1. Overview

1.1 The Staff Development Policy derives from the University Plan and reflects the high value placed by the University upon attracting and retaining high quality staff. This policy aims to assist the development of academic and general staff and enable them to pursue the University's goals. It covers the role of the Staff Development Committee, delineates responsibility for staff development and provides a framework for implementation of the policy, including consideration of equity.

1.2 Developing the capacity of staff and improving individual job satisfaction and career prospects is one of the University's key priorities. The UTAS Edge - Excellence, Distinctiveness, Growth and Engagement- has as one of its elements 'attracting and energising' people. Through the Staff Development Policy, the University is prioritising its support for and provision of a broad range of staff development opportunities that will promote an organisational culture and a working environment that in turn, supports the University's aspirations and recognises and rewards achievements.

1.3 Staff Development must be integrated into the University's functioning, as an essential part of planning, management and working practice in which staff development programs and activities are based on identified needs, developed consultatively, reflect organisational priorities and to ensure that staff are in the best position to contribute to the University's strategic priorities. Staff development strategies are planned in partnership between staff and their supervisors and, where appropriate through the University's performance management processes.

2. Principles

2.1 This policy is based on the following principles that should be adhered to by all those responsible for its implementation -:

• The University is committed to the principles of organisational learning by which all staff are encouraged to learn and to contribute to the continuous improvement of the organisation.
• Staff development is planned to further the University's strategic priorities. The University Plan and other high-level planning documents (eg the Teaching and Learning Development Plan, the Research Training Management Plan, the Equity Plan), faculty and division planning documents, are used as the basis for identifying needs for staff development programs.
• the University's performance management processes are one of the primary means of identifying the learning and development needs of individual staff.
  
• Based on their professional qualifications, discipline expertise, knowledge and prior experience, University staff also initiate development activities and hence facilitate organisational learning
  
• Staff development is regarded as a legitimate form of work activity.
  
• Some development and training may be mandatory by industrial agreement, external legislation and/or University policy.
  
• All staff are eligible for staff development in some form, and equitable opportunity applies to access and participation by all staff.
  
• The development of staff is a responsibility shared by individual staff members, supervisors, managers, and the University.
  
• Managers and supervisors, Heads of Schools and Sections, have responsibility for identifying staff development needs of their Schools/Section and ensuring such needs are met and access to relevant activities for individuals and groups of staff.
  
• All staff are encouraged and required to take responsibility for their own learning, to develop personal goals, to record and reflect on their development and to assist in developing others.
  
• Staff development draws on the knowledge, skills, professional and discipline-based expertise of the University staff, as well as on relevant courses provided by the University.
  
• Development activities should meet an agreed learning need, have clearly defined outcomes and be designed to cater for a range of learning styles.
  
• Evaluation of development activities is a priority.

3. Aims and Objectives

3.1 The aim of staff development is to assist the development of each individual and group to enhance the University's performance through improved organisational efficiency and effectiveness.

3.2 To this end, the objectives of the staff development policy and programs are to:

• ensure that staff of the University are able to contribute to the achievement of the University's strategic goals.
• strengthen and support career development of all staff.
• prepare staff for possible future responsibilities in the University
• enhance the standard of performance of all staff in their current jobs
• maintain and increase job satisfaction
• improve and develop the ability of staff to initiate and respond constructively to change, especially that imposed by external pressures
• maintain and improve organisational effectiveness and efficiency; and
• support the University's equity objectives.

3.3 Consistent with these objectives, programs of staff development courses and activities will be developed and offered as appropriate to schools, faculties, university wide, and/or to targeted staff groups.

4. Description

4.1 Staff development at the University occurs through a range of formal and informal work related activities. These include:

(a) central staff development courses
(b) school-based courses
(c) outside studies programs
(d) on-the-job training
(e) attendance at conferences, and seminars,
(f) award courses
(g) study leave
(h) coaching
(i) mentoring
(j) self-directed learning
(k) institutional secondments and exchange
(l) international experience
(m) job rotation/lateral transfers
(n) acting in a higher position
(o) membership of committees, working parties or taskforces, both internal and external

5. The University Staff Development Committee

5.1 Responsibility for the oversight of a comprehensive staff development policy and program for the University rests with the Staff Development Committee, which advises the Vice-Chancellor. The terms of reference for the Staff Development Committee are to:

• Develop University Policy and strategic direction in relation to Staff Development.
• Ensure that the University's strategic goals in relation to staff development are communicated to the University community so that Faculty/Division staff development plans of activities are consistent with the University's strategic direction.
• Monitor and evaluate staff development policy and the quality of practices throughout the University via the receipt and review of reports on staff development activities in Faculties and Divisions with particular emphasis on ensuring that quality staff development activities are delivered in a cost effective, efficient and equitable manner.
• Co-ordinate the types of staff development programs to be offered centrally.
• Provide broad policy direction in relation to the delivery of centrally provided staff development programs and appropriate charging arrangements.
• Allocate and monitor the expenditure of the central staff development fund.
• Report to the University community on achievements in the area of staff development.

5.2 Committee Membership

Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Ex Officio
Chair, Teaching & Learning Committee
Deputy Chair, Academic Senate
Director, Human Resources
Staff Development Coordinator (Executive Officer and Secretary to the Committee)

Vice-Chancellor Appointed Membership
Academic Staff Member
General Staff Member
External people, eg Human Resource person from public sector
Faculty representatives
FEU Representative
RDO Representative

6. Responsibility for Staff Development and Training

6.1. Deans and Heads of Division, Heads of School and Section hold the primary responsibility for implementing this Staff Development Policy ensuring that staff are given the necessary opportunities to undertake appropriate training and the kinds of development activities outlined below.

6.1.1 The responsibility of Deans and Heads of Division and Heads of School and Section will be to:

• analyse staff development needs of the school, faculty or unit, and individual staff members and develop and implement plans to meet these needs. These plans will cover both the initiatives that can be taken within the organisational unit to meet individual or small group needs of unit staff and requirements for staff development which are beyond the current resources of the unit and which need to be referred to other units or agencies to co-ordinate
• recommend/authorise and to make budgetary provision for staff development opportunities for their staff when appropriate, and to ensure that staff are released for approved activities
• advise on development activities including program content and promote information sharing and application of new skills or insights in the workplace; and
• evaluate the effectiveness of their staff development strategies
• implement systematically the performance management process so that staff development needs currently not met by the University can be to brought to the attention of the University Staff Development Committee.

6.2 Responsibilities of Contributing Units

6.2.1 The responsibility of units contributing to staff development and providing support for programs shall be to:

• respond to requests from Deans, Heads of Divisions, Heads of Schools, Heads of Sections."
• propose and provide specific staff development programs
• monitor and evaluate specified staff development activities and report on their effectiveness to the University Staff Development Committee
• assist managers and supervisors in:
  i. identifying and analysing staff development needs, and
  ii. evaluating the effectiveness of staff development activities;
• establish and maintain a collection of relevant training and other staff development resources, and information on currently available appropriate courses by external agencies
• maintain effective liaison with external bodies relevant to staff development, such as the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee Staff Development Unit, Association of Tertiary Education Managers (ATEM), the Training Consortium etc.
  

6.2.2 Where required, coordination of contributing units to the University Program of Staff Development Courses and Activities; including Flexible Education Unit, Human Resources, Occupational Health and Safety Unit, Equal Employment Opportunity Unit, Research and Development Office, Information Technology Services, Library, International Services, Legal Office, Records Management Office and Student Services, will be carried out by the Staff Development Committee.

6.3 Responsibilities of Individual Staff Members

6.3.1 The effectiveness of any staff development activity depends on the active and purposeful participation of the individuals involved. Staff members have a clear responsibility to develop their skills to enhance performance in their current position and to be ready to assume further responsibilities.

6.3.2 In recognition of the benefits of staff development to the individual as well as the University, staff members are encouraged to:

• seek opportunities to upgrade the skills and knowledge required in their current position
• use constructively the performance management process to represent staff development needs and opportunities to their supervisor
• advise supervisors where specific needs are not being met as well as give feedback on the usefulness of staff development programs
• consider upgrading their formal qualifications through further studies to prepare for future responsibilities in the University.

6.4 Faculty Representative

6.4.1 Faculties will appoint a Faculty Representative to be a member of the Staff Development Committee. The Faculty Representative will forward the unmet needs, that have been identified in Performance Management and other processes, to the Staff Development Committee.

7. Implementation Framework

7.1The implementation of this policy takes account of the need to recruit and select quality staff, to induct them, to train them and give them other opportunities for development, to appraise their performance and provide, where possible, the chance to progress on appropriate career paths.

8. Equity

8.1 Staff Development should be accessible on an equitable basis, should promote the principles of equity, and should reinforce the aims and objectives of the University of Tasmania Plan and the University's Equity Plan. Where appropriate, courses should accommodate any specific needs of employment-disadvantaged groups or draw attention to equity issues.

9. Staff Development Performance Indicators

9.1 The following performance indicators can be used to assist in assessment of the impact and worth of staff development courses and activities:

• results of participant evaluation of University induction
• results of participant evaluation of staff development courses
• number and percentage of staff attending courses
• number and percentage of general staff vacancies filled by internal candidates,
• number and percentage of academic staff who participated in career development programs and were subsequently promoted.

10. Funding

10.1 Organisational units will allocate funding for staff development from the funds under their control

10.2 In addition, the Staff Development Committee will propose an annual budget for University-wide staff development activities and deploy it appropriately when allocated.

11. Staff Development Policy Review

11.1 The Staff Development Committee will review this policy and its implementation strategies every three years.

 

* Information was sourced in part from University of Queensland and Monash University

Approved by Academic Senate, 4 June 2004