The new Academic Career Progression Framework
Please note for academic promotions:
- The current academic staff committee system for promotions, using existing criteria, will remain in place for the November 2026 round.
- The new Faculty/School process for promotions/translations up to and including Grade 9 will be operational using the new criteria for the January round.
- The new boards for promotions/translations up to and including Grade 9 will meet in January and early July.
- There will be no Faculty/School process in November, providing a clear break from old to new criteria and process.
- From May/June 2027, Professorial promotions will be considered by Academic Staff Committee once per year by a new process using the new criteria.
| Promotion round | Information | Deadline for applications |
|---|---|---|
| November ASC round | All promotion routes being considered using the previous criteria and application form | 10 September 2026 |
| January Faculty round | Up to and including Grade 9 using the new criteria and new application form, (draft form available on the SharePoint site) | Likely mid November |
| May/June ASC round | Applications to Professor using the new criteria and new applications form, (new form is not yet available) | Likely end of February |
| July Faculty round | Up to and including Grade 9 using the new criteria and new application form | Likely early May |
Overview of the progression framework
The Academic Promotions Framework sets out to recognise and encourage the many diverse contributions colleagues make to the success of the University and its impact in the world. Rooted in academic excellence and collegiality, the Framework comprises three domains that are seen as the enduring essence of academic work. Criteria, examples and quality indicators have been carefully written to reflect the current and future nature of higher education careers, and colleagues should be able to recognise their roles and use the framework to understand and plan pathways to success. As the sector evolves and the University gains experience in its application, the framework will be reviewed periodically to ensure it is fit for purpose, maintaining our principles of excellence, flexibility and fairness.
Read more about out promotion principles here
Promotion Criteria
The promotion/translation criteria for routes to Professor, Grade 9 (Senior Lecturer, Reader, Senior Research Fellow) and Grade 8 (Lecturer, Research Fellow) can be now be found in a single document.
Category A includes the essential indicators for the level, and one or both of these criteria must be met depending on the promotion being applied for as detailed below. Other criteria may be in either Category A or B.
| Category | Education and Student Experience | Research and Innovation | Citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | E1 - Delivery | R1 - Programmes and delivery | C1 - University functions and culture |
| A | E2 - Scholarship and impact | R2 - Building collective success | C2 - Connecting to the wider community |
| B | E3 - Developing culture, policy and strategy | R3 - Funding and resources | C3 - Institutional service |
| B | E4 - Education design | R4 - Impact | C4 - Disciplinary and external professional service |
| B | E5 - Innovation | R5 - Innovation | C5 - Civic engagement with impact |
| B | E6 - Student experience and outcomes | R6 - Engagement and partnerships | C6 - Collegiality: shared accountability |
| B | E7 - Developing others | R7 - Developing others | C7 - Developing others |
| B | E8 - Community building | R8 - Community building | C8 - Community building |
Promotion Criteria for different Profiles
Education and Research Profile
a. Candidates for Promotion to Professor and Senior Lecturer must meet:
i. At least one criterion in Category A from all domains
ii. Four other criteria, of which at least one must be in either Education and Student Experience or Research and Innovation
b. Candidates for Promotion or Translation to Reader must meet:
i. Both R1 and R2
ii. At least one Citizenship criterion in Category A
iii. Four other criteria of which at least one should be in Education and Student Experience
Education Specialist Profile
a. Candidates for Promotion to Professor and Senior Lecturer must meet:
i. Both E1 and E2 ii. At least one Citizenship criterion in Category A
iii. Four other criteria across the three domains.
iv. With Faculty permission, one criterion in Research and Innovation may be included.
b. Candidates for Promotion to Lecturer (Grade 8) must meet:
i. Both E1 and E2
ii. At least one Citizenship criterion in Category A
iii. Four other criteria
iv. With Faculty permission, one criterion in Research and Innovation may be included.
Research Specialist Profile
a. Candidates for Promotion to Professor or Senior Research Fellow must meet:
i. Both R1 and R2
ii. At least one Citizenship criterion in Category A
iii. Four other criteria across the three domains.
iv. With Faculty permission, one criterion in Education and Student Experience may be included.
b. Candidates for Promotion to Research Fellow (Grade 8) must meet:
i. Both R1 and R2
ii. At least one Citizenship criterion in Category A
iii. Four other criteria
iv. With Faculty permission, one criterion in Education and Student Experience may be included
A Lecturer (Grade 7) or Research Associate (Grade 7) may be in a position to apply for promotion to Lecturer (Grade 8) Teaching and Research. This would require Faculty/ School permission as this includes a management decision about contract type.
Candidates for Promotion to Lecturer (Teaching and Research) must meet:
i. At least one criterion in Category A from all domains
ii. Four other criteria, of which at least one must be in either Education and Student Experience or Research and Innovation
Submissions to Specialist Profiles with a Research and Education Contract
There are circumstances in which the holder of a Research and Education contract, whose workload would normally cover all domains, spends a significant amount of time (normally at least three years) focusing on one domain at the expense of another. In such cases it may be possible to apply for promotion with a Specialist profile, but this must be approved by the Dean of the Faculty/School. Such cases include, but are not limited to:
Colleagues who have had several years of Fellowships to focus on research with bought-out teaching time
Colleagues who have, at the University’s behest, spent a large proportion of their time developing or leading significant education initiatives
Holders of Research and Education contracts may not self-identify as Specialist for promotion purposes.
Please review our document with examples of profiles here.
Please find guidance on constructing an application for promotion here. Included are some examples of academic activities that may provide evidence for a promotion case.
Application forms
Academic Promotion application form for up to Grade 9
Academic Promotion application form for professorial applications
Review stage form - to be completed by the Head of Department / Division
Deadlines
The deadline outlined on this page for the ASC round is for completed applications, supporting documentation and the Head of Department/Division and Dean assessment form to be submitted to HR by Departments/Divisions via the Academic Promotion SharePoint site.
Applications for promotion to Professor must be submitted to the Academic Career Progression Team in line with the ASC deadlines, as these applications are assessed by the ASC. Applications for promotion up to and including Grade 9 are submitted to Faculties and assessed locally. Applicants must check with their Faculty for the relevant deadlines for these rounds, as these are managed locally and not by the Academic Career Progression Team.
All deadlines are 11:59pm on the stated date unless otherwise communicated by the Academic Career Progression Team.
You must check with your Head of Department/Division or Department Coordinator for any internal deadlines. Faculties/Schools should also circulate the timings of these internal deadlines within their Departments/Divisions.
Terms of References
Please find terms of reference and promotion scheme for the School/Faculty board here