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Leave of absence procedure for academic staff

Scope

This procedure is for academic staff undertaking duties such as teaching and research away from the College, for example:

a) time bought out of teaching and administration by a funding provider,

b) time at conferences and other related activity,

c) study leave (as defined below),

d) a period of secondment to another university or research institute.

It outlines a process for staff to obtain permission, especially if it impacts on their day-to-day teaching and student experience, leadership and management and/or engagement activities.

PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL: LEAVE OF ABSENCE outside of term time

Requests for leave of absence outside of term time need not be approved. However, members of staff will recognise that some departmental or College duties in teaching and student experience, research/ scholarship and leadership and management continue throughout the calendar year, as determined by the Executive Dean in consultation with appropriate the Head of School. It is therefore necessary that proper arrangements should be made by the member of staff, in consultation with appropriate colleagues and/or the Head of School to cover these duties during any period of leave (including outside of term time).

The Executive Dean and Head of School should be notified of any proposed absence from such duties in good time and how the member of staff can be contacted in an emergency. It is the responsibility of all supervisors to arrange appropriate deputy supervision for their research students during any period of leave including outside of term time. This will not, of course, preclude the continuation of contacts with the existing supervisor if so desired, but it will ensure that the student has someone to consult directly in the faculty if difficulties demanding immediate solutions arise.

PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL: LEAVE OF ABSENCE DURING TERM-TIME

All members of academic staff will be expected to carry a normal teaching and administrative load as allocated by their Head of School in line with the Workload Allocation Framework, and to be present, either in person or online, during term time. Leave of absence during term time is defined as leave to be absent from the College for teaching and student experience, and leadership and management duties.

Leave of three days or less

Staff are expected to consult their Head of School on each occasion prior to taking any leave of absence of up to three days. It is not necessary to consult the Executive Dean, but they should be informed. It is also not necessary to complete an application form. The Head of School (for subject area) shall determine whether the proposed leave of absence may be granted. Approval from the Head of School and the Director of Finance via insurance@bbk.ac.uk if international travel is involved.

LEAVE OF MORE THAN THREE DAYS BUT LESS THAN ONE TERM

Applications shall be made to the Executive Dean via the Head of School. The Executive Dean (in consultation with the Head of School and/or course director of inter-disciplinary courses whose teaching programme would be affected by the absence) shall determine whether the leave of absence may be granted. Approval from the Head of School and the Director of Finance via insurance@bbk.ac.uk if international travel is involved.

Applications should be made by completing the Application form for leave of absence (Word) (Birkbeck staff only).

STUDY LEAVE

Study Leave is defined as paid relief from teaching and student experience and leadership and management for the purposes of research, study, scholarship, or the preparation of academic publications, normally for a period of one term. Supervision of PhD students will be expected to continue during this period.

If the member of academic staff will be absent from the College on Study Leave, they will be expected to make their offices available to their Faculty/school for other uses. Study Leave is primarily for the benefit of the College, as well as enhancing the career of the staff member concerned. Therefore, the normal expectation is that staff will not take Study Leave directly before ceasing their employment at the College.

With the exception of the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellor, and the Executive Deans (see below) Study Leave, the College will not pay for any additional costs incurred via a central budget, e.g. for replacement teaching, these would have to come from the Faculty’s budget.

Academic staff on both Research and Teaching and Teaching and Education career pathways are eligible to apply for study leave after the completion of nine terms' service. The period of one term is defined as the period between the start and end of any given term. Staff can request a full term’s leave; a 50% reduction in teaching and student experience, and leadership and management duties across two consecutive terms; a short period of leave for up to 4 weeks can also be requested and while this will not count against the one in nine term policy, any such periods of leave will be taken into consideration when Study Leave requests are assessed.

Earlier applications will be considered if they are underpinned by a convincing justification and align with College/Faculty Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Strategy and priorities.

Early Career Academics i.e. staff that are in the first five years of their first substantive academic post will be eligible to apply to this scheme after the completion of eight terms of service.

Applications will be considered for study leave following nine terms of normal teaching and student experience, leadership and management duties. Any periods of externally funded leave or 100% buyout of teaching and student experience, and/or leadership and management duties will not count towards the nine-term accumulation. Periods of leave, for example family leave or sickness absence will count towards the nine-term accumulation.

Applications should be made by completing the study leave application form (Word) (Birkbeck staff only).

The applicant should complete Sections A, B & C and submit to Head of Operations – Human Resources and Equalities in the Faculty no later than the last day of the Autumn term in the academic year before the requested study leave. The Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange is available to answer any queries staff may have on this process.

Applications must obtain endorsement by the relevant Head of School, who may wish to consult with the Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange and have this confirmed by signature before submission. Applications not supported by the Head of School will not be considered.

Applications will be considered by a Faculty Study Leave Panel consisting of the Executive Dean, Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, and the Heads of School. This is a competitive process, and decisions will be based on the strength as measured by the criteria listed on the application form. The Head of School will share details of study leave granted and will share feedback on applications (successful or unsuccessful) with the applicant.

This process will be transparent, and colleagues will be made aware by their Head of School, how many study leave applications have been granted and how many turned down.

There are normally only two reasons why an application would be turned down:

  1. The Head of School is unable to allow the study leave for operational reasons, i.e. the timetable or curriculum will not allow the module to be moved; or the research proposal or research profile is not sufficient to approve the application. If the application is turned down for operational reasons and the applicant has to delay their study leave, they will not normally have to wait a further nine terms to reapply.
  2. If the Head of School does not feel the applicant is ready, they will provide feedback and support the applicant to make a future application. If that application is successful then the period of leave will be taken. In such cases applicants will normally have to wait nine terms be considered for a subsequent period of leave.

There is no fixed number of study leave awards. Heads of School will have authority to limit or extend the number they can support based on staffing needs in any given term and year and this will be discussed between the relevant Head and the Study Leave Panel. Any Study Leave must be supported through existing resource and incur no additional staffing costs and be scheduled to fit with teaching and management needs for the academic year in question. Teaching may be rescheduled for another term in the academic session, only if feasible and without negative impact for students.

In order to facilitate study leave colleagues may be expected to take on additional teaching and Leadership and Management duties consistent with the operation of the Workload Allocation framework and fluctuations in workload from year to year. This good citizenship will be recognised as a key element of a strong application for study leave.

The panel’s decision is final. There is no right of appeal.

In all cases Study Leave credit will be treated as having accumulated since the beginning of the employment of the member of staff concerned as a member of the academic staff (i.e. on Academic terms and conditions of employment) at the College (provided they have three years or more service at the College at the start of the Study Leave period). Study leave will not normally be accrued, but in the case of a long-serving member of academic staff who has not previously taken study leave a maximum of one year’s accumulated study leave will be permitted.

Heads of School should ensure that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations are embedded in the study leave application and approval process and an annual Equality Impact Assessment undertaken.

Successful applicants will normally provide a written report to a Faculty Study Leave panel chaired by the Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange and comprised of the Research and/or REF Leads. The Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange will compile a short annual report on research leave productivity for the Faculty.

Successful applicants will provide a presentation to staff and PGR students within their School about their ideas and activities in the term following study leave. Both the report and presentation will normally take place in the term following study leave.

The leave shall be reported by the Executive Dean to the Chair of the Human Resources Strategy and Policy Committee, Academic Board, the Research Committee, and to Governors (via an annual composite report submitted to each in the Autumn Term).

Study leave for office holders

Office holders, defined as the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Executive Deans, the Faculty Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, the Faculty Head of Education and Student Experience, and Heads of School, will receive two terms’ Study Leave credit in addition to their normal Study Leave credit, on completing a five-year term of office. An office holder who resigns before completing five years but after completing three, will receive one term’s additional Study Leave credit. The cost of replacing teaching in all these cases will be met by the College centrally.

Executive Deans, Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Pro Vice-Chancellor will apply to the Vice-Chancellor for Study Leave referred to in the paragraph above. The Faculty Head of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, the Faculty Head of Education and Student Experience and Heads of School will apply to the Executive Dean, who will consider the application in the first instance before referring it to the Vice-Chancellor. Where the leave requested is for a period greater than one term, the University Executive Board shall approve the absence and nominate an Acting officer postholder for the Governors’ approval. The Academic Board and Governors shall be notified of the Committee’s decision.

Unpaid leave

Unpaid Leave is defined as a period of exemption from College teaching and student experience and leadership and management duties of one term or more, during which the College does not pay the salary of a member of staff in question. It may be for any approved purpose.

The possibility of rearranging timetables to cover for the staff member’s absence will need to be fully explored. Only where the rearrangement of the timetable would be demonstrably impractical will the measures outlined in the following paragraph be considered.

Where timetables cannot be rearranged, having regard to such factors as the size/shape of school establishments, the continuation of vacant posts and the varying patterns of teaching, and to ensure equity in the operation of the policy, the staff member's school will be paid from faculty funds sufficient to enable the teaching and supervision to be met.

No member of staff will normally be permitted to take Unpaid Leave for a period of less than one term.

Unpaid Leave shall not count towards a member of staff’s length of service on which Study Leave credit is based.

Applications for Unpaid Leave require the approval of the Executive Dean.

Applications should be made by completing the Application form for leave of absence (Word) (Birkbeck staff only).

In considering applications for Unpaid Leave, the Executive Dean will look at the frequency and duration of periods of Study Leave and Unpaid Leave taken by the member of staff concerned over the previous five years.

The Executive Dean will determine whether Unpaid Leave shall be granted and the leave shall be reported to the Chair of the University Executive Board, the Academic Board and to Governors (via a composite annual report submitted to each during the Autumn Term).

No members of staff may take Unpaid Leave during their first two years of employment at the College, or if they are on probation.

LEAVE TO TAKE UP A FIXED-TERM POST AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION

Applications shall be recommended by the Executive Dean, in consultation with the Head of School (for subject area) and any other department whose teaching programme would be affected by the proposed leave and approved by the University Executive Board.

If leave of absence to hold a post for more than one year at another institution is approved by the University Executive Board, the member of staff will be required to give one year’s notice of his or her intention of return. The leave shall be reported to the Academic Board and Governors.

Academic members of staff that are seconded to another institution are covered under the secondment policy.

Approval from the Head of School and insurance@bbk.ac.uk is required for all international travel (travel to anywhere outside of the UK).

GUIDELINES FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATIONS FOR UNPAID LEAVE

Academic considerations

The process for applying for study leave is stipulated in the relevant section earlier in this policy.

The grounds for granting Unpaid Leave of absence are where the Executive Dean in consultation with the Head of School (for subject area) is satisfied that the proposed leave of absence is directly related to the further development of promising research activity or to the high quality of teaching. The nature of the work is a matter for the member of staff concerned provided that it is academically relevant.

The maximum period of Unpaid Leave of absence shall normally be one year; in the case of an application for more than one year, a fully argued case shall be presented on the lines of a research grant application to a Research Council or Foundation.

In considering applications for Unpaid Leave the Executive Dean, in discussion with the Head of School and/or course director of interdisciplinary courses whose teaching programme would be affected by the absence, will need to be satisfied that the staff member has made adequate provision for providing cover in their absence. In no School should more than one-quarter of the teaching hours be covered by postgraduate research students teaching on a part-time basis.

The member of staff applying for Unpaid Leave should apply to their Executive Dean, via the Head of School, in good time before the proposed leave period. Where such leave of one term or more is sought, applications should be sent to the Executive Dean, via the Head of School, and at least six months before the first day of term from which the leave is requested, accompanied by an outline of the proposed scheme for the leave, including the purpose, date and duration proposed. The submission should be accompanied by written comments about the application from the Head of School (for subject area) concerned.

Financial and administrative arrangements

No applications can be approved until appropriate arrangements are made. These may include the options set out below:

  • External organisations may pay either the member of staff’s salary or replacement teaching costs when he or she is on Unpaid Leave.
  • The Head of School should ensure that proper arrangements have been made for the supervision of postgraduate research students. Departments will either establish joint supervision for all research students or ensure that students of staff members on Study Leave are provided with an alternative supervisor for the duration. This will not, of course, preclude the continuation of contacts with the existing supervisor if so desired, but it will ensure that students can seek advice and support in their studies.

Superannuation arrangements

The faculty will bear the employer's superannuation costs of Unpaid Leave only after a member of the academic staff has been employed for a minimum of five years, and only if the individual elects to continue their employee superannuation contributions during their period of Unpaid Leave.

Employees' superannuation contributions should be paid on a monthly basis, however, given the practical difficulties that this may entail, advanced agreement may be entered into for members to repay their contribution balance on a single fixed date as soon as they return to work. If this is not an option at all because of costs or for other reasons of choice, the member can further opt to pay a smaller premium just to cover death in service and ill health, in which case there would be no associated employer's costs.

The College will not pay towards superannuation costs of any further periods of Unpaid Leave for another seven years after the date of return from the last period.

Members of staff who are granted permission to take Unpaid Leave within five years of appointment, or more often than one year in seven, shall be required to bear both the employee and employer's superannuation costs themselves if they wish to maintain their pensionable service.

This rule will normally be applicable to members of staff who are on Unpaid Leave for a period of up to one academic year.

In the case of those members of staff who are on Unpaid Leave for more than one year but are paid by the host institution then the employer's superannuation costs are normally met by that host institution.

Please note that for the avoidance of confusion it should be noted that 'Study Leave' means that the member of staff’s salary is paid by the School during the leave. 'Unpaid Leave' referred to in this policy, means that the school does not pay the salary.

Annual leave arrangements

Prior to the first day of their unpaid leave, the employee must have taken the proportion of their annual leave that has accrued up to that date.

During the unpaid leave, the annual leave entitlement will be the statutory entitlement and will accrue on a pro rata basis. For example, if an individual takes one full year of unpaid leave, 28 days of this period will be annual leave. This entitlement must be taken within, and at the end of, the period of the unpaid leave, but will be paid at the employee's normal salary rate. The exception is where the line manager has agreed that the employee may carry over up to five days annual leave into the following annual leave year.

The entitlement must also be taken during the annual leave year within which it accrues, except where it is carried over as highlighted above. For example, if an
employee takes one year's unpaid leave from 1 July to 30 June, they will accrue, and must take, 14 days' annual leave from 1 July to 31 December and 14 days from 1 January to 30 June.

Leave of Absence Procedure for Academic staff no: 2.1

Policy Owner: Human Resources

Approved by:

  • HR Strategy and Policy Committee (substantive version 2.0)
  • HR Strategy and Policy Committee, Chairs Action (minor update to Study Leave policy and Procedure after consultation version 2.1)

Date approved:

  • Version 1.0: July 2001
  • Version 2.0: May 2025
  • Version 2.1: September 2025