This document, Promoting teaching: good practice benchmarks, provides a set of benchmarks and supportive material which is designed to assist higher education institutions (HEIs) to review their practices and policies for recognition of teaching in academic promotion.
This brief resource will enable universities to:
- identify gaps and good practice in university promotion processes;
- decide on aspects of promotion practice to review and refine;
- improve alignment between policy and practice
Authors: Higher Education Academy
Published date: 29th April, 2013
The overview of the Good practice benchmarks which are presented in the document are described below.
D1 Plans and policies
1 University plans reflect a commitment to parity of esteem between teaching achievements and other achievements in promotion. 2 University policies reflect a commitment to parity of esteem between teaching achievements and other achievements in promotion.
D2 Perceptions and practices
3 University leaders support promotion for teaching achievement. 4 Leaders of academic units support promotion for teaching achievement. 5 Peer interactions support promotion for teaching achievement.
D3 Promotion applicants
6 Potential applicants are offered advice and assistance on evidence of teaching achievement, which is aligned to policy and career planning. 7 Academic mentors and supervisors are equipped to give consistent and accurate advice to applicants on teaching evidence and teaching pathways to promotion.
D4 Promotion applications
8 Equal status for teaching is clearly stated in promotion forms and guidelines. 9 Application forms and guidelines for evidencing teaching/teaching scholarship are clear and detailed. 10 Systems are in place to collect and validate evidence of teaching for promotion applications.
D5 Promotion committee
11 Membership of promotion committees is appropriately balanced to represent teaching. 12 Promotion committees are well-prepared to evaluate the teaching achievements of applicants. 13 Promotion committee procedures are designed to support consistent and equitable decisions on teaching. 14 Where there are processes for external evaluation, attention to teaching mirrors attention to other areas of achievement. 15 Promotion committee procedures for evaluating teaching are transparent to current and prospective staff.
D6 Outcomes and review
16 Promotion outcomes can be demonstrated to be sound and equitable for teaching. 17 A transparent cycle of review tracks recognition of teaching in academic promotion. 18 Academic staff perceive that teaching achievements are valued in promotion processes.