Promotions Procedure for Academic Staff
The University has in place promotion procedures for academic staff according to their level / grade. If you are interested in applying for promotion please ensure that you review the appropriate documentation and guidance before submitting your application.
Academic Applications to posts at Grade 7 – 9
A promotions exercise is undertaken on an annual basis.
Information about the new Policy/Procedure and Framework of Criteria for academic promotions Grades 7-9 can be found here. This applies from the 2023 annual exercise.
Information about the previous Policy/Procedure for Academic Promotion (which applies to the 2022 exercise) can be found below.
Academic Applications to posts at Grade 5 & 6
Applications can be received at any time in the year. A minimum of 12 months’ service is required and only one application can be made in any rolling 12 month period. More information can be found at the Grade 5 & 6 tab below.
The information below relates to the Promotion Policy/Procedure for the 2022 annual exercise. For information on the 2023 exercise please click here.
- Promotion Timetable
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2022 Promotions Exercise Timetable
Event Date Formal Launch 15 June 2022 School Information Sessions
20th, 22nd, 27th, 29th June 2022
Closing date for applications 16 September 2022 First meeting of Sub-Committee
October/November/December 2022
Second meeting of Sub-Committee
February/March 2023
Staff Promotion Committee &
Notification of OutcomesApril 2023
Consider appeals and provide outcomes By end June 2023 Effective date of successful promotion applications 1 August 2022 - Academic Staff Grades 7-9
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Guidance The University runs an annual Promotions Exercise for Academic Staff members seeking promotion (Grades 7-9). Below are the Promotions Procedures, Academic Promotion Guidance, Guidance on External Evaluations and Personal References, the National Academic Role Profiles by element, Guidance on Considering the Impact of Covid-19 and Guidance on the Head of School Evaluation Form.
If you are interested in applying for a promotion, it may be beneficial to review the following guidance documents before submitting your application:
- Academic Promotion Guidance
- Guidance on External Evaluations & Personal References
- National Academic Role Profiles - by Element 2020
- Guidance on Considering the Impact of Covid-19
- Guidance for Heads of School
- Promotions information session presentation
Pure Data
Currently the data held on Pure for download may be incomplete. For a complete download of research data to support promotions applications please get in touch with Nykhola Stong (n.strong@abdn.ac.uk).
REF Status
Please be advised that REF Status is not part of the promotions process. No REF-related information or declared individual circumstances are considered by the promotions panels.
Forms If you wish to apply for a promotion, please complete the relevant Application Form and Standard CV Form from the list below:
Teaching and Scholarship
- Level 5 (Personal Chair, Grade 9)
- Level 4 (Senior Lecturer (Scholarship), Grade 8)
- Level 3 (Lecturer (Scholarship), Grade 7)
Teaching and Research
- Level 5 (Personal Chair, Grade 9)
- Reader (Grade 8)
- Level 4 (Senior Lecturer, Grade 8)
- Level 3 (Lecturer, Grade 7)
Research
- Level 5 (Personal Chair, Grade 9)
- Reader (Grade 8)
- Level 4 (Senior Research Fellow, Grade 8)
- Level 3 (Research Fellow, Grade 7)
Standard CV Form
Head of School Evaluation Form
- Academic Staff Grades 5-6
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Guidance Applications for Research or Teaching staff seeking promotion to Grades 5 and 6 may be submitted at any time in the year, but a minimum of 12 months service is required before staff are eligible for consideration for promotion. The following procedure has been developed to provide further information:
If you are interested in applying for a promotion, it may be beneficial to review the following guidance documents before submitting your application:
Forms If you wish to apply for a promotion, please complete the relevant application form from the list below:
Research
Teaching
- Job Evaluation
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Overview The University of Aberdeen uses a job evaluation system (HERA) which measures the different elements of each non-clinical role within the institution. This information is used to grade roles in a fair and consistent manner.
The job evaluation process aims to:
- Establish the relative value or size of jobs or roles
- Produce the information required to design and maintain equitable grade and pay structures
- Provide as objective as possible a basis for placing jobs within a grade structure
- Enable consistent decisions to be made about grading jobs or roles
- Ensure that the organisation meets legal and ethical equal pay for work or equal value requirements and that the legal and ethical requirements do not discriminate
Grade Structure
View the University's grade structure and salary scales.
For further information please contact your HR Partner.
Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA) The University uses HERA as its job evaluation tool. HERA is a tool used to evaluate roles found in higher education - this process is also sometimes referred to as job analysis. Job evaluation is the process of measuring different elements of a job in order to grade it in a fair and consistent manner.
HERA involves fourteen 'elements':
- Communication (oral and written)
- Teamwork and motivation
- Liaison and networking
- Service delivery
- Decision making processes and outcomes
- Planning and organising resources
- Initiative and problem solving
- Analysis and research
- Sensory and physical demands
- Work environment
- Pastoral care and welfare
- Team development
- Teaching and learning support
- Knowledge and experience.
These elements have been designed so that roles can be analysed in such a way as to reflect the values of higher education and the aspects of those roles seen as most important.
What is HERA used for?
HERA is used to create a role description or profile and a total points score for a role. The profile is used to support recruitment, selection, training and career development. The total points score is then used to assign roles to grades or bands in the University salary structure.
Why do roles need to be analysed?
The National Framework Agreement (2006) required all higher education institutions to implement a new single spine and grading structure for all staff. To do this, a series of representative roles within each institution had to be identified and analysed to allow each institution to develop (in consultation with its recognised trade unions) an appropriate pay and grading structure.
HERA provides an analytical approach that reflects the values of the sector and provides transparency to the process. Also, using an analysis tool such as HERA ensures that roles within the University are receiving equal pay for work of equal value.
Job Descriptions The University has developed a job description template to gather accurate and up-to-date information about all non-clinical jobs in the University. Guidance on how to complete the form is available, including a number of worked examples (please see links below). If you experience any difficulties completing the template, please contact your HR Partner.
The template was developed and agreed in partnership with the local representatives of all the recognised campus trade unions as part of the Framework Agreement (2006). The template is laid out in such a way to allow Role Analysts to score each role and place this in the University's grade structure.
- Job description template (electronic): this document is designed to be completed on your PC.
- Job description template (hard copy): this document is designed to for completion by hand.
Completion/Guidance Notes
To help you complete the job description template, guidance notes are available to download by clicking the link below:
Worked Examples
A number of worked examples have been produced as guidance for completing job descriptions:
If you require further information or guidance regarding job descriptions, please contact your HR Partner.
National Academic Role Profiles The Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES) have produced a paper providing guidance on the National Academic Role Profiles.
For more information regarding NARPs, please contact your HR Partner.
FAQs Has the Framework Agreement Affected All Staff?
The Framework Agreement included all staff with the exception of staff paid from clinical academic salary scales and a small number of staff whose terms and conditions are excluded from the JNCHES national negotiations. All new non-clinical posts under the University's terms and conditions following the Framework Agreement in 2006 have undergone a job evaluation process using HERA to grade it accordingly.
What is Job Evaluation?
Job evaluation is the process of measuring different elements of a role in order to grade it in a fair and consistent manner. HERA has been used by the University since 2006 to assist with this process.
What is HERA Used for?
HERA is used to create a role description or profile and a total points score for a role. The profile is then used to support recruitment, selection, training, performance and career development. The total points score can be used to assign roles to grades in the salary structure.
Why do Roles Need to be Analysed Using HERA?
The National Framework Agreement required all higher education institutions to implement a new single pay spine and grading structure for all staff by August 2006. To do this, a series of representative roles within each institution had to be identified and analysed before the remaining roles could be allocated into the grading structure as developed by the University (in consultation with the campus trade unions). All new non-clinical posts on the University's terms and conditions have been analysed to identify what grade this equates to. Roles are also analysed as part of the University's annual Promotions Exercise.