Special Studies Program

Authorised: 2 March 2001
Reissued with minor amendment: 10 June 2003

Please note: the SSP Guidelines have been amended, one round of study leave will be called each year from 2003 onwards. The closing date for applications will be 31 March for absences in first and second semester the following year.

1. General
2. Approval of Applications
3. Obligations and Accountability
4. Applications - Timing and Form
5. Eligibility
6. Accrual of Special Studies Days
7. Financial Support
8. Dependents
9. Procedural Guidelines

• Appendix A - Application form
• Appendix B - Guidelines for the Preparation of Special Studies Program Report

1. General

1.1 The University has a Special Studies Program (SSP), under which eligible members of staff (see section 5 below) may be given approval and financial support to undertake a period of special studies in lieu of their normal duties, to further their scholarship, research,professional practice and development.

1.2 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost, who has responsibility for the Program will provide each Faculty annually with an allocation of funds for the SSP, based on the number of full-time equivalent academic staff in that Faculty in the preceding year (excluding casual staff)¹.

1.3 Each Faculty will appoint an SSP Committee (which may be the Faculty Research Committee) with responsibility for:

• developing policy and priorities and for managing SSP in the Faculty within the limits of the funds available to it;
• assessing the SSP applications from within the Faculty in the light of the criteria set out in section 2 below;
• determining whether those applications should be approved and whether financial support should be granted;
• reporting annually to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost on the management of SSP within the Faculty, including the numbers of applications received and approved, the financial support given and the strategy followed.

1.4 The final authority to approve applications and financial support rests with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost, who will normally delegate this authority to Executive Deans for all cases within the respective Faculties that are entirely consistent with this policy. Executive Deans may delegate the authority to the Conveners of their SSP Committees if they wish. However, any cases involving a departure from the normal provisions of the SSP policy must be referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost for endorsement.

1.5 In exceptional cases the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost may approve an application for special studies on criteria and conditions that vary from those set out in this policy, provided the exception is in the interests of the University.

1.6 An unsuccessful applicant may appeal to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost on the grounds that the decision of the Faculty SSP Committee was based on an improper assessment process. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost may convene an ad-hoc Appeal Committee to advise on such an appeal. The decision of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost will be final.

2. Approval of Applications

2.1 General Criteria
In approving an SSP application, the Faculty SSP Committee must be satisfied that:

2.1.1 the proposed special studies are academically sound and essentially concerned with research, scholarly activities, and/or with appropriate professional development;

2.1.2 the proposed activities are to be carried out in an environment well suited to the activities proposed² and that the period requested is appropriate to the proposed activities (there being no requirement or expectation that staff members should utilise the entire period for which they may be eligible when planning special studies);

2.1.3 the proposed studies will enhance the contributions of the staff member to research, scholarship, and teaching or to the relevant profession, with significant benefit to the University and the applicant;

2.1.4 the application is consistent with the Faculty's Strategic Plan;

2.1.5 the applicant has the capacity to make effective use of the opportunity, having either a proven and sustained record of productivity in research, scholarship, teaching or in the relevant profession, or having considerable potential for such achievement;

2.1.6 the application has the support of the Head of Department, who having consulted the Departmental Committee considers that the preceding criteria are met and is able to provide an assurance that the Department can function effectively in the absence of the applicant, especially in relation to its teaching commitments³;

2.1.7 the applicant has successfully completed any similar activities previously undertaken (for example under the former Study Leave Scheme);

2.1.8 the applicant is eligible for approval to undertake special studies extending over the period sought, which, unless specifically approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost, will not exceed twelve months.

2.2 Faculty Criteria
Each Faculty SSP Committee may also assess applications on criteria developed to reflect the policies and priorities of the Faculty, provided those criteria have the approval of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost⁴.

3. Obligations and Accountability

3.1 Every eligible staff member is encouraged and expected to make use of the SSP in order to undertake research and scholarship and to maintain expertise in their chosen academic field.

3.2 Special studies are approved in the expectation that the staff member will return to duty at the end of the period and all staff proceeding on special studies are required to give a written indication that this is their intention.

3.3 A staff member returning from special studies should, within one month⁵, submit a report (see Appendix B) to the Human Resources through the Head of Department. If the Faculty SSP Committee believes the report is unsatisfactory it may ask the staff member to revise and resubmit it. In case of doubt, a report may be referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost for a decision on whether it is to be referred back for revision and re-submission. An application under the SSP will not be considered if a previous report is outstanding and a Faculty SSP Committee may take into account in considering an application that an earlier report was not found satisfactory⁶.

3.4 Approval and financial support is given on the basis of the proposed special studies described in the application and whenever possible, variations should be reported and approval sought in writing before commencing the activity. When this is not possible, the staff member is expected to explain and justify the variation in the report⁷.

4. Applications - Timing and Form

4.1 Applications to undertake special studies in the period between 1 January and 30 June of a given year will normally be invited with a closing date of 31 March in the preceding year. For activities to be undertaken in the period between 1 July and 31 December the closing date will normally be 30 September of the preceding year.

4.2 Applications must be submitted by the closing date through the Head of Department to Human Resources, using the form.

5. Eligibility

All members of the salaried academic staff at Level A and above, including those in positions that the University regards as equivalent to those of academic staff (e.g. certain research only positions) are eligible to participate in the SSP, provided their contracts of employment extend beyond the period of special studies for at least an equal period⁸.

6. Accrual of Special Studies Days

6.1 The period for which a staff member may seek approval to undertake special studies accrues at the rate of 1 day per 6 days of recognised service or 61 days for each calendar year (i.e. 365 days) of recognised service, normally to a maximum of 366 days after 6 years of service. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost may in special circumstances, for example where a staff member has been prevented from undertaking special studies by the needs of the Department, approve accrual up to a maximum of 427 days.

6.2 Prior service at this University, another institution of higher education or equivalent institution with a similar scheme may, with the approval of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost, be recognised for purposes of entitlements under the SSP, up to a maximum of 183 days⁹.

6.3 Approval to proceed on special studies during the first three years of an appointment will normally be given only where the staff member has been credited with SSP days in recognition of previous service and then for a maximum period of absence of 61 days.

6.4 A staff member, who has formally notified an intention to vacate the position held, will not normally be given approval to undertake special studies.

7. Financial Support

7.1 Staff members undertaking special studies will continue to receive their normal salary and, for a period outside Adelaide, may be awarded a travel grant and a living subsidy. Financial assistance may be awarded once for each three years of employment by the University as a staff member eligible to participate in the SSP.

7.2 The travel grant will provide reimbursement¹⁰ of the economy-class, advance-purchase return airfare up to a maximum figure as set out below for the staff member:

• for travel to UK, Europe or North America up to $2800;
• for travel to Asia/Africa or South America up to to $2000;
• for travel in Australia or the Pacific up to $1000.

Provided the period of absence will exceed 60 days, the same maximum figure will apply to the staff member's accompanying family for each dependent charged an adult fare with an appropriate fraction for dependent children based on actual fares charged¹¹.

7.3 The living subsidy will be based on 14.4% of the daily salary of a Senior Lecturer at step 6 for each day away from Adelaide.

7.4 Since the total cost of travel assistance and living subsidies that would be payable to staff proceeding on approved SSP activities may exceed the funds allocated to a Faculty for the year concerned, each Faculty Committee will decide which approved applications will receive financial support. In doing so they will be guided by:

1. the extent to which the proposed activities will add to the staff member's present or prospective contribution to scholarship, research, teaching or a profession;
2. the extent to which the proposed activities will contribute to the University's strategic objectives, particularly in relation to internationalisation and income generation;
3. the value of the proposed activities in the light of the goals and priorities of the Faculty's Strategic Plan;
4. the performance outcomes from any previous SSP (or Study Leave) undertaken by the staff member.

7.5 Financial support when given, will normally be at the rates specified above but a Faculty Committee may reduce the amount in recognition of any substantial financial assistance available to the staff member from other sources. It is nevertheless in the interests of staff members and the University that they should seek financial support for their special studies activities from sources outside the University¹².

7.6 The travel grant and living subsidy will initially be calculated as a provisional amount based on the proposed activity described in the application. The entitlement will be confirmed and any necessary adjustment made when the actual details are reported on the staff member's return.

7.7 A staff member, who, on completion of special studies, does not return to the service of the University for a period equal in length to that of the special studies may be required to repay to the University part or all of the grant paid to them.

8. Dependents

8.1 A "dependent spouse/partner" means the staff member's wife, husband, married, de facto or same sex, whose yearly separate net income (SNI) is less than the level at which the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will allow a dependent spouse rebate (ie $5,742 per annum in 2001).

8.2 A "dependent child" means a child whose SNI is less than the level at which the ATO will allow a dependent child rebate (ie $1,785 per annum in 1999) and who either is under 16 years of age, or is under 25 years and is a full-time student at a school, college or university. The age is taken as the age at the time of departure.

8.3 If both a staff member and spouse/partner are eligible to participate in the SSP, each will be considered separately for an SSP grant. Financial support for any dependent children may be claimed by one only.

8.4 If a staff member's spouse/partner is eligible to participate in an SSP or study leave scheme of another institution, this fact should be clearly stated in the application. Financial support for any dependent children may be claimed by one spouse/partner only.

8.5 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost may in exceptional circumstances approve a grant to a staff member, who will incur unavoidable expense, during and as a consequence of a period of special studies, for the care of a dependent not accompanying the staff member.

9. Procedural Guidelines

The following procedures provide advice for the implementation of this policy:

9.1 Procedural Guidelines for Applicants, Departments, Offices, and Faculty SSP Committees

Notes

1. A similar provision will be made for academic staff employed in a "Service Division", which will be expected to appoint an SSP committee and otherwise to follow the approved policy and procedures.
2. An applicant will need to establish that the proposed location(s) for special studies are environments of high quality and/or well suited to the academic activities to be undertaken. Where appropriate, members of staff are encouraged to undertake a period of special studies at one of the following special partner institutions of the University of Adelaide: University of Western Australia, University of Edinburgh, University of Nottingham. SSP proposals that promote appropriate industrial collaboration are also encouraged.
3. When special studies are to be taken in Adelaide, the Head of Department must ensure that the staff member is fully released from departmental duties.
4. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Provost will normally seek the advice of the University Research Committee on proposed criteria and that Committee will be asked to review all Faculty criteria every two years.
5. Delay in providing a report may be deducted from the staff member's entitlements to future periods of special studies.
6. Guidance on the format of reports is available from Human Resources.
7. The variation would be taken into account in determining the staff member's entitlements to financial support and if necessary adjustment would be made.
8. Where the applicant's position is funded from a source external to the University, approval and determination of financial support must be contingent on the conditions of appointment and the wishes of the funding agency.
9. The staff member would normally be expected to have been continuously employed by the University since that service was rendered. Particular provisions apply to certain limited term academic staff employed as senior teaching fellows prior to 1 January, 1992 or as tutors prior to 23 July, 1991. Information is available from Human Resources.
10. Refer for details to the document, SSP Procedural Guidelines for Applicants, Departments, Offices and Faculty SSP Committees.
11. See Section 8 on Dependents.
12. Some forms of external funding gained while on SSP activity may be subject to the University's policy on Work Undertaken Outside the University. Information is available from Human Resources.