SSD Associate Professor Title exercise 2023-24

1. Criteria for award of the title are as follows:

a. Staff will be on Grade 9 or 10 or, if a clinician, on a consultant or honorary consultant grade (whether on a fixed-term, open-ended or permanent contract);

b. The individual has an independent programme of research, including impact and engagement activities where appropriate, as a key focus of their role and of a standard (in terms of both quality and quantity) equivalent to that required for confirmation in post as an Associate Professor;

c. Teaching role comparable with that of a substantive Associate Professor, to include supervision as appropriate;

d. Teaching and administrative duties are carried out at no less a level of excellence than is expected of a substantive Associate Professor;

e. Contribution to other departmental duties, academic and otherwise, demonstrating the level of citizenship expected of a substantive Associate Professor.

Note: Applicants should be encouraged to disclose circumstances that may, over a considerable period of time, have had a substantial effect on their record of research. This is intended to cover not only circumstances protected under employment and equality legislation such as maternity leave, but also the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Any personal disclosure should be provided as a separate document (not part of the covering statement). Disclosures will be seen by the departmental committee and PRC, but not by independent assessors, and will be treated as strictly confidential.

2. Departments should ensure consistency of approach under the scheme, and, in particular, ensure that all staff in the department who are potentially eligible to be considered under the criteria have an opportunity to do so.

3. Applications from individuals who hold a college-only appointment, an appointment in a research-only unit, or an appointment in Continuing Education or GLAM must be made to the relevant academic department in the Social Sciences Division.

4. Departments should ensure that potential applicants have sight of the relevant departmental research criteria for reappointment to the retiring age for Associate Professors (see criterion 1.b. above).

5. The Division considers that the teaching contribution (criterion 1.c.) of successful applicants should normally include lecturing and supervision to completion, sustained over at least two academic years and expected to continue in future.

6. The Division considers that the level of departmental citizenship (criterion 1.e.) of successful applicants should normally include contributions to departmental duties (academic and otherwise) of the type typically undertaken by a substantive Associate Professor, performed to a similar standard and sustained over at least two academic years and expected to continue in the future.

7. To apply, individuals should submit to their Head of Department (or their nominee):

a. a statement outlining how they meet the scheme criteria (not exceeding 2 sides of A4);

b. an up-to-date CV (not exceeding 10 sides of A4);

c. a copy of their job description;

d. disclosure of personal circumstances, if applicable. 

8. The appropriate departmental committee will determine whether an application meets the criteria. Applications meeting the criteria will be submitted to the Division for consideration by PRC. If an application is not supported, the departmental committee is encouraged to provide feedback to the candidate on areas of the application which need strengthening and advice on when another application might be appropriate.

9. Nominations from Heads of Department will be considered by the Division’s Planning and Resources Committee (PRC), with delegated authority from Divisional Board.

10. The following should be provided for each nomination to the Division:

a. the nominee’s statement and up-to-date CV (not to exceed 12 sides of A4 in total);

b. a statement from the Head of Department confirming that the individual’s duties are comparable to those of an academic post-holder;

c. a copy of the nominee’s job description;

d. a reference from the Head of Department, or their nominee, attesting to the quality of the individual’s contribution and demonstrating that the criteria for the award of title have been met. Applicants from colleges, research-only units, Continuing Education or GLAM may also include a statement from their Head of House or head of unit addressing these points, but a statement from the Head of the nominating acadmeic department (or their nominee) must be included;

e. three references from external assessors, attesting to the quality of the individual’s research, as set out in criterion 1.b. External assessors should not be co-authors or former supervisors of the applicant, and should normally hold a senior academic position at a research-intensive institution. A template letter for use by departments in writing to external assessors is available to download on the right-hand side of this page;

f. a reference from the Head of House to accompany any nominations for college-only staff. This should address the quality of teaching carried out in the college, in comparison to the standards expected of a substantive Associate Professor. (This is not a requirement for University employees, unless the nominating department considers that this would be useful in terms of its process for considering nominations.);

g. a statement of personal circumstances, if appropriate. Any personal disclosure should be provided as a separate document, not included as part of the 12-page application.

11. Nominations to the Division should be submitted to the Divisional HR Team (academic-hr@socsci.ox.ac.uk) by Monday 29 April 2024. 

12. Decisions may not be appealed, but Heads of Department will be able to re-nominate individuals for consideration on an annual basis.