THE University of Canberra has announced there will be an independent review into the assistant professor program following a string of strikes lead by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) late last year. 

The NTEU lead the university’s first strike in more than a decade in October. Its aim was to raise issues such as professional staff and academic workloads, job security and the assistant professor scheme.

After the strike UC Management put their “best and final” offer to union representatives but it was rejected.

Now, University of Canberra vice-chancellor and president Prof Deep Saini says an independent review will look into the assistant professor program.

About 22.5 per cent of academic staff at UC are assistant professors, and the scheme is supposed to allow them to an assistant professor promotion within seven years via two performance reviews.

Prof Saini says the independent review will aim to ensure that participants are valued, supported, professionally developed and well managed to continue to be successful.

“Whilst the basis of the contract is sound and has delivered success for many of our academic staff in fast-tracking their careers, we endeavour to deliver the best possible experience and results in this Australia-first program—both for the assistant professors and the students they teach,” he says.

“I have personally consulted with many assistant professors in the program to hear their suggestions on how the implementation and experience of the program can be improved.

“We have used input from the assistant professors, staff and the National Tertiary Education Union to develop the scope of the review.”

The review panel consists of four members, including three external independent members and one internal member.

Prof of chemistry and senior deputy vice chancellor and vice president at University of Newcastle, Kevin Hall, will act as chair. Prof of psychology and education director at University of Sydney, Marie Carroll, will act as member, and workplace relations and employment law specialist, Dr Graham Smith, will act as an external consultant to the panel.

Prof of biomedicine at University of Canberra Reena Ghildyal will be an internal consultant, having personal experience from the assistant professor program at the University of Canberra.

The scope of the review includes, but is not limited to:

• Examining new policy and procedures, terms and conditions and compliance with legislation;
• Attracting the right talent for successful outcomes;
• Frameworks for review and promotion;
• Supervision and mentoring, including appropriate training for supervisors and managers;
• Assessing if workload and performance-based remuneration encourages work/life balance;
• Examine the success of the scheme from talent attraction, development and retention;
• Ensure diversity, equity, access and inclusion;
• Highlight the positive outcomes and identify the areas for improvement.

The review will be provided to the vice-chancellor within 12 weeks of the panel commencing.