Procedure

1. All non-probationary Lecturers and Senior Lecturers (who are both termed Teachers of the University of London) and Readers shall be invited annually to submit applications to the Academic Staff Review Panel (Conferment of Title) for consideration of their cases for promotion.   In special circumstances, applications may be considered at other times of the year.

2. The Review Panel normally comprises the Master as Chair, the Vice-Master and the Pro Vice Masters for Research, Learning & Teaching, and Academic Partnerships (all of whom are ex officio members).  Other members (up to eight Professors chosen from across Departments within Schools) will normally serve a term of office of three years. A BCUCU Observer will be invited to attend meetings of the Panel.  At least one representative from Human Resources shall also be in attendance.

3. If a staff member wishes to apply to the Panel they need to prepare an application, based on the standard format.  The applicant needs to include the names of two external specialists whom they nominate as referees, at least one of whom should be employed at a university outside the University of London. The applicant must ensure that their chosen referees are willing to act on their behalf and will be contactable on the email addresses they provide.

4. All information, including list of publications, supporting statement and referee details, must be contained within the application, and not provided as separate documents. 

5. The applicant must then send one copy of their application to their Executive Dean and one copy to Human Resources by Wednesday 31 October 2012.

6. Where applicants receive confirmation of grant funding or acceptance of articles for publication after they have submitted an application, it is acceptable to forward this additional information to Human Resources.

7. A total of five references will be required, so in addition to the two referees nominated by the applicant, the Executive Dean will nominate three additional referees expert in the discipline concerned who are not employees of Birkbeck College.  One, but no more than one, of these three should, where practicable and appropriate, be from another college, institute, or associate institution of the University of London. The referees’ contact details should be forwarded to Human Resources by Wednesday 14 November 2012. In selecting external referees the Executive Dean may wish to consult the appropriate Assistant Dean or others expert in the relevant academic discipline, and seek to identify referees from a wide area, including overseas scholars of international standing where appropriate.  The applicant’s Executive Dean must consult the appropriate Assistant Dean and others (if appropriate), before completing the form ‘Executive Dean’s Recommendation’.

8. The Executive Dean to send the completed recommendation to Human Resources by Wednesday 12 December 2012.

9. Human Resources will make all reasonable efforts to obtain the references mentioned in paragraphs 3 and 7. If a nominated referee fails to provide a reference after a first reminder, Human Resources will advise the applicant or Executive Dean as appropriate and seek an alternative. An incomplete set of references will not preclude the application from being put forward to the Panel for consideration.

10. Human Resources are responsible for issuing papers to the Panel in an agreed format to include:

    • the applicant’s form

    • the references received

    • the Executive Dean’s recommendation

    • a list of all Birkbeck staff eligible for consideration for promotion in accordance with the University of London.

11. A decision on whether or not to confer the title of Professor or Reader of the University shall be taken by the Review Panel, to be held on Wednesday 13 February 2013, after full consideration of the opinions of the applicant’s two referees and of the three external experts, and of the Executive Dean’s recommendation.

12. Applicants will be notified in writing of the Panel’s decision. Please refer to the General notes of the Promotion Procedure. Unsuccessful applicants will be invited to discuss the outcome with the Master.

13. Academic Promotion Procedures will be monitored in accordance with the RRAA 2000.