Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon

What is academic promotion?

In an application for academic promotion, you make a special case that describes how you meet the specific criteria for promotion to a higher grade. The promotion process is separate from the regular annual and biennial academic performance reviews.

Academic promotion usually means a change in job title, but may also be used to progress beyond a salary bar or to apply for additional increments within some salary scales.

Guidance on applying for promotion

To find out which promotion(s) you are able to apply for, check the Academic Titles guidelines for your position. The specific criteria for each level of promotion are listed as Schedules in the Promotions Policy, along with all the other information you need to know before you apply.

Applications for promotion open in March each year when the updated policy is released, and applications normally close at the beginning of May. This year, in 2023, the deadline is 5pm on Thursday 4 May. In March we hold information sessions for staff who are thinking of applying.

Applicants must consult with their Head of Department well in advance of the due date, because applications need to be submitted to HoDs (and Deans in Health Sciences) for comment before being delivered to Human Resources by the due date.

Your promotion application is a significant piece of work – it will require a lot of planning to gather the evidence you need to support your application. Even though the policy is updated in March each year, you should have a look through the current policy as you plan your application. When we release the updated policy we will also provide a list of the changes.

Guidance for clinicians

Are you a clinical teacher working at a hospital or other health provider? You may apply for promotion to either of the following titles:

  • Clinical Associate Professor
  • Clinical Professor

To be promoted, you will need to show that your academic and professional reputation is such that you would likely be appointed at, or promoted to associate professorial or professorial level.

Promotion information sessions are provided by HEDC and HR via Zoom. A member of the relevant promotions committee will be there to answer your questions. Please register to attend.

Application for promotion: checklist

To make sure the process goes smoothly, make sure you include the correct documents.  This list is to be read in conjunction with the full promotions policy.

* Required for applications for promotion to Associate Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Research Associate Professor, Professor, Clinical Professor, Research Professor

Academic Promotion effective 1 February 2025 – How to apply

Applications are due by 5pm on Thursday 2 May 2024 for Academic Promotions effective 1 February 2025.

Full applications include a Head of Department Assessment Statement. You will need to check with your academic head about their internal deadline so that your academic head will be able to complete the assessment statement in time for your full application to reach HR by the due date. For most Health Sciences staff, the application also needs to be submitted to the Dean before the due date.

Process for submitting and sharing application documents

In order to submit an application for promotion, each applicant will log on to SharePoint to create their own application folder where they will upload the application documents. This is done using an online form which gathers the information needed to create the application folder. SharePoint will assign access to the folder for the applicant and their Academic Heads and then email the applicant a link to the folder.

For applicants:

  1. As an applicant you will fill in a form to create their own application folder in Sharepoint to create your promotion application folder:

    2024 Application for Academic Promotion – create new application folder

    You will be asked to sign in to SharePoint using your University credentials. When prompted to sign in, you should enter your University email address. When prompted to Authenticate, you should enter your username and password. For help using SharePoint, see the guidance document:
    Your SharePoint Space (PDF)
  2. At the link, you will see a form entitled “New Document Set: 2024 Application for Academic Promotion”. Complete the form with your application details. You are asked to enter the HoD 's name and Dean's name (where applicable) in order to grant access to those Academic Heads. There is also provision for setting up access for the Additional Senior Academic Assessment Statement where necessary. Please ensure you select the correct name with the appropriate position title to share your application with.
  3. Once you have completed the form, click “save.”
  4. Please wait to receive the automated email from academic.promotions@otago.ac.nz, which gives you a link to the application folder you have just created. This may take around two minutes.
  5. Follow the link in the email to your application folder. You are now ready to upload your application documents.
  6. You must name your documents using the numbering convention described below.
  7. You have access to your application folder until the promotion deadline, 5pm on Thursday 2 May 2024. If you do make any amendments, it is your responsibility to let your HOD and Dean if in Health Sciences know as they may need to amend the HOD Assessment Statement. Documents in the application folder are automatically saved. (There is no “submit” button.)

For Academic Heads:

  1. 1.Academic Heads do not receive an automated email when a folder is created. They can access all applicant folders assigned to them by using the using the following link.

    2024 Application for Academic Promotion HoD and Dean access
  2. The Head of Department will email their confidential assessment statement to:
    academic.promotions@otago.ac.nz (with a copy to the Dean where applicable).
    Senior Academics completing an Additional Assessment Statement will also email their confidential assessment statement to:
    academic.promotions@otago.ac.nz (with a copy to the Dean where applicable).
  3. For Health Sciences Schools, the Dean's office will email the completed Dean statements to:
    academic.promotions@otago.ac.nz

Numbering requirements for files submitted for academic promotion

Promotion applicants must prepare documents electronically using the following numbering for the filenames.

  1. Application form – all applicants. For example: 1 Stephanie Evans application form.docx
  2. Personal statement (limit 3 pages, 1.5 spacing, 12 font) – all applicants. For example: 2 Personal statement evast64p.pdf
  3. Referees form – only applicants seeking promotion to Associate Professorial or Professorial positions
  4. Curriculum vitae in standard format – all applicants
  5. Otago Teaching Profile – applicants who teach. The Teaching Profile is submitted as one combined PDF, for example: 5 Teaching Profile evast64p.pdf. Within the PDF, you may number each part of the Otago Teaching Profile separately, 5a, 5b, 5c etc
    1. Self-Evaluation of Teaching Statement (limit 2 pages, 1.5 spacing, 12 font)
    2. Schedule of teaching responsibilities
    3. Reports from student evaluation questionnaires
    4. Reports from Co-ordinator/Team Leader Evaluation Questionnaires (optional)
    5. Teaching Context forms (optional)
    6. Peer review of teaching form (only if peer review used)
    7. List of teaching documents on-call
  6. Copies of evaluative reviews in the case of staff members who have published a book or evaluation reviews of artistic performances – optional
  7. Evidence of acceptance of Publications – optional
  8. The HoD 's confidential Assessment Statement (this document is provided by the Academic Head) is emailed to academic.promotions@otago.ac.nz

Applying for academic promotion

In these short videos, experienced academic staff members discuss aspects of a promotion application.

What the committees are looking for in your application

How to provide evidence of your teaching success

Back to top