Background

The Promoting Women Fellowship is a partnership arrangement between the University Staff Development Committee and the Fellow’s organisational unit. Promoting Women Fellowships are not a substitute for or alternative to other forms of professional development funding such as SSP. The primary purpose of awarding a Promoting Women Fellowship is to increase the percentage of women in senior academic positions, as prioritised in the University’s Equity and Diversity Plan.

It is expected that the amount awarded for each Fellowship will be sufficient to replace the majority of the recipient's teaching and administrative load, although it may be necessary for Schools/Centres to contribute to a funding shortfall.

1. Program aims

The objective of the program is to award fellowships to academic women at Levels B-D (including Research Only) who have been employed by the University of Queensland for at least three years.

Preference will be given to women who expect to apply for promotion within three years. The Fellowship is designed to strengthen their research profile or to demonstrate leadership potential. In particular, women who have had career interruptions or other impediments due to equity related circumstances will be given additional consideration.

Promoting Women Fellowships aim to:

• increase the percentage of women at Senior Lecturer level and above; and
• facilitate the career progression of women academics.

The Fellowships will enable the successful academic women to be released from teaching and administrative or other duties to complete research or to undertake a special project. In the case of research, the Fellowships will generally support the completion of work which is already under way.

The program is flexible and aims to provide the most appropriate form of support to the successful applicants. For example, it may assist Fellows to research, write and publish their papers in refereed academic journals, write a book length publication, develop or consolidate a research project with international collaboration, or take time off for a senior administrative responsibility.

2. Rationale

Women are significantly under-represented at Senior Lecturer level and above in the University's employment profile. The Fellowships are intended to provide relief from teaching and administrative or other duties, giving the successful applicants an opportunity to complete research and/or to demonstrate leadership through undertaking a special project, in order that they are appropriately prepared in their application for promotion.

3. Program overview

The program will second a number of women to a fellowship for up to but no longer than one semester. During the period of secondment, each fellow will work on a project according to agreed objectives and defined outcomes as detailed in their application. These will have been negotiated with the head of their organisational unit and meet requirements of these guidelines.

4. Timeline

Applications are usually sought in October-November each year, for release from duties during Semester 1 or Semester 2 in the following year.

5. Process

6. Eligibility

Women eligible to apply are full-time or at least 50% part-time employees of the University, Levels B-D (Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor) or Research staff at equivalent levels, and have been employed by the University for at least three years (or the pro-rata equivalent for part-time staff).

Applicants must be planning to apply for promotion within three years and must demonstrate how the Fellowship will assist them in this.

Women who have experienced career interruptions or other impediments due to equity related circumstances will be given particular consideration.

Women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

The Fellowship is not intended to assist the completion of doctoral studies. Academic women seeking assistance for this should apply for a Research Degree Completion Equity Fellowship administered by the UQ Graduate School.

Selection will be based upon:

• appropriateness of proposed program to assist with promotion within three years
• degree of support from School or other organisational unit
• particular equity considerations and/or career interruptions.

7. Applications

Nominees are requested to prepare a brief application addressing points in the APPLICATION Form (download Word document). Forward applications to The Equity Office, Building 69, St Lucia Campus.

8. Accountability

The program will be monitored and reviewed by the University Staff Development Committee (USDC) through the Director of The Equity Office. The Fellow will be required to report to the USDC on the progress of their research or project.

9. Heads of Organisational Units

A SUPPORTING STATEMENT (download Word document) must be provided by the Head of the applicant's organisational unit/s. It should include

1. reference to the applicant's potential contribution and readiness for promotion within three years; 
2. information regarding previous School/Centre support to assist career progression (e.g. SSP);
3. proposed arrangements to utilise the funding to release the staff member from teaching and administrative or other duties; AND

Where there is more than one candidate from an area (School/Centre) the Head should rank the candidates in priority order and provide a brief rationale for the ranking order. Please provide this information separately to the selection panel, via the Director, The Equity Office.

Applications due by close of business Monday, 16th November 2009

For further information contact the Office on 3365 3052 or email equity@uq.edu.au.