The proposal is that there should be an explicitly institutional framework for the induction, support and professional development of academic staff who teach, which clearly indicates the responsibilities of departments, faculties and institutional provision via the Centre for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.  This framework will provide a flexible and transparent process through which the quality of teaching can be enhanced, assured and recognised, and appropriate support and opportunities for professional development in teaching and other academic responsibilities can be provided. The framework has been devised as a result of a consultative process of review, to identify effective current practice and future needs, and to consider appropriate provision and necessary resources in the context of various internal and external drivers.

Professional Development will be facilitated, recognised and rewarded through:

• Certificate in Academic Practice (CAP):  Mainly new, but also experienced, members of faculty who wish to upgrade their qualifications
• Diploma in Academic Practice (DAP): Mainly experienced members of faculty and those who have completed CAP.
• Supporting Learning course (SL):  New graduate teaching assistants
• SEDA CPD recognised awards:  All members of staff, whether or not they are enrolled on the formal ATP or CAP programmes.  The awards proposed are
  • Exploring Learning Technologies
  • Effective Postgraduate Supervision
  • Enhancing Academic Practice

• CPD programme which can be attended by all involved in supporting student learning, but can also be incorporated into achieving the SEDA awards

• Portfolios for professional development.  These will be a record of all CPD activities carried out by staff.  It would include attendance at conferences seminars and workshops both within and outside the university, enrolment on CELT professional programmes, evidence of departmental based development, and any other form of CPD.  The portfolio would provide concrete evidence of CPD for the promotions process and for Pilkington Prize submissions. 

All of these activities will be integrated through the CPD framework (see diagrammatic representation in the attached document).  The professional programmes will be revised in order to enable staff to achieve certification through a variety of pathways. 

The proposed framework provides a way to identify recognise and reward all forms of professional development, both within formal programmes and outside these programmes where effective and innovative development is taking place within departments.  All the activities and products of the CPD framework carried out by individuals or groups would be departmentally based, so that individual development contributes to departmental and institutional development.