, implementation, and evaluation and for planning and monitoring the use of resources and will work with the wider University community to:

• set up University-wide policy frameworks to support professional development for all staff;
• maintain an indicative University Professional Development budget;
• monitor and assess professional development policy, practice and resource use;
• audit professional development activities;
• make sure that professional development policy and practice is directly linked to organisational development and the realisation of the University's vision, mission, and goals; and
• give strategic guidance to providers of professional development.

• the development of a coordinated approach to professional development centred on a University-wide strategic plan; and
• the identification of gaps and overlaps in the provision of professional development for University staff.

• setting policy and budgetary frameworks to support it;
• developing and carrying out policies, plans and practices in the area which are:
• directly linked to the University and College, Division or Office vision, mission, and goals;
• consistent with personnel policies and practices, particularly EEO, performance management, OH&S, the Enterprise Agreement, and Industrial Relations legislation.
• consistent with Discipline Profiles, PCS and job descriptions;
• responsive to the needs of all staff;
• making sure that appropriate allocation is made in budgets to support professional development activities;
• making sure that your supervisor and adviser understand how they can help you to:
• identify your development needs in light of organisational goals and priorities and current work performance;
• plan and access appropriate development opportunities;
• and regularly monitoring, evaluating and reporting on professional development policy and practice in the College, Division or Office.

• helping to develop and carry out University-wide policies;
• promoting policies and practices that recognise and support the key contribution of staff to the pursuit of excellence in scholarly teaching, research, administration and community outreach;
• developing and administering grants and awards to recognise and support innovative and quality practice in teaching, research, and administration;
• helping Offices and Divisions to design, develop, put in place and assess programs to meet current and emerging needs of their staff;
• providing a range of research-based professional development programs to support the University's activities;
• engaging in a range of research activities including institutional, applied, and basic research in areas of professional development related to the University's activities; and
• providing a range of services including coordination of the Teaching Evaluation for Development Service (TEDS).

• identifying your professional development directions in light of your current and likely future work roles and responsibilities;
• documenting your plan, with demonstrable links to the organisational unit's vision, mission, goals and priorities;
• engaging in an ongoing process of professional development to improve your work effectiveness;
• monitoring and evaluating the impact of activities and using this information to change and/or improve your strategy; and
• reporting both your plans for development and the effect of development on you to the Head, supervisor and adviser.

• address your professional development needs (and those of all staff):
• at different stages of your career (early, mid, late);
• working in different contexts (academic, administrative, specialist support services);
• working in different roles (teaching, research, community outreach, leadership and management, administration, specialist support);
• support development in all aspects of your professional role including developing;
• your functional knowledge and skills;
• your capacity to enquire into your own professional practice;
• your leadership and management of people and tasks; and
• your generic skills, including effective communication, working in teams, negotiation and conflict resolution;
• address your right to understand the context in which you work including:
• the governance structure and organisation of higher education in Australia, and the University in particular; and
• the industrial relations policy framework, including the University's Enterprise Agreement, EEO policies, and OHS policies;
• and make sure that you have a genuine opportunity to take part in appropriate development activities. This may require the Head to make special arrangements about your work load.

12.02 Feedback on Teaching

12.02.02 The Teaching Evaluation for Development Service (TEDS) will have staff and other resources to advise and help the University, its staff and organisational units to design, develop, and carry out strategies to assess and report on the quality and effectiveness of their teaching and units.

12.02.03 The TEDS will also offer the following services to support you and the organisational unit in the development of your teaching:

• formal questionnaires to collect student feedback on your teaching and units;
• formal reports on data collected through these questionnaires;
• guidelines on the interpretation of student feedback reports;
• advice on informal approaches to evaluation for small groups and in specific contexts;
• advice on using student feedback to improve your units and to plan your professional development strategies to improve your teaching;
• advice on the use of self and peer evaluation;
• guidance on preparing a teaching portfolio to document your teaching for career purposes; and
• advice to your Division and Department on the use of student feedback in their quality assurance processes for teaching.

12.02.05 These data and reports may be used by CPD and TEDS for research purposes to improve the quality of the instruments, reports, or interpretation guides available to you.

12.03 Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Professional Development

12.03.02 The PMS is the main coordinating mechanism for planning, monitoring and reporting development practice.

12.03.03 Under 13.02.06, the PMS will:

give you, in consultation with your adviser, the opportunity to:

• identify your professional development directions;
• develop goals for your development;
• develop a plan for realising your development goals;
• monitor your progress in achieving these goals;
• identify organisational and other constraints affecting your professional development; and
• develop strategies for overcoming these constraints;
• help your Division, Department or Office to identify the professional development directions of yourself and other staff for generic skills and the core activities of:
• teaching and learning;
• research;
• community outreach;
• leadership and management;
• administrative and specialist support;

12.03.04 The PMS will involve Heads in:

• revising Discipline Profiles to make sure that they outline expectations for leadership and practice in teaching, scholarship and research, and service for each Level;
• revising the Job descriptions of General staff to make sure that they show expectations for leadership and practice in the role;
• ensuring that you have an adviser appointed under this Agreement;
• ensuring that your adviser knows and understands:
• the performance expectations for you and other staff;
• how to negotiate, develop, and record personal professional development plans on the forms;
• forwarding the personal development plans developed during performance management discussions to the Personnel Office; and
• preparing the professional development plan and budget for the area to support personal professional development plans.

• identification of the core and job specific requirements for each position as outlined in Discipline Profiles or Job Descriptions;
• suitable forms of education, training and development;
• a skills audit based on the individual interviews with staff;
• a set of development goals for you and other staff members based on the 'gap' between the expected and actual levels of performance;
• identification of the education, training and development priorities for you and other staff and for the area; and
• time frames to realise the goals in professional development plans for Divisions, Departments, Offices, and individuals.

• suggestions for training and development to be dealt with by the area;
• identification of training and development that is more appropriately dealt with University wide;
• time frames and resources required, including the use of University or external providers.

12.03.08 Training and development methods/resources should not be restricted to formal courses. All activities should meet an agreed training need, have clearly defined outcomes and cater for a range of learning styles.

12.03.09 Training and development plans for individuals and areas should be reviewed annually to make sure that they meet agreed needs.

12.03.10 CPD will evaluate the University's training and development plan on an annual basis against criteria based on the aims in 12.0.

12.04 Study Time, Examination Leave and Graduations

12.04.01 Your program of study should lead to a skill or qualification relevant to your current or potential University employment. It does not matter if the qualification is or is not your first.

12.04.02 If part-time, your study time will be on a pro rata basis, worked out to the nearest quarter hour. Days of block study time in 12.04.12 and 12.04.14 are also to be taken pro rata.

12.04.03 If fixed-term, you must be employed for at least 1 year to be eligible but your supervisor may approve study time if your term is shorter.

12.04.04 Your study time will be one half hour for every hour of compulsory attendance at lectures and/or tutorials, up to 4 hours per week or pro rata.

12.04.05 If the study time does not cover your essential lecture and/or travel time during working hours, you may be given time up to the 4 hours limit. This applies only if you are full-time.

12.04.06 You may take up to a full day in a week, if full-time, if you can make up the extra time within 2 weeks of it being taken. This approval will only be given where arrangements can be made for your supervision if necessary.

12.04.07 You will not be given study time for a repeated subject if you had study time for the subject before, unless there is good reason, like illness, compassionate grounds or work pressures.

12.04.08 You cannot take study time during class recesses of your course when lectures and/or tutorials are not offered.

12.04.09 You may be required by your supervisor to forgo study time in an emergency. If possible, you may choose another time in the same fortnight.

12.04.10 You must meet any costs of your course of study but consideration may be given to reimbursement of course fees under 12.08.

12.04.11 You may be given up to 15 days study time each year to go to compulsory residential schools if you are doing an approved distance education course. If your course work does not require attendance (e.g. where electronic conferences are used) the provision in 12.04.14 may be suitable.

12.04.12 You may be given the following block periods of study time for the research and thesis part of your course if no other study time is available:

• 10 days for a thesis or major project, as well as the usual study time for course work;
• 10 days for qualifying studies entirely by thesis;
• for masters degree studies by research and thesis only, a total:
  • 25 days for courses up to2 years in length; or
  • 35 days for courses up to 3 years in length;
• or 45 days for a doctoral studies course.

12.04.14 You may be given block periods, up to a total 15 days each year, for an approved course if you do not qualify under any of the above or if your course involves a combination of methods of presentation. Weekly study time limits may not be exceeded unless you must go to block presentations.

Examination Leave - General Staff and English Language Centre Teachers

12.04.15 You will be given up to 10 days examination leave (or pro rata) in an academic year if undertaking an approved course of study. This will be 2 days leave for each subject in which you have a final examination. The requirements in 12.04.02/3 do not apply to examination leave.

12.04.16 You may be given examination leave for approved courses in 12.04.01 and for examinations by professional bodies for professional qualifications.

Leave To Attend Graduation Ceremonies - All Staff

12.04.17 If you wish to go to your graduation ceremony at an educational institution you may apply in advance for the following leave:

• one half days leave for a graduation in the Sydney Metropolitan Area during normal working hours;
• one days leave for a graduation held outside the Sydney Metropolitan Area during normal working hours;
• and annual leave or leave without pay for any additional leave.

12.04.19 You must meet all costs involved in going to a graduation ceremony.

12.05 Secondments And Rotational Training

12.05.02 Secondments allow mobility and interchange of staff, provide development opportunities, and help meet short-term staffing needs. They can be helpful to you, the University and any other organisation involved.

12.05.03 You can benefit by improving your career opportunities and getting particular skills and qualifications.

12.05.04 For organisations, secondments provide for the exchange of information and ideas and improve organisational relationships. Financial benefits may also arise as University staff with appropriate skills will be increasingly asked to consult for outside organisations.

12.05.05 You may be considered for secondment for a number of reasons including exchange of skills, short term loan of your services or your professional development/training. Secondments can include:

• Exchanges, with some reciprocity between the University and other universities or organisations, and generally with salary and costs continuing to be paid by the University;
• Consultancy arrangements, giving the seconding organisation specialised skills not available in its own structure. These generally involve your short-term loan for a specific project;
• Industry training, of which there are two possible types:
  • short-term secondments for a particular assignment or project to give you specific experience or training;
  • individual development secondments where you will be trained/developed in particular skills or get experience not readily available in the University;
• Job Rotation, which involves reciprocal movements of staff in and between participating Offices and Divisions for professional development and mutual exchange of ideas;
• Familiarisation/Shadowing, which involves your unreciprocated placement in a participating Division or Office for your professional development, particularly to help you if you are:
  • coming back under a return to work program;
  • being redeployed from a redundant position;
  • trying to familiarise yourself with specialist requirements for more general application, e.g. Finance or Personnel Office procedures on which office procedures rely.

12.05.06 There are 4 different ways of administering external secondments:

• you may be seconded to another University or organisation and stay on the University payroll (as opposed to absence on duty where you are working for the University in the other organisation);
• you may be given leave without pay to accept a position on secondment to another University or organisation of appropriate standing, and will be paid through the other institution's payroll (usually used where you are being offered a higher salary at the other institution, or an overseas appointment);
• you may be seconded from another University or organisation and be placed on the University payroll. This is different from an appointment to the University's staff, because the University is liable for certain costs to be repaid to the other institution, e.g. superannuation and long service leave;
• you may be seconded from another University or organisation and stay on your own institution's payroll. This becomes essentially a visiting appointment, but involves a formal letter of offer, as you are actually performing work for the University. The University will pay the total costs to your seconding University/institution.

12.05.08 The secondment must be for a given period, usually up to 2 years.

12.05.09 You may not return to your earlier position before the agreed end date, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Internal Secondments

12.05.10 An arrangement may be made between Heads that involves your temporary move to another position in the University for a given period.

12.05.11 It must be agreed that you will return to your earlier position or to another agreed position at the same Level at the end of the secondment.

12.05.12 Your position may only be filled on a temporary basis unless the Head makes sure that an agreed position will be available for you.

12.05.13 Temporary transfers are normally based on discussion between your releasing Division or Office, the host Division or Office, and you.

Terms

12.05.14 Formal probation does not apply to secondments.

12.05.15 Generally, you will adopt the working conditions in the host area of the University or in another university or organisation. For example, variable working hours might not be available. It may be possible to carry over your existing terms to the host area or organisation.

12.05.16 Agreement should be reached on which terms will apply to you before the secondment starts. The agreement should give a workable compromise where there is a wide variation in terms, particularly in a secondment to private industry, interstate or overseas.

12.05.17 The secondment may be at your same pay level or may involve additional payment because of extra responsibilities.

12.05.18 Your service will normally remain continuous during an external secondment but your leave entitlements will change as:

• your annual leave will accrue under the rules of the host institution and will not accrue at the same time at the University. You should use up leave you accrue during the secondment period;
• only service accrued during a secondment to another Australian University or approved tertiary institution or to another organisation that pays the value of long service entitlements will count as service for your long service leave and OSP.

12.05.20 You will stay in your superannuation scheme during an external secondment. The University will not normally contribute to superannuation during the secondment unless it is repaid by the host institution.

12.05.21 If you are a member of UniSuper and are to be placed on the host institution/organisation's payroll, you may arrange for a transfer of your superannuation record to that institution so that the contributions may continue to be made by that institution.

12.05.22 If you are a member of SSS or SASS and are to be placed on the host institution/organisation's payroll, you must arrange for the host institution to pay the University for the employer contributions and either forward or reimburse your employee contribution.

Approval of Secondments

12.05.23 Requests for your secondment are to be made in writing either by you or your Head to the Personnel Office, which will then ask for the appropriate approval and arrange for the processing of the secondment.

12.05.24 The request should include:

• the name of the host institution/organisation;
• the proposed length of the secondment;
• your details, and any arrangements made to cover your duties.

• the name of the two areas, or the other organisation involved;
• your name;
• the period of the secondment;
• the full costs of the secondment, including on-costs, for:
  • salary, allowances and any non-cash benefits (car, etc.);
  • employer's contribution to superannuation;
  • any associated travel and removal expenses;
  • workers' compensation, public liability and professional indemnity cover (if applicable);
  • payroll tax;
  • pro rata annual leave and leave loading and long service leave;
• who has responsibility for maintaining your employment terms;
• your working hours;
• who supervises you;
• arrangements for the ending of the secondment or exchange;
• accrual of qualifying service for OSP (if appropriate);
• the way in which payments to you are to be treated; and
• the means of any payment to the parent institution.

12.05.26 Because of the high costs of treatment, you should arrange suitable medical insurance to cover yourself and, if necessary, your dependants while on secondment and while travelling to and from the host institution. You should make sure that insurance covers death if the secondment is overseas.

12.06 Outside Studies Programs for Academic Staff

12.06.02 The following principles apply for OSP:

• the main purpose is to benefit your work through a sustained period of scholarship and research and through establishing or renewing first hand contact with work in appropriate fields elsewhere;
• although your research will be of most importance, the OSP may develop your skills in teaching, professional and clinical studies or other aspects of your professional development;
• when advising you on your application, your adviser, Head of Department and Head of Division should take into account your performance assessments and developmental activities suggested through the PMS;
• you may take all or part of your OSP in Australia or overseas;
• a research program for a higher degree will be considered if the degree is based more than 66% on research.

12.06.03 Your Head may approve OSP for you if you are eligible under the following guidelines:

• the OSP must benefit you and the University by contributing to the goals of the area and your professional development;
• programs will normally be up to 6 months (but may be up to 12 months, in special circumstances);
• there is normally 3 years between your return from OSP and the beginning of another but this may be shortened if the period between the forthcoming OSP and the following OSP is extended by the same time. The period between programs may also be lengthened if you do not report in the time in 12.06.33;
• if you cannot take up any part of your OSP before the planned end for a reason other than extended illness of yourself or a family member, that leave will be lost unless the Head allows you to use it;
• where part of your OSP is forgone, the Head will take this into account when you next apply and may shorten the 3 year period.

12.06.05 The University, Union and the EEO Officer will review these procedures each year to make sure that they provide equitable outcomes.

Eligibility

12.06.06 You will not be usually given more than 12 months OSP in a 7 year period.

12.06.07 If the University employed you as at 1 January 1980, your 7 year periods of service are worked out from that date.

12.06.08 If you were appointed after 1 January 1980, your 7 year periods of service are worked out from the date of eligibility.

12.06.09 Under 12.06.12, your prior service outside the University can be recognised for eligibility for an OSP, with your 7 year periods of service starting during the eligible service from a date worked out as in 12.06.07/8.

12.06.10 You will not be normally eligible as a continuing staff member before completing 3 years full-time service or pro rata as an Academic staff member or having recognised prior service. Your prior service at this University will be recognised unless there was a break of more than 12 months.

12.06.11 If fixed-term, you must hold a current appointment of at least 3 years and have had 3 years of full-time service or pro rata to be eligible. There must also be enough time left in your appointment to allow you to take up the OSP and make a satisfactory report.

Recognition of Prior Service

12.06.12 You will have prior full-time or part-time service with other Australian Universities from 1 June 1988 recognised as qualifying service for an OSP. Any OSP you have taken since 1 June 1988 will be considered under 12.06.03. Recognition of your prior service excludes a 'transfer' of credit for OSP not taken at the institution.

12.06.13 If there was no more than 2 months between your leaving the releasing institution and starting with the University, your continuity will not have been broken, but the period between finishing and starting will not be counted as service.

12.06.14 Recognition of prior service does not apply if you are a casual or if your salary is paid from external funds which make no provision for OSP.

Application

12.06.15 You may apply on the form for an OSP in the following year through your adviser and Head of Department to reach the Head of Division by 31 July. (If you are the Head of Division, you apply to the Head of College.)

12.06.16 Your adviser will make any suggestions for change, taking into account assessments of your performance and suggested developmental activities through the PMS, and report through the Head of Department to the Head of Division.

12.06.17 Your form must then be sent to the Personnel Office, which will confirm your eligibility for an approved OSP and advise you.

12.06.18 The Head will consult with you, your adviser, your Head of Department and relevant Academic staff and decide whether to approve the OSP or not (also taking into account assessments of your performance and suggested developmental activities).

12.06.19 Your OSP will not be approved if your absence will seriously disrupt the work of the Division or Department. The Head of Division and Head of Department must make satisfactory arrangements for your normal teaching, supervision of your Honours and Postgraduate students and other duties (including administrative duties if non?teaching) to be carried out. At the same time, they must make sure that long-term planning provides opportunities for all eligible staff to take part in OSP.

12.06.20 The Head will take into account the workload allocations under 8.10 and the general guideline that approvals may be given for up to 7% of the 'person' years available to the whole Division from its non-casual Academic staff, averaged over the last year, the current year, and the following year for which programs are being considered.

12.06.21 Approvals above the average of 7% must form part of a long-term OSP plan of the Division and Department, developed by the Heads after appropriate consultation and approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

12.06.22 If your application for OSP is not approved or is reduced because you cannot be released, this will be taken into account when you next apply.

12.06.23 An OSP of up to 6 months must not, except in special circumstances, involve your absence over more than one half teaching year. In the same way, an absence of up to 12 months should not involve more than 2 half-year teaching periods.

12.06.24 Your Head may approve your associated leave, to be taken at the beginning, end or during the OSP, under the appropriate leave policies.

12.06.25 If your Head approves your OSP, this will be noted on the form, with any comments about the OSP and the expected outcomes.

12.06.26 If the decision is to not approve your OSP, the Head will show the reasons for that decision.

12.06.27 The Head will send your approved form to the Personnel Office to be placed on the personal file. The Head will also send a list of approvals to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for information.

12.06.28 The Head may approve later proposals under these guidelines for changes to the length and content of your approved OSP, to leave and/or to the funding. Copies will be sent to the Personnel Office for your personal file.

Appeals

12.06.29 If the Head has not approved your OSP or has approved your OSP on a very different basis than you proposed in the first application or after consultation, you may use the Grievance Procedures in 14.01.

12.06.30 If this is unsuccessful, you may appeal in writing to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, setting out the reasons for the appeal.

12.06.31 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor will talk to you (you may be accompanied by your adviser or another person) and will consult with your Head of Division, Head of Department, adviser and relevant Academic staff.

12.06.32 The decision of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor will be final.

Reports on Programs

12.06.33 You are required to send a report on the OSP in the 6 months after your return to the Head, through your adviser and your Head of Department.

12.06.34 If you do not report in that time, the Head will give you 1 more month to report. If it is not received in that time, the Head may decide that the normal 3 year interval between the return from that OSP and the start of your next OSP will be extended by 1 month for each month it is late beyond that seventh month.

12.06.35 Your report should show the major activities and outcomes, any discrepancies with proposed goals, and the contributions of the OSP towards your work and the goals of the Department, Division and the University.

12.06.36 You will be asked to give further information if your Head of Department or Head of Division thinks that the report is inadequate.

12.06.37 You will be given a copy of the comments of your adviser, Head of Department and Head of Division on the accepted report. A copy will be given to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for information and a copy will be placed on your personal file.

Financial Support

12.06.38 If your OSP is approved, a total travel grant up to the amounts in 12.06.40 will, in general, be made once in each 7 years of your service (as worked out in 12.06.06/9) if you are involved in extensive travel, such as travel to Europe or North America.

12.06.39 Your Head will decide an appropriate travel grant if your travel is less extensive (e.g. New Zealand or in Australia). If you are approved for a further OSP in the 7 year period, approval may be given to a travel grant up to the difference between the grant under this clause and that under 12.06.40.

12.06.40 The travel grant for an approved OSP involving extensive travel will be up to the following amounts if you are:

12.06.41 For the purposes of 12.06.40:

• a dependent child is a child under the age of 18 years or, if undergoing full-time education, up to the age of 21 years;
• if your partner is also employed in this University and you are both going on OSP at or about the same time, you will each be eligible for the grant for a single person. Only one claim for dependent children will be paid;
• if your partner is employed in another university and you both are going on OSP at or about the same time, the travel grant will be decided after discussion with the other university;
• the amounts provided towards the travel of your partner and/or children have been reduced by the FBT payable.

12.06.43 Your application for a travel grant and/or payment of salary in advance should be noted in the Division and Department and sent as early as possible to the Personnel Office. Your travel grant will be paid to a nominated Departmental account to allow pre-booking and access to fare discounts.

12.06.44 If you are receiving or are expecting to receive large grants from outside the University during, or for, your approved OSP (whether these do, or do not, include any contribution towards travel expenses), the terms for outside employment apply and you will need the approval of your Head. Details of any payments to be received by you must be shown.

12.06.45 The approved travel grant is normally the only use of University funds to support OSP. In special circumstances, the Head of Division or Head of Department may approve additional payments to meet your professional expenses directly related to the approved OSP.

12.06.46 The intended use must be shown on the form or later correspondence. You must get prior approval in the normal way before you make any commitment. The usual taxation provisions for OSP payments will apply to your use of special research funds and all advances for travel costs must be acquitted.

12.07 Competitive Awards for General Staff

12.07.02 Your proposed program of study or visits must develop your abilities and be of benefit to the University.

12.07.03 In general, you must have had the full-time equivalent of 4 years current and continuous service as a General staff member of the University.

12.07.04 Your application must be sent through the Head, who will report on your program and on arrangements for carrying out your normal duties.

12.07.05 The form and your current resume will be sent to the Personnel Office which will tell you if your application is outside the guidelines.

12.07.06 You should apply in the normal way for any associated leave.

12.07.07 If you are successful, the University will give you:

• up to 3 months leave with pay at your normal salary;
• return travel costs at the economy airfare rate, or pro rata depending on the nature of your application;
• if appropriate, the travel allowance in 4.11;
• conference fees, where applicable;
• internal travel, up to a limit based on the nature of your application.

12.07.09 You should keep documentary evidence of expenses and a travel diary for taxation purposes. The diary must show the date of the entry about the activity and the nature, place, start date and the length of the activity.

12.07.10 A 'travel diary' apparently may include a detailed conference itinerary, a detailed travel itinerary prepared in advance or a written report prepared on return. The Commissioner expects entries generally to be filled in on a daily basis but for a longer trip seems to accept weekly entries.

Selection by the Competitive Awards Committee

12.07.11 The Vice-Chancellor will appoint four members to the Committee, including a Head of Division and an earlier recipient of the Award.

12.07.12 The Committee will consider your application under the following:

• your program must benefit the University and develop or expand your skills, although not necessarily in equal parts;
• your adviser and Head should talk about the proposal and the proposed dates of absence with you, and state if the proposal is supported, both as to the aims and your ability for release;
• you will be interviewed if eligible;
• you may nominate a referee to comment on your program, as well as comments made by your adviser and Head;
• your program must be fully researched and developed, including your proposed itineraries and timetables;
• the time and period of your absence within the activities of the Division or Office will not be a primary consideration by the Committee in assessing the application.

Obligations on Return

12.07.14 You will be expected to provide a report to the Pro Vice-Chancellor. You may also be asked to provide training sessions for staff members.

12.08 Payment of Course Fees

12.08.02 Your fees may be paid or reimbursed if the University gets major benefits from the development, maintenance or improvement in your skills.

12.08.03 Your Head may approve the payment of your fees or charges for tertiary study, including TAFE and university charges (including HECS), if you give evidence of your enrolment and:

• funding is from the Division or Office maintenance budget;
• the Head is satisfied that the study will provide skills directly related to your employment in your current position or which might reasonably be expected to be used in the University;
• your fees and charges may be reimbursed:
  • for a part of an undergraduate program that is directly relevant to your current position;
  • for postgraduate course work study;
  • for enrolment in non-university or non-award courses;
• fees and charges will not be reimbursed for repeat subjects;
• payments made as reimbursement of fees may be subject to FBT and Payroll Tax in which case the on-cost will be charged to that budget unit. Offices and Divisions should budget for these amounts.

12.09 English Language Training

• are unable to meet standards of communication to advance your career prospects; or
• are an OH&S hazard or risk to yourself and/or fellow staff; or
• are not able to meet the PCS at your Level.

12.09.03 This proficiency level will allow for your vocational needs for communication, OH&S, welfare and productivity in your current or potential employment in the University. It will also take account of issues about training, retraining and multi-skilling, industrial relations and OH&S provisions, and EEO legislation.

12.09.04 Your participation in training will be on the basis of a minimum of 100 hours (or pro rata) each year subject to appropriate needs assessment.