ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURE
1.0 DEFINITIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS DOCUMENT
1.1 Capitalized words and phrases used in this Procedure document and not otherwise defined here have the meanings assigned to them in the Academic Professional Development Policy (PL-AC-11).
1.2 The following words and expressions are specific to this document and shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
1.2.1 Academic Appraisal Annual Report (AAAR): A document comprising the Appraisal Portfolio in addition to the supporting documents pertaining to the Academic Appraisal, such as: Action Plan template, Course Folder checklist, Course master syllabus template, and Course self-reflection report template.
1.2.2 Academic Calendar: A representation of the periods associated with the University’s operations, containing the teaching periods, exam and holiday dates, and key deadlines, which is approved by the University’s Board of Trustees.
1.2.3 Action Plan: A document that describes the Academic Member’s planned activities and targets for the coming appraisal cycle in terms of time, effort, and deliverables in four key components: Teaching and Academic Professional Development, Scholarly & Creative Activities, and Services to the University, profession and community.
1.2.4 Curriculum: The subjects comprising a Course of study in a Program.
1.2.5 Disciplinary Action: Measures that correspond to the nature and impact of Academic Misconduct for the University.
1.2.6 Operational Training: Practical, hands-on training for Academic Members that supports the daily operations of the college or prepares Students for real-world tasks and procedures within a certain field.
1.2.7 Strategic Priority: An outcome-oriented, high-level aim to achieve the University’s Mission.
1.2.8 Teaching and Learning: The delivery of practical or theoretical instruction for the purpose of Student learning and development, that is generally organized by disciplines of study and administered within an established model and timeframe.
1.2.9 Teaching Load: The Teaching assignment of each Academic Member within the Academic Unit.
1.2.10 Teaching Release Time: Approved teaching reduction allocated to Academic Members involved in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Services, or Academic Professional Development, in line with the Academic Workload Procedure (PR-AC-05-01).
1.3 Where a word or phrase is given a particular meaning, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of that word or phrase have corresponding meanings.
1.4 Where the context requires, words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice-versa.
2.0 PROCEDURE PURPOSE
2.1 The purpose of this procedure is to support the implementation of the Academic Professional Development Policy (PL-AC-11).
2.2 The following procedures are to be read in conjunction with the foregoing policy.
3.0 PROCEDURE STATEMENTS
3.1 Academic Professional Development activities are categorized as follows:
3.1.1 Academic Professional Development activities that are developed through the Applied and Experiential Learning (AEL) Department to cover the pedagogical and instructional skills:
3.1.1.1 Orientation/Onboarding training for new Academic Members. This training is focused on the University’s applied and experiential learning principles.
3.1.1.2 Academic Professional Development (PD) days. These PD days are held twice per Academic Year and include planned Applied and Experiential Learning Department (AEL)-led and college-specific activities. Attendance is mandatory for all Academic Members. These activities focus on advanced trends in applied Teaching and Learning.
3.1.1.3 University-wide training delivered through various Academic Professional Development programs focusing on best practices in Teaching and Learning, new trends in educational technology, applied Teaching, experiential learning and AI in education.
3.1.2 Academic Professional Development activities under the Academic Units cover the following Teaching subject matter/discipline-specific topics:
3.1.2.1 Conference, external workshop, and training attendance or participation.
3.1.2.2 Academic Unit-directed professional development undertaken at the Academic Unit’s initiative such as laboratory safety training, specialized software training, or research-related workshops organized by the Academic Unit and not offered by the Applied and Experiential Learning Department.
3.1.3 Personal Academic Professional Development includes:
3.1.3.1 Self-directed professional development undertaken at the Academic Member's initiative and outside work hours such as independent Research, professional association involvement, and further academic qualifications. The University does not fund or reimburse expenses related to Personal Academic Professional Development activities unless such activities have been pre-approved through the formal request process and are demonstrated to directly support institutional goals or specific job-related competencies. Approval is at the sole discretion of the Vice-President, Academics.
3.1.3.2 Participation in such activities is not a guaranteed entitlement.
3.2 Part-time and temporary Academic Members may participate in Academic Professional Development activities organized by the University or the Academic Unit, subject to prior approval by the Dean/Academic Manager.
3.3 Academic Professional Development is a collaborative endeavor between the Academic Unit and the Academic Member. Both parties must collaborate to identify, plan, and execute Academic Professional Development that meets the needs of the Academic Member and the University.
3.4 Failure by Academic Members to comply with Academic Professional Development requirements will result in Disciplinary Action, as per relevant policies.
3.5 Teaching Release Time granted for Academic Professional Development will be based on the operational needs of the Academic Unit and at the discretion of the Vice-President, Academics, upon the recommendations of the respective Dean/Academic Manager and in accordance with the Academic Workload Policy (PL-AC-05) and the Teaching Load Procedure (PR-AC-05-01).
3.6 Responsibilities
3.6.1 Academic Members
3.6.1.1 Newly joined, full-time Academic Members must:
3.6.1.1.1 Complete faculty orientation training as part of their Academic Professional Development, offered by the University.
3.6.1.1.2 Select Academic Professional Development activities provided by the Applied and Experiential Learning Department that cater to the Academic Member’s personal Teaching needs.
3.6.1.1.3 Keep a record of identified Academic Professional Development opportunities in the Action Plan and provide evidence of participation in Academic Professional Development activities in the Academic Appraisal Annual Report, as per the Academic Appraisal Procedure (PR-AC-09).
3.6.1.1.4 Seek approval from the Dean/Academic Manager and the Vice-President, Academics for all self-directed Academic Professional Development activities.
3.6.1.1.5 Commit to attend and be fully engaged during Academic Professional Development activities.
3.6.1.1.6 Apply the newly-learned knowledge and skills from the Academic Professional Development activity to their own teaching practice, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with teaching excellence standards.
3.6.1.1.7 Complete the evaluation questionnaire detailing the feedback, effectiveness, and areas of improvement of the Academic Professional Development activity.
3.6.2 Applied and Experiential Learning Department
3.6.2.1 Manage and deliver the University’s Academic Professional Development activities related to applied Teaching and Learning. This includes the following:
3.6.2.1.1 New Academic Member onboarding training in teaching.
3.6.2.1.2 Academic Member development sessions on applied Teaching and Learning practices.
3.6.2.1.3 Academic Professional Development days delivered as per the Academic Calendar, required for all Academic Members.
3.6.2.1.4 Specialized Teaching development Programs, including the introduction to and training of Academic members on new teaching methodologies focused on digital learning technologies.
3.6.2.1.5 Customized Academic Professional Development as requested from the respective Dean/Academic Manager for their Academic Unit requirements.
3.6.2.1.6 One-on-one consultations for Curriculum development, faculty development, and educational technology.
3.6.2.2 Validate the Academic Professional Development (PD) Day schedules for colleges in terms of relevance, and provide feedback to the Deans regarding any necessary changes.
3.6.2.3 Advertise and communicate all upcoming Academic Professional Development activities of this type to all Academic Members.
3.6.2.4 Seek approval from the Vice-President, Academics on new Academic Professional Development initiatives.
3.6.2.5 Issue a certificate of completion for Academic Professional Development training delivered by the Applied and Experiential Learning Department.
3.6.2.6 Administer, conduct and review the results of training evaluation questionnaires following each Academic Professional Development activity for continuous improvement and feedback.
3.6.2.7 Seek feedback on college-directed Academic Professional Development activities for continuous improvement and feedback purposes.
3.6.2.8 Monitor attendance of mandatory Academic Professional Development activities delivered by the Applied and Experiential Learning Department.
3.6.2.9 Conduct post-Academic Professional Development (PD) training evaluations at three (3)-and nine (9)-months intervals after the training.
3.6.2.10 Report cases of non-compliance for Professional Development activities delivered by the Applied and Experiential Learning Department to the respective Dean/Academic Manager and the Faculty Affairs Department.
3.6.3 Academic Unit
3.6.3.1 Academic Units will:
3.6.3.1.1 Coordinate with the Applied and Experiential Learning Department to communicate the professional development needs of Academic Members within their respective Academic Units and collaborate to support Academic Members.
3.6.3.1.2 Manage and deliver College-directed Academic Professional Development activities related to discipline-specific, subject matter, fields of study, and course subjects. This includes, but is not limited to:
3.6.3.1.2.1 Research and scholarly development.
3.6.3.1.2.2 Technical skills enhancement.
3.6.3.1.2.3 Personal development.
3.6.3.1.3 Direct Academic Members to participate in upcoming Academic Professional Development activities, as requested by the Dean/Academic Manager and/or Department/Program Head.
3.6.3.1.4 Make arrangements and/or class coverage plans for Academic Members participating in Academic Professional Development activities, if necessary.
3.6.4 Applied and Experiential Learning Committee
3.6.4.1 Communicate with the Applied and Experiential Learning Department on the Academic Professional Development needs related to pedagogy and instructional skills for their respective Academic Units.
3.6.4.2 Promote Academic Professional Development activities offered by the Applied and Experiential Learning Department to their respective Academic units.
3.6.4.3 Participate in Academic Professional Development (PD) days in collaboration with the Applied and Experiential Learning Department.
3.6.5 Vice President, Academics
3.6.5.1 Ensure alignment of Academic Professional Development activities with the University’s Strategic Priorities and goals.
3.6.5.2 Review all Academic Professional Development activities requiring Teaching Release Time or funding, as per the Academic Workload Policy (PL-AC-05) and the Teaching Load Procedure (PR-AC-05-01).
3.6.5.3 Oversee the development and execution of Academic Professional Development activities in collaboration with the Applied and Experiential Learning Department and the Faculty Affairs Department.
3.6.6 Faculty Affairs Department
3.6.6.1 Maintain records of Academic Professional Development participation, including University Professional Development (PD) Day and approval for Self-Directed Professional Development.
3.6.6.2 Review and document Self-Directed Academic Professional Development activity requests, vetting them for completeness prior to submission to the Vice-President, Academics.
3.6.6.3 Support Academic Units in tracking Teaching Release Time and reporting on the effectiveness of Academic Professional Development initiatives.
3.6.6.4 List Academic Professional Development days in the Academic Calendar.
3.6.6.5 Report to the Vice-President, Academics issues related to Academic Professional Development activities, such as attendance disputes and non-compliance.
3.7 Self-Directed Academic Professional Development Process
3.7.1 All self-directed Academic Professional Development activities must follow a three-stage process that includes activities before, during and after the Academic Professional Development activity:
3.7.1.1 Pre-event
3.7.1.1.1 The Academic Member will submit a request for attending an Academic Professional Development activity to their Department/Program Head and then the Dean/Academic Manager for endorsement.
3.7.1.1.2 If the Academic Professional Development activity requires a reduction in Teaching Load, the Academic Member will complete the Teaching Release Time Form (TRTF) and submit it to the Faculty Affairs Department. The process for Teaching Release Time is stipulated in the Teaching Load Procedure (PR-AC-05-01).
3.7.1.1.3 The Academic Member will submit the Academic Conference Participation/ Business Engagement Request Form (see Annex A) to the Faculty Affairs Department. If the activity involves Operational Training only, the Academic Member will instead submit the Operational Training / Professional Development (OTPD) Request Form (see Annex B), along with all relevant supporting documents.
3.7.1.1.4 The Faculty Affairs Department will review the submitted documents for completeness and forward them to the Vice-President, Academics.
3.7.1.1.5 The Vice-President, Academics will review the request. If endorsed, the Faculty Affairs Department will submit the documents to the Finance Directorate for review, and subsequently to the President for final approval.
3.7.1.1.6 For OTPD requests, once reviewed by Finance Directorate, the Faculty Affairs Department will submit to the Human Capital Directorate, then the Vice-President Support Services, and then to the President for final approval.
3.7.1.1.7 Upon the President’s approval, the Faculty Affairs Department will inform the Academic Member and the respective Dean/Academic Manager. For approved OTPD, the Human Capital Directorate will inform the Academic Member.
3.7.1.1.8 The Academic Member will submit the Journey Authorization Form for Academic Employees (see Annex C) to the Faculty Affairs Department (for online conference participation, online training, and conference/training conducted locally, the Journey Authorization Form is not required).
3.7.1.1.9 The Faculty Affairs Department will submit the Journey Authorization Form to the Vice-President, Academics. All Journey Authorization Forms must have the Vice-President, Academics’ and the President’s final approval.
3.7.1.1.10 Once approved, the Office of Vice-President, Academics will forward the Journey Authorization Form to the Faculty Affairs Department who will submit it to the Finance Directorate, along with the approved Academic Conference Participation/ Business Engagement Request Form.
3.7.1.1.11 If the Academic Professional Development is not approved at any stage, the Faculty Affairs Department will notify the Academic Member and the respective Dean/Academic Manager of the decision and will provide justification for the decision.
3.7.1.1.12 Approval of self-directed Academic Professional Development activities does not imply University funding. Any financial support must be explicitly approved and documented in accordance with available budgets.
3.7.1.2 During
3.7.1.2.1 Academic Members registered for an approved activity are expected to attend relevant sessions and complete any required tasks from these sessions.
3.7.1.2.2 If the Academic Member is not available to attend the Academic Professional Development activity, they must communicate this to both the organizer of the event and their Dean/Academic Manager.
3.7.1.2.3 In case of the Academic Member’s absence from the Academic Professional Development activity, the Dean/Academic Manager will make arrangements with the organizer and identify another Academic Member. A notification will also be sent to the Faculty Affairs Department for documentation.
3.7.1.3 After
3.7.1.3.1 The attendee of the Academic Professional Development activity will conduct the post-evaluation questionnaire, as requested, for continuous improvement and feedback purposes after each delivery.
3.7.1.3.2 Results of the post-evaluation questionnaire must be communicated with the Academic Unit (i.e.: for Academic Professional Development activities related to teaching subject matter / discipline-specific).
3.7.1.3.3 The attendee will report back to their department or Academic Unit on Academic Professional Development activities in some form as determined by their Dean/Academic Manager or Department/Program Head, either by delivering their own Academic Professional Development session or by developing materials to be shared with the team, with the goal being the continuous improvement of Teaching and Learning within the department or Academic Unit.
4.0 RELATED DOCUMENTS
4.1 PL-AC-11: Academic Professional Development Policy.
4.2 PL-AC-05-01: Teaching Load Procedure.
4.3 PR-AC-09: Academic Appraisal Procedure.
4.4 Guidelines for Participation in Academic Professional Development Activities and Events.