Birmingham Academic Career Framework
Our promotion criteria now include five separate contribution areas: Research, Education, Enterprise, Engagement and Impact, Leadership and Management and Citizenship.
Our promotions processes are transparent and enable us to provide detailed and structured feedback which unsuccessful applicants can build upon when moving forward. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) has also been embedded in the promotions criteria.
In December 2021 the University concluded a two-year programme looking at the “deal” we offer our academic staff in terms of attraction, development and promotion.
The outcomes of this work include:
- Revising our academic titles and developing more flexible career structures
- Reimagining our promotion criteria
- More information about the Early Career Academy can be found on our internal pages when you join the University
Title and career structures - our career structure is now:
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Professor
Assistant Professors join the University on the Academic Development Programme (ADP), which provides support, training and regular feedback, with a flexible, tailored and phased approach to professional development. Assistant Professors are encouraged to apply for promotion to Associate Professor as soon as they are ready, with an expectation that this will typically be no later than their 5th or 6th year in post.
Career Pathways
Most academic staff are appointed on the basis that the majority of their contribution will fall into one of the following main career pathways, which will be clearly articulated at the recruitment and selection stage:
- Education
- Research and Education
- Enterprise, Engagement and Impact
The fourth pathway is Research for Research Fellows and Senior Research Fellows.
Most academic staff are likely to contribute to teaching, undertake administration related to their career pathway, and will also be able to develop contributions to citizenship, leadership and management.
We are able, however, to be flexible and move you between these career pathways, depending on how your interests and career develop, and subject to there being agreement by both yourself and the University that such a move is appropriate, and in line with business needs.