Academic Supervision

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Academic Supervision
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Agenda

• 930 Welcome and introductions
• 940 Experiences of academic supervision
• 955 Academic supervision supporting policies
• 1030 Supporting learning and teaching
  performance
• 1100 Morning tea
• 1120 Supporting research and innovation
  performance
• 1150 Case study bringing it all together
• 1250 Close

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Experiences of academic supervision

• What has been your best experience of academic
  supervision?
• What has been your worst experience of academic
  supervision?
• (you can answer from the perspective of a
  supervisor or being supervised)

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What supports high performance

• What are the conditions that support people to
  give of their best?
• From your own experience, what has supported your
  performance?

5
Academic supervision supporting policies

• Managing for Performance
• (including workplanning and performance
  reviews)
• Workload Distribution and Management Guidelines
• Supporting Professional Development
• Academic Promotion
• Disciplinary Procedures

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Workplanning at RMIT

• Plan
• documented agreement of performance expectations
• work to be delivered according to local workload
  allocation model
• agree how achievement will be measured
• leave planning
• outside work and conflict of interest
• to be updated through the year
• Ongoing feedback and coaching
• timely and specific to acknowledge good
  performance and help improve performance
• Review
• should not include any surprises
• two-way review to discuss what would support
  improved performance

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Workplanning and professional development
aligning career goals and University objectives

• Is the staff member aiming to
• seek academic promotion?
• improve their learning and teaching practice?
• improve their research output?
• improve community engagement?
• Planning and monitoring development
  opportunities
• Professional Experience Program
• PhD Completion leave
• research leave
• study support
• study leave
• Open Program

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Academic promotion

• Supporting staff through academic promotion is a
  long-term prospect that should be integrated into
  workplanning, performance management and
  development activity.
• Keep informed there have been changes to the
  process
• Review is focused on
• promotion critieria
• promotion process for Level A to B
• training for academic promotion panel members
• appeals process

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Induction and probation

• Probationary employee has no access to unfair
  dismissal provisions
• Set length of probation up front through contract
  of employment (1-3 years for academic staff)
• Contract must be signed prior to commencing
  employment
• Plan induction ensure understanding of
  responsibilities, including critical policies
  such as Health and Safety and Equal Employment
  Opportunity
• Conduct regular reviews
• Probation decision
• Academic staff may appeal a decision not to
  confirm employment
• Contact People and Culture for advice if not
  confirming employment

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Induction

• Induction into the University includes
• 1. Discover RMIT for new staff new starters
  kit, online induction, campus tour and welcome
  event coordinated by People and Culture
• 2. Local Induction coordinated by
  manager/supervisor.
• Online Discover RMIT for new staff website
  includes a guide for supervisors to follow
  throughout the induction process.

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Induction

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Professional development

• Decision making on funding for professional
  development resides with the Head of School.
• There are often internal procedures/criteria on
  how to access local funding.
• Schools should set aside budget for development
  activity, but how that is distributed to staff is
  ultimately at the Head of Schools discretion.
• There is also central support from Learning and
  Teaching Development Group, Research and
  Innovation, Open Program and in the Portfolios.

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Professional development

• As an academic supervisor understanding the
  internal funding processes within your School is
  important to manage expectations of staff.
• Understand what Portfolio and Central resources
  are available.
• Look at the leave arrangements and policies
  within your School and university wide and ask
  questions around activity.
• Understand the criteria your Head of School uses
  to prioritise professional development activity.
• When applying for professional development - do
  it formally in writing. Provide enough
  information on learning outcomes and contribution
  to School activities.

14
Reviewing the workplan and giving feedback

• At least mid-cycle and end of cycle (end
  semester)
• Be prepared
• Two-way feedback
• Provide feedback on strengths and areas for
  improvement
• invite suggestions on how you can work
  differently to better support performance
• Feedback shouldnt be of any great surprise
• Discuss possibilities for whats next
• Discuss any recognition as appropriate

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Performance review

• Did I achieve what I planned to achieve?
• What worked well?
• What are the areas requiring further improvement?

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Difficult performance issues

• Address as soon as possible
• Be clear about what the issue is and why it is an
  issue
• How is the performance/behaviour different to
  your expectations?
• What are you hoping to achieve by raising the
  issue and what would you want to happen in
  future?
• Be open to discussing possible reasons and
  exploring solutions
• Set a plan for how the issue will be addressed
  and when and how you will review