Academic Probation

All new academic staff appointed to a continuing or fixed-term position are expected to serve a period of probation as part of the appointment process.

During probation, academic staff members are required to demonstrate to an acceptable level that they have performed the duties and responsibilities assigned to them, including meeting the relevant academic and professional conduct standards as part of their appointment at Alexander College.

Academic Career Development (ACR)

The College’s future is linked to staff contribution. Support is provided to all continuing and fixed-term academic staff through engagement with their, allocated by the Academic Director, supervisor.

ACR includes an individual plan, role expectations, discussion of envisaged development opportunities and career planning. Academic Staff Career and Development review will enable staff to the following year of the position

Promotions

Promotions are based on the progress of staff chosen pathway activities and ranking and / or upon Merit https://alexander.ac.cy/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Research-Excellence-Framework.pdf

1. Academic Career Pathways orientations and Workload at Alexander College

Alexander College embraces Academic Career Pathways under which a broad workload of activities is expected as well as progression and reward of contribution.

The College recognizes that each academic career pathway is a long – term demonstration of academic activity to qualify the individual staff to reach full participation and allocation of an annual workload.

The Teaching and Research academic career pathway includes roles that involve teaching and scholarship of teaching, research, administration, academic leadership / service to the College. Undertakes teaching and scholarship of teaching including scholarly activities, research, and other activities. In the workload allocation for teaching, the number of face-to-face hours (or equivalent delivery) will not exceed 336 hours. The research component will not be less than 20% and not exceed 50% of the total workload allocation. Other activities will not normally exceed 30%.

The Teaching – focused academic career pathway involves a higher proportion of teaching related activities and may also include contributions in research, administration, and academic leadership / service. Undertakes teaching and scholarship of teaching including scholarly activities and other activities. In the workload allocation for teaching, the number of face-to-face hours (or equivalent delivery) will not exceed 420 hours. Other activities will not normally exceed 30% of the total workload allocation.  

1.1 Evidence (expected) for assessing Teaching – Focused Pathway (Activities and Contribution)

1. Disciplinary & Practice Knowledge
   • Passionate and enthusiastic about the subject, disciplinary modes of enquiry. Continuously develop creative, critical, philosophical, or professional practices, and how to teach them.
   • Share knowledge, expertise in disciplinary, technical, creative and/or professional field.
   • Reflect critically on expertise and experience in creative and professional practice, industry, and research contexts to enhance student – centered environment.
   • Innovate to stimulate students to confidently demonstrate abilities to challenge received knowledge, practices, and orthodox ideas.
2. Influence & Leadership
   • Commit to learning communities of students, peers and/or professional networks.
   • Contribute to society through teaching leadership roles, course evaluation, peer review or relevant committee service at an institutional, national, or international level.
   • Engage in evaluation of and research in the discipline and its pedagogy including teaching projects, action research, seminar papers, conference / workshop presentation and/or publication.
   • Interconnect and promote productive exchange and disseminate pedagogic good practice within or between teams, disciplines, professional practice, or specialisms.
3. Pedagogic Design
   • Manage learning tasks and/or co-ordinate teaching teams effectively to promote learning using a variety of methods.
   • Develop ways to challenge students to respond to uncertainties in self-directed work via reflective enquiry.
   • Incorporate a range of appropriate teaching and/or assessment methods, including use of modern technologies, to support high impact and inclusive learning experiences.
4. Professional Development
   • Use rigorous reflection, peer, and self-evaluation to enhance teaching.
   • Enhance teaching through a rich mix of rigorous reflection, peer, student, and self-evaluation.
   • Employ approaches to teaching that are informed by pedagogic scholarship, creative and professional practice, industry developments and/or disciplinary research.
   • Advance the practice and its pedagogy at local and/or disciplinary level by engaging in creative, innovative, or transformative educational practice.
   • Engage in professional development and recognition including teaching qualifications.
5. Student engagement
   • Generate challenging learning experiences in collaboration to engage students as peers.
   • Support independent, self-regulated, enquiry – based and student – centered environment.
   • Promote equality, diversity, and different approaches to learning.

1.2 Evidence for assessing Teaching – Research Pathway (here Research Activities are set) 

1. Influence and Leadership (Evidence)
   • Engagement with research Boards / funding bodies on peer review and other processes.
   • Membership and / or leadership of external research organisations including associations, professional bodies, conference
   • Membership of peer review groups panels.
   • Membership of college research committees / themes.
   • Membership or affiliation with Research Organizations.
2. Pedagogy and Research (evidence)
   • Supervision of research students to completion.
   • Mentoring of Early Career Researchers (ECRs).
   • Initiation, development and/or organisation of post graduate teaching and learning sessions.
   • Research input into the curriculum through taught sessions and events.
3. Research Impact and Public Dissemination (demonstrable difference within and beyond the academic context. Evidence)
   • Invitations to present research in any form to external audiences.
   • Use of non – academic media for dissemination of research findings.
   • Demonstrable impact of research on public policy; industry innovation and advances; education beyond the HE sectors, government policies.
   • Producing work which contributes to the development of Alexander College impact.
   • Organization of and / or contribution to public-facing research events at college such as public seminars / workshops / exhibition.
4. Research Income and Funding
   • Record of applying for external research funding, or contributing to major funding applications, as appropriate to the discipline.
   • Success in applying for internal research support funds.
   • Leadership of, or collaboration in, funded research projects.
5. Research Outputs
   • Practice – based outputs, live presentations, exhibitions, representations, visual and aural media (Design, Art).
   • Text – based outputs including books, chapters in books, journal articles, working papers, published conference papers, electronic resources, and publications.

2. Workload Allocation

2.1 Teaching and Scholarship of Teaching Workload Allocation

1. Hours allocated for delivery of lectures and tutorials include preparation time, equivalent contact time (delivery), and associated in – class / online feedback.
2. Student Consultation involves contact between the staff member and student, which may be in person, via email, phone. Student Consultation may involve but is not limited to queries around academic content; queries around policy and procedure; general advice around the relevant unit, assessments etc.; and general initial advice, guidance, and referral for students in distress.
3. Hours allocated as marking time can be shared between the Academic Staff in the Module.
4. The Course Leader plays a key role in the development, implementation, administration, internal evaluation of Programmes.
5. The Module Leader leads the development, implementation, administration, internal evaluation of the Module and may also have another specific role within the Programme
6. Special consideration for additional hours for new Module / unit development and / or revision, should be taken by the Academic Director.
7. In circumstances where more than one person is developing or revising a Module the workload allocation should be distributed on a proportional basis according to the contribution of each developer.
8. The Head of the Programme, Course Leader, may identify a Special Project – Teaching and Scholarship of Teaching and recommend a workload allocation for approval by the Academic Director.
9. A staff member may discuss Teaching and Scholarship of Teaching project/s with the Head of Programme / Course Leader in coordination with the Research Centre for consideration of a workload allocation. The project/s must align with key organizational – Programme strategies and have stated objectives with key deliverables.
10. In circumstances where a Head of Programme allocates additional hours, or special project, these are recommended to the Academic Director for approval.

2.2 Research

Enabling research activity workload allocation for identified Early Career Researchers. This allocation is for a period of 3 – 5 years. Year two allocation and beyond is dependent upon: the development of a research plan and demonstrated progress towards quality research outcomes 200 hours each eligible year (approved by Research Centre). Individual staff Research allocation – 3 Year Plan submitted through the Research Centre

2.3 Academic Administrative Duties

Course Coordinators will be allocated workload between 53 – 210 hours depending on the complexity of the courses. An allocated amount of 10% of workload (159 hours) is provided to  Academic Staff to participate to a range of college and / or Faculty committees; organize and / or attend all meetings, forums and seminars (as approved); contribute to professional associations relevant to the discipline; participate in moderation (where required); prepare and assess deferred/extra assessment; mentoring early career staff; complete mandatory performance learning; attend graduation / graduation mass; participate in approved Community Engagement Time Release (CETR) activities not embedded within the staff member’s academic role, usually up to the maximum allowed in the CETR Policy;  and participate in orientation and open day activities. Evidence of this participation will be required for the Progress Plan feedback and development conversations.