Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Procedure

Policy code: CG1999
Policy owner: Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)
Approval authority: Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching
Approval date: 22 October 2024
Next review date: 25 January 2025

Purpose
Scope
Legislative Context
Definitions
Actions
1. Ensure academic teaching staff (under direct employment - continuing, contract, sessional) hold a qualification one level higher than the course to be taught in the workload allocation
2. Ensure academic teaching staff (under direct employment - continuing, contract, sessional) who do not hold a qualification one level higher than the course they are teaching demonstrate equivalency (excluding PhD supervisors).
3. Ensure academic teaching staff employed by Partner Providers hold a qualification one level higher than the course they are teaching
4. Ensure academic teaching staff employed by Partner Providers who do not hold a qualification one level higher than the course they are teaching demonstrate equivalency
5. Monitoring the progress and completion of Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary Education) (GCETE)
6. Ensuring academic teaching staff engaged in research supervision are registered as supervisors as per the HDR Supervision Policy
7. Ensuring academic teaching staff are accessible to students
8. Encouraging ongoing scholarship among academic teaching staff to ensure currency in teaching and learning (making use of the Teaching Expectations Matrix)
Supporting Documents
Responsibility
Promulgation
Implementation
Records Management

Purpose

This procedure details how Federation University will ensure that academic staff who teach award courses:

  • Are appropriately qualified in the relevant discipline by having a qualification at least one Australian Qualification FrameworkAQFlevel higher than the course of study being taught; or are deemed to have obtained the "equivalent professional experience" in lieu of the formal qualification.
  • Have a sound understanding of current scholarship and/or professional practice in the discipline that they teach;
  • Have an understanding of the pedagogical and/or adult learning principles relevant to the students being taught.
  • Provide relevant academic assistance to students in a timely manner.

Scope

This policy applies to all academic staff engaged in the delivery of all undergraduate and postgraduate award courses, whether employed directly by the University or by its teaching partners, both on and offshore.

Legislative Context

  • Federation University Australia Act 2010
  • The Tertiary Education Quality and StandardsAgency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act)
  • Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021

Definitions

Term Definition
Academic levels The qualifications, duties and responsibilities of academic staff members in accordance with the Minimum Standard for Academic Levels as per the University Collective Agreement.
Australian Qualification Framework  AQF The Australian Qualifications Framework is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training. It incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework. The AQF was first introduced in 1995 to underpin the national system of qualifications in Australia encompassing higher education, vocational education and training and schools.
GCETE Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary Education).
Partner provider (also referred to as third party) An approved educational institution that delivers university courses/units as part of an agreement with Federation University.
Qualification Accredited courses and National Training Package qualifications.
Performance Review and Development Program The Performance Review and Development Program (PRDP) is the University's performance management process whereby strategic priorities and objectives are aligned to the performance and professional development of employees.
Course A course of study/research leading to the granting of an official award or qualification of the University contained in Schedule 5.1 of the University's Legislation. A course contains subsidiary elements variously referred to as units, competency units or modules.
Relevant Discipline Requires staff to have a qualification in the field they are teaching that is at least one level higher than is being taught.
Scholarship Activities concerned with gaining new or improved understanding, appreciation and insights into a field of knowledge, and engaging with and keeping up to date with advances in the field.

Actions

1. Ensure academic teaching staff (under direct employment - continuing, contract, sessional) hold a qualification one level higher than the course to be taught in the workload allocation

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Confirming, verifying and maintaining appropriate records of staff qualifications. Executive Dean of Institute/People and Culture (P&C)
  1. Refer to the Recruitment, Merit and Selection Procedure.
  2. Institutes are responsible for maintaining records for all staff, including casual/sessional, such as resumes, qualifications, relevant trade certificates, licences and Working with Children Check information. This information must be collected, stored and disclosed in line with the University's Information Privacy Procedure.
  3. All copies of qualifications, relevant trade certificates, licences and Working with Children Check information must be signed and dated upon sighting of the original documentation.
B. Allocating academic teaching workloads Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Check the academic teaching staff member holds a qualification in a relevant discipline at least one AQFlevel above the AQF level to be taught (note exemption for work integrated learning and units conducted under supervision).
  2. If the academic staff member does not hold an AQF+1 qualification, refer to Action 2 – “Engaging academic teaching staff (under direct employment) who do not hold a qualification in the relevant discipline one level higher than the course they are teaching”

2. Ensure academic teaching staff (under direct employment - continuing, contract, sessional) who do not hold a qualification one level higher than the course they are teaching demonstrate equivalency (excluding PhD supervisors).

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A.          Confirming, verifying and maintaining appropriate records of staff qualifications and equivalency. Executive Dean of Institute/P&C
  1. Refer to the Recruitment, Merit and Selection Procedure.
B.          Demonstrate equivalency if the qualification(s) held are not AQF+1 All academic teaching staff without AQF+1 qualifications
  1. Complete the Higher EducationAcademic Teaching Requirements Equivalency Form and provide evidence of 100 points of equivalency in addition to relevant AQF qualifications
  2. Submit Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Equivalency Form to Executive Dean of the Institutedelegates such as Director of Academic Operations or discipline leaders for approval.
C.          Assess equivalency Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Review and assess Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Equivalency Form and evidence portfolio submitted by academic teaching staff members. If form and evidence submitted is sufficient to demonstrate equivalency to the proposed course delivery, indicate approval on the form.
  2. If the form and evidence submitted is not deemed satisfactory, provide employee with an opportunity to provide additional evidence and/or a work plan to enable staff to achieve AQF+1
  3. Ensure evidence of equivalency determination is retained by Human Recourses. Refer to the Recruitment, Merit and Selection Procedure:
    1. the Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements - Equivalency Form
    2. certified qualifications documentation
    3. any other supporting documentation proving equivalency
D.          Allocate academic teaching workloads Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Confirm academic teaching staff member meets the equivalency requirements in the relevant discipline and allocate teaching load accordingly
E.          Review academic teaching staff’s equivalency annually Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Review academic teaching staff’s equivalency each year for teaching staff identifies as not AQF+1 as teaching workloads are allocated.

3. Ensure academic teaching staff employed by Partner Providers hold a qualification one level higher than the course they are teaching

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Verify and confirm the currency and relevance of the qualifications held by the staff member Executive Dean of Institute or nominee
  1. Verify that before an academic is authorised to teach Federation Universityunits or courses a copy of their resume is provided confirming that they hold an AQFlevel qualification in a relevant discipline that is at least one AQF level above the AQF level being taught. If not, refer to Action 4  - “Ensure academic teaching staff employed by Partner Providers who do not hold a qualification one level higher in the relevant discipline than the course they are teaching demonstrate equivalency.”
  2. Refer to the Recruitment, Merit and Selection Procedure for retention and storage of documentation.
  3. Ensure the relevance of the qualification to the discipline being taught.

4. Ensure academic teaching staff employed by Partner Providers who do not hold a qualification one level higher than the course they are teaching demonstrate equivalency

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A.          Demonstrate equivalency if the qualification(s) held are not AQF+1 Partner Provider
  1. Ask the Partner Provider to complete the Higher EducationAcademic Teaching Requirements Equivalency Form in consultation with the individual proposed to be employed and provide to the Executive Dean of Institute:
    • evidence of 75 points of equivalency (from more than one option across more than one category) in addition to relevant AQFqualifications for partners’ academic teaching staff on the basis that such staff are engaged to deliver curricula which is overseen by the University and are deemed to be appropriately supervised by a course coordinator in accordance with the Standards. To ensure the overseeing of appropriate supervision, evidence of active supervision and details of the supervisors’ qualifications are required to be documented.
  2. Ensure the required points of equivalency is achieved.
  3. Submit Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Equivalency Form to Chair of Selection Committee for sign off.
B.          Assess equivalency Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Review and assess Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Equivalency Form and evidence portfolio submitted by academic teaching staff members. If form and evidence submitted is sufficient to demonstrate equivalency to the proposed course delivery, indicate approval on the form.
  2. If the form and evidence submitted is not deemed satisfactory, provide employee opportunity to provide additional evidence and/or a work plan to enable staff to achieve AQF+1
  3. Provide advice to academic staff member and relevant supervisor.
  4. Ensure evidence of equivalency determination is retained - Refer to the Recruitment, Merit and Selection Procedure:
    1. the Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements - Equivalency Form
    2. certified qualifications documentation
    3. any other supporting documentation proving equivalency
C.          Allocate academic teaching workloads Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Confirm academic teaching staff member meets the equivalency requirements and allocate teaching load or proceed with recruitment accordingly
D.          Review academic teaching staff’s equivalency annually Executive Dean of Institute
  1. Review academic teaching staff’s equivalency each year as teaching workloads are allocated.

5. Monitoring the progress and completion of Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary Education) (GCETE)

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Monitor the progress and completion of Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary Teaching) or other Education qualifications that have sufficient understanding of the theoretical foundations of education, teaching and adult learning. Executive Dean of Institute or nominee
  1. Ensure all newacademicteaching staff appointed at Levels A-C are enrolled into the Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary Teaching) or suitable Education Qualification and have completed at least 50% by the end of their academic probation period, with exceptions for those who hold current and relevant teaching qualifications or awards.
  2. Review progress in PRDP meetings.

6. Ensuring academic teaching staff engaged in research supervision are registered as supervisors as per the HDR Supervision Policy

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Ensure staff engaged in research supervision are registered as supervisors as per the Higher Degree Supervision Policy Executive Dean of Institute or nominee
  1. Refer to the HDR Supervision Policy

7. Ensuring academic teaching staff are accessible to students

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A.

Teaching staff are accessible to students seeking individual assistance regarding the learning content of their unit of study. This assistance is not designed to replace scheduled classes or repeat content from classes a student may have missed. 

If students require additional explanation of class content, they can contact their lecturer/tutor in the following ways:

  • during the specified consultation times as detailed at the commencement of the unit;
  • seek an appointment time; or
  • ask questions via email.

Teaching staff are expected to respond within two (2) full working days (between 8am and 6pm), excluding weekends, public holidays and periods of approved leave.

 All academic teaching staff
  1. Create designated consultation times each teaching period.
  2. Communicate consultation times with students.
  3. Reply to student communication within two (2) business days.

8. Encouraging ongoing scholarship among academic teaching staff to ensure currency in teaching and learning (making use of the Teaching Expectations Matrix)

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Determine teachers’ understanding of current scholarship/professional practice in nominated discipline and in the areas of tertiary learning and teaching practice. Staff member’s PDRP supervisor
  1. Emphasise University’s requirements in maintaining current scholarship/professional practice in nominated discipline
  2. Authenticate academic staff’s understanding of scholarship requirements to ensure they are familiar with current research and trends in their discipline
B. Encourage academic staff to identify and incorporate specific scholarship activities in the development of objectives of their Performance Review and Development Program (PRDP) Staff member’s PDRP supervisor
  1. As part of the PRDP process, identify, discuss and agree annual scholarship objectives that could include, but is not limited to:
    • Scholarly writing/editing such as academic book reviews, book chapters, peer review of journal articles or research journal articles
    • Conference presentation/attendance
    • Undertaking original research
    • Joining professional and/or discipline-specific bodies
    • Establishing an intra-university network of academic peers for reflective practice
    • Undertaking scholarly secondments
    • Professional development opportunities
  2. As part of the PRDP process, review academic staff scholarship activities on an annual basis.
C. Encourage academic staff to document their ongoing scholarship in a Portfolio format currently used for Academic Promotion that covers: Learning and Teaching; Research and Creativity; and Leadership and Engagement Staff member’s PDRP supervisor
  1. Provide academic staff with the Portfolio templates available in the Academic Promotions procedure.
  2. Explain the categories and what sort of information could be provided in each one.
  3. Explain the benefits of keeping an up-to-date portfolio that will assist with future promotional opportunities.
D. Utilise the peer review process for academic teaching staff on probation, permanent and sessional staff Staff member’s supervisor
  1. Inform academic teaching staff of the peer review process.
  2. Implement and document the peer review process according to the Peer Enhancement of Learning and Teaching Procedure.
E. Provide relevant professional development opportunities Staff member’s supervisor
  1. Where applicable – offer existing academic staff the opportunity to complete the Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary Education) or internal PD, CAI PD and other PD deemed suitable.

Supporting Documents

Forms

Responsibility

  • The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching (as the Approval Authority) is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure.
  • The Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) (as the Document Owner) is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure as delegated by the Approval Authority.

Promulgation

The Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Procedure will be communicated throughout the University via:

  1. An Announcement Notice under "FedNews"
  2. Inclusion on the University's online Policy Library

Implementation

The Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:

  1. Information Sessions within each Faulty

Records Management

Document Title Location Responsible Officer Minimum Retention Period
Staff qualification ESS/P&C staff file Director P&C Destroy 50 years after date of separation from the agency if the employee was not exposed to hazardous materials. (If the employee has been exposed to hazardous substances the destroy date is 100 years after date of separation from the agency.
Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements - Equivalency Form ESS/P&C staff file Director P&C Destroy 50 years after date of separation from the agency if the employee was not exposed to hazardous materials. (If the employee has been exposed to hazardous substances the destroy date is 100 years after date of separation from the agency.
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Higher Education Academic Teaching Requirements 
 Glossary


Policy Glossary

Approval Authority: Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching Original Issue 02/02/2018
Policy Sponsor: Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) Current Version: 22/10/2024
CRICOS Provider Number 00103D Review Date: 25/01/2025
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12151 Provider Category: Australian University
RTO Code 4909 Policy Code CG1999