ACU has begun a consultation process to review the Academic Workload Policy. The process will be managed in two phases:

• Update: Phase 1 aims to update the current Academic Workload Policy to ensure alignment with the ACU Staff Enterprise Agreement 2022-2025. Improvements to the policy will also be explored at this stage. Anticipated completion of Phase 1 is July 2023.
• Innovate: Phase 2 aims to innovate and consider a more substantial policy revision that will support the strategic execution of Vision 2033. The review will finish in 2024 for proposed implementation in 2025.

Guiding principles

Performance assessment and workload allocation will:

• treat staff with dignity and support them to pursue knowledge and the common good, grounded in the principles of ACU's Mission
• be based on clear criteria established by the university
• involve a process that is fair and consistent
• involve a process that is clear and transparent, ensuring that staff understand the rationale for decisions made
• promote staff accountability
• provide staff with useful feedback.

Roadmap

Phase 1: Update

Estimated completion, July 2023

The four working groups (Teaching, Scholarship, Research, and Leadership & Service) are responsible for outputs that the Reference and Governance groups will review.

Outputs will include, but are not limited to:

1. Implementing the new enterprise agreement
2. Drafting a framework that defines and provides evaluation criteria for scholarship activity at ACU.
3. Using benchmarks established in the promotions policy as a starting point, revise research workload allocation guidelines with focus on clearer standards and a transparent process that provides staff with useful feedback.
4. Defining and disentangling leadership and service allocations related to work within and outside ACU.

Approval and Implementation

Proposed changes to the policy and guidelines will be brought to the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee (VCAC) and the NTEU, before seeking Vice-Chancellor approval.

Phase 2: Innovate

Estimated completion, July 2024 for 2025 implementation

In this second phase, we will consider major changes to the policy. Preliminary areas for consideration include:

1. Re-writing the academic workload policy (with a principles-based framework) and adding procedures.
2. Assessing the suitability of our current Academic Career Pathways and the procedures involved with moving between career pathways.
3. Introducing new workload allocations for activities that support ACU Vision 2033.
4. Considering the approval process and delegations associated with each type of workload allocation.
5. Ensuing the new Academic Workload Policy and Procedures, including delegations clauses, interact appropriately with other elements of the ACU policy framework.

Share your views

Make suggestions and provide initial feedback to improve the Academic Workload Review. This survey is focused on teaching workload. Additional opportunities to provide feedback on all areas of the Workload Policy will be provided during the review.

Provide feedback

Contact us

If you have any questions, please email academicworkloadreview@acu.edu.au