Professor

Position

Professors are academics of the highest rank who are experts in their field.  Professors are expected to exercise a special responsibility in providing leadership and in fostering excellence in research, professional activities, teaching, policy development and service.

Professors show leadership in teaching across a range and level of courses and make an outstanding contribution to teaching within their Departments.  Professors typically teach across a range of courses to postgraduate level. Their teaching includes assessment and course administration duties, and they will have a significant leadership role in the administration of a programme including curriculum design.

Professors show leadership by performing advanced and innovative research in their field and have an outstanding record of demonstrable scholarly and professional achievement in their relevant discipline area and/or their profession. Professors may be involved in commercial research activities and may be involved in knowledge-transfer to industry and/or the community.

Professors provide leadership in University planning and/or governance.  They are serving the relevant professions and/or academic disciplines and contribute to the wider community

It is expected that academic staff will be routinely at work on campus so they are available to assist students and for students to see the University as a place of active scholarship.

Expectations

Teaching, assessment and curriculum development

It is expected that Professors:

1. show outstanding leadership in teaching across a range and level of courses and have an outstanding ability to inspire high academic endeavour
2. conduct research-informed teaching in accordance with their share of the Department or School's teaching programme
3. teach to a standard which meets the quality standards expected in the Department/School and profession.

It is expected that Professors may be:

1. recognised outside the University as outstanding teachers, demonstrated by significant contributions to the literature on teaching, consultancies on teaching, and/or securing teaching grants, amongst others
2. demonstrating outstanding leadership in the development of quality assured assessment methods and curriculum development
3. preparing and developing course plans, being responsible for programme design and construction, outlines and materials for delivery of classes, in consultation with other senior colleagues
4. demonstrating outstanding leadership in developing effective means of improving student learning
5. facilitating learning by presenting lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops and papers
6. fostering the development of individual student talent
7. developing and/or significantly improving assessment material and methods related to courses taught
8. guiding and mentoring other staff in the development of appropriate assessment material
9. undertaking leadership roles in professional teaching development activities, such as coordinating and leading seminars, workshops etc
10. providing assessment and feedback to students on their progress towards learning outcomes
11. providing course advice
12. acting as the convenor of one or more papers
13. attracting and successfully supervising postgraduate students
14. inspiring high academic endeavour and original thought with respect to teaching.

Research and/or commercialisation of research and/or advancing professional practice and scholarship activities

It is expected that Professors:

1. demonstrate outstanding leadership in research, publication and/or leadership and exceptional ability and original thought in professional practice relevant to the particular discipline resulting in advancing knowledge within the profession/discipline
2. produce quality assured publications within the field or discipline, either individually or as part of a group resulting in advancing knowledge within the profession/discipline
3. provide leadership in the development and implementation of methods of quality assurance in research
4. have international standing in the advancement of knowledge and/or professional practice
5. make a significant contribution to the research environment
6. contribute to the advancement of artistic practice through performances as soloists or directors, as evidenced by published scholarly or critical reviews by acknowledged experts in their fields (if they are performance staff)

It is expected that Professors may be:

1. obtaining research funding, being awarded nationally or internationally competitive external research grants and/or being awarded grants from industry
2. awarded significant research related prizes, awards, honours or fellowships
3. attending and presenting papers at academic conferences, both nationally and internationally
4. attending and presenting at national hui or wānanga and/or international indigenous conferences
5. forming effective research collaborations within the Department, School, Division, or outside the University.  Collaborations outside the University may be within the community, regional, national and/or international
6. engaging in scholarly activities including editing journals and other publications, membership of an editorial board,  acting as a referee
7. demonstrating outstanding leadership in the generation of collaborative research programmes within the University and/or with external bodies such as industry and other tertiary institutions
8. mentoring the development of research students and new and emerging researchers
9. contributing to the development of significant new insights by the application of existing or new knowledge to the problems of society
10. contributing to the commercialisation of research (new intellectual property, products and services; knowledge-transfer)
11. making scholarly contributions to the advancement of professional practice, where appropriate
12. undertaking roles on government, iwi bodies or industry commissions, and/or receiving requests to run information or training sessions for the government, iwi bodies, professions or industries
13. having a recognised leadership role in their iwi, hapū or Māori community

Service to the University and the community

It is expected that Professors:

1. take a leadership role in the administration of their Department or School, possibly including service as Head of Department or Dean, and take a leadership role in University planning and/or governance
2. represent the Department through contributions to committees, working parties etc within the Division, or the wider University (including the Māori Strategic Framework).

It is expected that Professors may be:

1. fostering collegiality within the Department/School
2. having a leadership role in the development of a field of study in the wider community and contribution to public debates on issues of importance in the community
3. making a significant contribution to the development of the Māori Strategic framework
4. sharing knowledge with the community outside the University and contributing to local and national communities through involvement in the development of policy, practice, and cultural activities (eg: iwi/Māori development
5. transferring knowledge and technology to the community, industry or commerce, as appropriate
6. having service contributions of significance and distinction that are recognised as such by the University, if they have been in the role for several years
7. contributing to the profession/discipline and/or making relevant contributions to the community.  The contributions will be of great significance and distinction and are recognised as such throughout the University
8. making a significant contribution to help the University achieve its academic goals including those identified in the Māori Strategic Framework and the strategic imperatives identified in the Strategic Direction to 2012 (eg: holding an Associate Dean role)
9. providing outstanding academic and professional service and advice to the community
10. providing pro bono community service, including consulting functions (such as advising government, non-profit organisations or iwi bodies)
11. being heavily involved in mentoring other members of staff as well as young or new academics.

Other

It is expected that Professors:

1. take an active interest in the activities relating to the Department
2. meet all compliance and reporting requirements
3. work collegially with staff and students in the Department, School, Division and the University

Employment Conditions

Requirements

• Advanced qualifications and/or recognised significant experience in the relevant discipline area.  A position at this level will normally require a doctoral qualification or equivalent accreditation and standing.
• Tertiary teaching experience normally required.
• For clinical positions within the Health Sciences Division it is normally expected the individual is registered with the appropriate registering body.
• Demonstrated capacity for independent research and an excellent record of publications in refereed journals.
• May be transferring knowledge to the community and industry for the development of products and services that benefit society

Authority to appoint

The Vice-Chancellor approves the appointment of Professors.

Find out more about authority to appoint academic staff

Confirmation Path

Yes, if the appointment is permanent

Find out more about confirmation path

Salary scale

• Professorial scale (Non Medical/Dental) (steps 1 to 9)
• Professorial scale (Medical/Dental) (steps 1 to 7)

View all salary scales

Performance and salary review

Biennial review of performance

Find out more about performance and salary review

Promotions

Not eligible

Research and study leave

Confirmation path or confirmed staff are eligible

Find out more about research and study leave

Employment agreements

• Academic Staff (Non Medical/Dental) Collective Employment Agreement or
• Academic Staff (Non Medical/Dental) Individual Agreement or
• Academic Staff (Medical & Dental) Employment Agreement or
• Joint Clinical Medical Academic Agreement

View all employment agreements

Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF)

Evidence portfolio required

Visit the Research Integrity Office to find out more about the PBRF

Useful information

• Conference leave policy
• Support for teaching
• Support for research
• Support for commercialisation of research