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ANU Staff Development Scholarship Program 2008

Overview
Programs offered
Who is eligible to apply?
Scholarship benefits
Scholarship conditions
How to apply?
Deadline for applications
Selection Criteria
What commitment is required by successful applicants?
When will successful applicants be notified?
What are the tax implications?
Information for Supervisors and College Conveners, Executive Officers and Directors of Administrative Areas

Overview

ANU staff are encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge under an initiative announced in 2007.

The ANU Staff Development Scholarships provides staff members with the opportunity to undertake a range of graduate coursework programs, relevant to their career at ANU, and the University will waive tuition fees for eligible scholarship recipients.

The Vice-Chancellor encourages academic staff to undertake the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, run by the Centre for Educational Development and Academic Methods (CEDAM). The Graduate Certificate is aimed at new teachers and research supervisors, but also staff who are in, or aspire to, academic leadership roles.

Other courses available cover disciplines including management, marketing, commerce, economics, and sciences.

The deadline for applications for the Second Semester intake is 30 June 2008.

Programs offered

ANU staff are invited to apply for admission to the following graduate programs of study, and will need to:

have support from their division or college;

meet the entry requirements for the relevant Program, and

be accepted into that Program for a Scholarship to be granted.

For full program details see Study@ANU

ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences

• Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
• Master of Higher Education

ANU College of Asia & the Pacific

• Master of Asia-Pacific Studies
• Master of Arts (Asian Studies)

ANU College of Business & Economics

• All Graduate Coursework Programs

ANU College of Science

• Graduate Certificate in Environmental Science
• Graduate Certificate in Forestry
• Graduate Certificate in Geographical Sciences
• Graduate Certificate in Resources, Environment & Society
• Graduate Certificate in Science Communication
• Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science
• Graduate Diploma in Forestry
• Graduate Diploma in Geographical Science
• Graduate Diploma in Psychological Studies
• Graduate Diploma in Resource and Environmental Management
• Graduate Diploma in Resources, Environment & Society
• Graduate Diploma in Science
• Graduate Diploma in Science Communication
• Master of Clinical Psychology
• Master of Contemporary Science
• Master of Environmental Science
• Master of Forestry
• Master of Geographical Science
• Master of Resources, Environment & Society
• Master of Science
• Master of Nuclear Science

ANU College of Engineering & Computer Science

• Master of Computing
• Master of Computing with Honours
• Master of Engineering
• Master of Engineering with Honours
• Master of Information Technology Studies

Who is eligible to apply?

The following staff members are eligible to apply for a Scholarship under this program:
• Staff who are Australian Citizens, New Zealand Citizens or holder of a permanent Visa (evidence will be required) and have not used all of their seven year study learning entitlement. For further information refer to the Fees Office website
• General and Academic staff (full or part time) employed on a continuing basis by The Australian National University.
• General and Academic staff employed on a fixed term basis (full or part time) by The Australian National University with a termination date no earlier than 1 January 2010.

Staff will need to meet the entry requirements for the relevant Program and be accepted into that Program for a Scholarship to be granted.

Scholarship benefits

Staff will not be required to pay tuition fees for any courses undertaken in the Program of Study for which they are granted a Staff Development Scholarship. All other costs (including text books, reading bricks etc) associated with the Program of Study will not be funded by ANU, and must be funded by the staff member.

General staff awarded a scholarship will have access to study leave in accordance with the ANU Study Leave procedure.

Scholarship conditions

Staff Development Scholarships will be awarded to staff members for a Program of Study. ANU reserves the right to withdraw the scholarship if the staff members academic progress is unsatisfactory or if the staff members employment at the ANU ceases.

Successful applicants must commence study in the Semester in which they are offered eg. Offers of a place can not be deferred to a later semester.

The Staff Development Scholarships will only be offered to staff who are submitting a new application for graduate Programs of Study, and will not be extended to ANU staff currently undertaking study at ANU.

How to apply?

The application process for Staff Development Scholarships is incorporated into the application to the relevant Program of Study.

Graduate Certificate in Higher Education/Masters of Higher Education:
• Complete the application form (no other application form is required) and submit to the Admissions Office no later than 30 June 2008. * Note: Certified copies of academic transcripts from external institutions must be provided with your application.

All other Programs of Study:
• Complete the application form (no other application form is required) and submit to the Admissions Office no later than 30 June 2008. * Note: Certified copies of academic transcripts from external institutions must be provided with your application.

Applications from staff for Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diploma programs must be endorsed by:
• Academic Staff: the staff members supervisor, the local Delegated Authority (as appropriate) and the College Convener
• College General Staff: the staff members supervisor, the local Delegated Authority (as appropriate) and the College Executive Officer
• Non College General Staff: the staff members supervisors and Divisional Director

Applications from staff members for Masters programs will also be subject to approval by a nominee of the Vice-Chancellor.

Delegation for Approval of the Scholarship

Delegation for approval (subject to the staff member’s eligibility under HESA legislation) rests with the

College Dean or College Convenor for Academic Staff;
College Executive Officer or Division Director for General staff; and
The Vice-Chancellor's nominee for Masters Programs

Deadline for applications

Applications for Second Semester 2008 must be received by 30 June 2008.

Selection Criteria

Applications from members of staff for a Staff Development Scholarship must be appropriately endorsed (Refer “How to Apply”)

The following factors will be considered:

• Whether the proposed Program of Study is consistent with the performance conversations had with the applicant in relation to enhancing and advancing their career development at ANU (refer to most recent performance review).
• Whether the proposed Program of Study will lead to the attainment of knowledge or skills that match the assessed current and future skills shortages.
• Whether the proposed Program of Study will form part of an attraction, retention or succession plan in the local work area.
• Whether the staff members participation in the Program of Study will achieve positive results in employment equity or broader divisional plans. An example may be a local strategy to address under-representation or disadvantage by providing opportunity to staff who are under-represented in technical areas, disciplines or levels.

Applications should be made with reference to one or more of the above factors.

What commitment is required by successful applicants?

Successful applicants must undertake 1 or 2 courses in Second Semester 2008, and can continue the Program of Study in future years, undertaking no more than 2 courses each semester.

Course commitments will vary depending on the Program of Study and staff members are encouraged to investigate possible time commitments by referring to Course Outlines and discuss with their supervisor options for incorporating these commitments with current responsibilities at ANU. General staff awarded a scholarship will have access to study leave in accordance with the ANU procedure.

ANU will fund the tuition fees for the staff member in relation to the Program of Study, all other costs (including text books, reading bricks, field trips etc) must be funded by the staff member.

When will successful applicants be notified?

Applicants will be notified if they have been offered a place in the relevant Program of Study before the commencement of the relevant semester/session they are due to commence. The scholarship is subject to HECS vacancy being available in the relevant Program. (For example, some Programs only have limited places available.)

What are the tax implications?

Any Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) liability arising from this arrangement will be funded by ANU.

An employee may have an amount reported on their payments summary form as a Reportable Fringe Benefit Amount (RFBA) as a consequence of this arrangement. Staff members do not pay income tax on RFBAs, however the RFBA is taken into account in calculations for a range of government charges and benefits. For more information please refer to the ATO publication: Reportable Fringe Benefits – Facts for Employees.

Staff should seek independent taxation advice in relation to whether they are able to claim an income tax deduction in relation to costs funded by the staff member (eg text books, reading bricks, field trips etc).

Information for Supervisors and College Conveners, Executive Officers and Directors of Administrative Areas

Supervisors and College Conveners, Executive Officers and Directors of Administrative Areas should take into account the following factors when deciding whether to endorse a staff members application for a Staff Development Scholarship:

• Whether the proposed Program of Study is consistent with the performance conversations had with the applicant in relation to enhancing and advancing their career development at ANU (refer to most recent performance review).
• Whether the proposed Program of Study will lead to the attainment of knowledge or skills that match the assessed current and future skills shortages.
• Whether the proposed Program of Study will form part of an attraction, retention or succession plan in the local work area.
• Whether the staff members participation in the Program of Study will achieve positive results in employment equity or broader divisional plans. An example may be a local strategy to address under-representation or disadvantage by providing opportunity to staff who are under-represented in technical areas, disciplines or levels.

Applications should only be endorsed where a case can be made to support the endorsement with reference to one or more of the above factors.

Supervisors should be aware of the need to provide support for study commitments including flexibility in hours (to accommodate class attendance, study commitments, and examinations) and ensuring workloads are reasonable and conducive to both good work performance and good academic outcomes. Supervisors of general staff applicants should also be aware that general staff awarded a scholarship should be provided with access to study leave in accordance with the ANU Study Leave procedure.

Any Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) liability arising from this arrangement will be funded by ANU. The Vice-Chancellor has allocated a central pool of funds for this purpose.