• Section 1 - Context
• Section 2 - Authority
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Schedule
• Eligibility
• Intent to Apply
• Achievement Relative to Opportunity (ARtO) 
• Promotion Application and Evidence
• Dean Report
• External Assessor Reports
• Committees
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Outcomes
• Appeals
• Section 5 -  Compliance

Section 1 - Context

(1) This procedure details all management aspects and general conditions to be followed for the promotion of academic staff to levels C, D and E.

Section 2 - Authority

(2) Authority for this document is established by the Academic Promotion Policy.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This procedure applies to all academic staff employed by RMIT University and RMIT Vietnam currently appointed at level B, C or D who meet the prescribed eligibility requirements for promotion.

(4) Vocational Education and Professional staff cannot be promoted to an academic position through this process.

(5) Academic staff at level A eligible for promotion to level B should refer to the Academic Promotion Procedure - Level B.

Section 4 - Procedure

Schedule

(6) The Academic Promotion round for academic levels C, D and E will be run annually and be structured to enable the announcement of promotions effective as of 1 January in the following year.

(7) Where there are legitimate circumstances for promotion to occur outside of the scheduled promotion round, an out-of-round promotion application will be permitted in accordance with the Academic Promotion Procedure - Out of Round.

Eligibility

(8) Academics are eligible to apply for promotion once every 24 months, where they:

1. are a continuing or fixed term academic staff member.
2. have completed 12 months’ continuous service prior to 1 January of the year of the application.
3. meet the qualifications of the level for which they are applying.
4. are applying for promotion to the level immediately above their substantive level unless the Vice-Chancellor determines, following a request from the applicant, and supported by the Dean and approved by the relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor, that exceptional circumstances exist and that it is in the best interests of RMIT for promotion to a higher level to be considered.
5. have achieved a manager rating of at least ‘achieves expectations’ for their current level of appointment for the 12 months prior to the year of application, measured against the benchmarks outlined in the Educator and Researcher Capability Framework or its subsequent replacement.
6. have a current goals and development plan and a workload agreement, and have participated constructively and in good faith in the University’s goals and development planning process during the 12 months prior to the year of application.
7. have evidence of satisfactory professional development.

(9) Academics on parental and carers leave (paid and unpaid), long service leave, other long-term leave arrangements or career breaks are eligible to apply for promotion.

(10) Academics are excluded from applying for promotion in the 12 months immediately following an unsuccessful application. Any exception to this requirement may only be approved in very exceptional circumstances, is expected to be exercised rarely, and requires the approval of the relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor or equivalent (or nominee), supported by compelling evidence of a substantial and material change since the prior application.  

Intent to Apply

(11) To submit an application for promotion, applicants should discuss their intent and readiness during their Annual Performance Review.  An applicant can self-nominate or be nominated by their supervisor (with the agreement of the potential applicant).

(12) Applicants must submit a supported Intent to Apply form by the due date. An Intent to Apply will only be accepted after the due date with the endorsement of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or equivalent (or nominee). No extension to the application deadline will be granted.

Achievement Relative to Opportunity (ARtO) 

(13) Applicants may activate ARtO to address the impact of personal or work circumstances on work roles on the scope of their application.

Promotion Application and Evidence

(14) Applicants must submit their promotion application by the due date.

(15) In the application, applicants for promotion must demonstrate:

1. evidence of achievement and sustained high performance at their current level.
2. evidence of satisfactory performance at the level to which promotion is sought; and
3. organisational citizenship and alignment to the mission, values and strategic goals of RMIT, their College/Portfolio, School and discipline, as relevant.

(16) Applicants must base their application on evidence of significant achievements since their last promotion at RMIT, or since appointment to their substantive level at RMIT. Where an applicant was appointed to RMIT at the same substantive level held at a comparable university, evidence of significant achievements from prior employment at that level may be included, where such evidence is directly relevant and comparable to expectations at RMIT, and up to the previous year prior to an application being submitted. 

(17) Applicants must respond to the criteria and benchmark standards outlined on the RMIT Academic Promotions website.

Dean Report

(18) The Dean (or equivalent) must provide a written report as part of the applicant’s promotion submission.

(19) The report must provide an evaluative assessment of the applicant’s performance against the promotion criteria. 

(20) In preparing the report, the Dean must take into account input from the relevant Head of Department, Head of School or equivalent, and may consult with other senior academic members from the applicant’s School or discipline, as appropriate. The Dean remains accountable for the content of the report. 

(21) If the Dean or equivalent indicates that they do not support the application, the applicant has a right of reply and may submit a one-page rejoinder within five (5) working days of receiving the written report.

External Assessor Reports

(22) For applicants to levels D and E, up to four external assessors will be invited to provide an 'in confidence' assessment of the application.

(23) External assessors should provide an independent assessment of the application. 

(24) External assessors must be external to the University and may be an Associate Professor or Professor (dependent on the level sought) from another institution, and/or an expert external to the University. 

(25) For applicants to Level E, at least one external assessor must be a full Professor and at least one of the reports sought must be from an international external assessor.

(26) Applicants must be provided with visibility of the proposed external assessors prior to their appointment. 

(27) Applicants may request the exclusion of any proposed external assessor on the basis of a conflict of interest, interpersonal conflict, or other reasonable grounds, supported by a written explanation. Objections are intended to manage genuine conflicts and are not a mechanism for influencing assessor selection. Final determination of external assessors rests with the University. 

Committees

(28) All applications for promotion to Level C, D and E will be considered and assessed by the following Academic Promotion Committees formed under the authority of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education:

1. College-level or Disciplinary Academic Promotion Committees to consider applications for promotion to Levels C and D. 
2. Disciplinary Academic Promotion Committees that consider applications for promotion to Level E will make recommendations in relation to disciplinary relevance and context. A central Academic Promotion Committee will take these disciplinary recommendations into consideration to holistically assess applications for promotion to Level E. 
3. a central Moderator Committee of up to six (6) moderators from diverse backgrounds to review a sample of applications from each Academic Promotion Committee to ensure consistency, fairness, inclusion and equity in assessment. Moderators must not sit on an Academic Promotion Committee in the current promotion round, although can be called on to sit on an Out of Round Promotion committee if required. 
4. University Academic Promotion Committee (UAPC) to review the Academic Promotion Committee recommended outcomes and make promotion recommendations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education.
5. University Academic Promotion Appeals Committee (UAPAC) to consider appeals on the grounds of eligibility and procedure.

Diversity and Inclusion

(29) Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds and/or identities have the option to request that a member of the committee that reviews their application comes from a similar background or identity, for the purpose of assessing the application and providing a perspective relating to the applicant’s background (e.g. an Indigenous or gender diverse perspective).

Outcomes

(30) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education has final determination on whether to adopt each recommendation put forward by the University Academic Promotion Committee

(31) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education (or nominee) is to notify all applicants of the outcome of their application within two (2) weeks following the University Academic Promotion Committee

(32) The College Deputy Vice-Chancellor or equivalent (or nominee) and Dean or equivalent is to be notified of outcomes in their School.

(33) Within four (4) weeks of notification (or a later date agreed to by the applicant), unsuccessful applicants shall meet with and be provided constructive verbal feedback on their application from the Chair of their Academic Promotion Committee (or nominee). Where possible, the Dean or equivalent (or nominee) should attend the meeting to offer support to the applicant. Unsuccessful applicants are to be provided with written feedback summarising the Academic Promotion Committee’s assessment, with a copy provided to the Dean.

(34) The Dean or equivalent (or nominee) shall meet with successful and unsuccessful applicants to discuss the implications of the promotion outcome in regard to workload planning and career development. If appropriate, support relating to the outcome of their application should be provided.

Appeals

(35) Applicants can lodge an appeal against a promotion outcome on the grounds specified in the Academic Promotion Procedure - Appeals.

Section 5 -  Compliance

(36)  Breaches of this Procedure are monitored by the RMIT People Promotions Team and reported on an annual basis to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education.

(37)  The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education reports breaches on an annual basis to Academic Board.

(38) Breaches of this procedure are reportable via the Organisational Breach Reporting Form and are managed in accordance with the Compliance Breach Management Procedure.