Promotion to associate professor

Introduction

Promotion from senior lecturer or senior research fellow to associate professor (AP) is an important step into a senior academic position that:

Recognises outstanding performance, achievements and contributions to your department or school and the University
Reflects further responsibility and personal development
Provides the basis for potential future promotion to a professorial grade.

Candidates are expected to provide evidence against the core criterion of Education, Academic Citizenship and Leadership, and against three further criteria. Two of these three criteria will be from their chosen pathway, and the third may be the remaining criterion from their pathway or may be drawn from another pathway. There are compulsory criteria in the Education, Knowledge Exchange and Professional Practice pathway and in the Education and Research pathway (see below).

This approach is designed to balance academic rigour with the flexibility to allow academic staff to reflect their particular areas of strength, e.g. professional practice, management, partners, innovation in teaching.

If you are considering applying for promotion to AP, you are advised to read all the guidance on this webpage carefully, attend a briefing session, and ask for a ‘critical friend’.

A critical friend is a senior member of academic staff who, along with your line manager, mentor and / or Head of School as appropriate, will support you to:

Consider whether your current level of performance and achievement means this is the right time to apply for promotion
Gain ideas on how to approach an application and select appropriate optional criteria
Discuss examples that may best evidence how you have contributed to your chosen criteria
Develop and prepare an effective application.

They will not be able to tell you whether you will be successful in any application, nor will they draft or edit an application for you.

Seeking feedback more widely and exploring the experience of other academic colleagues will also help you to develop an effective application.

Criteria and expectations at grade 12 associate professor

Appointment or promotion to associate professor

Appointment or promotion to associate professor is based on meeting one core and three additional criteria across all pathways. Two of the pathways have compulsory criteria - these are marked with an asterisk in the table below.

Pathway	Education and HE Practice (EHEP)	Education, Knowledge Exchange and Professional Practice (EKEPP)	Education and Research (ER)
Core criterion	Education, Academic Citizenship and Leadership (EACL)
Additional criteria (compulsory criteria for that pathway marked with a*). Choose three, to include at least two from your pathway	Curriculum Enhancement	* High Quality Outputs from KE, Innovation, Enterprise or Professional Practice.	* High Quality Research Outputs
	Innovation in Teaching in support of Student Experience and/or Outcomes	Sustainable income from KE, Innovation, Enterprise or Professional Practice	* Sustainable Research Funding
	Leadership in Educational Practice and/or Portfolio Development	External Engagement and Leadership of Others, including Economic or Societal Impact from KE activities and/or Professional Practice	External Engagement and Leadership of Others in the Field of Research

Below you can see examples of the types of evidence that you might cite in support of each criterion. There is no expectation that any applicant would be able to provide evidence against each of the examples provided below. They are intended to demonstrate the kinds of evidence that will be relevant in an application. They are not exhaustive - there will be many other activities and measures of impact that are relevant, and applicants should think broadly about the evidence they wish to cite in support of their application.

In developing their application, colleagues are advised to consider what they have done, and the impact it has had, and to provide evidence wherever possible. Please read the guidance in full.

Education, Academic Citizenship and Leadership. This criteria is compulsory for all pathways. You should provide evidence of your high quality teaching practice, and your collegiate and collaborative approach to academic citizenship and leadership. Your examples should be appropriate to your experience, and demonstrate capability commensurate with the grade you are applying for.

Evidence of achievement for Education

Evidence of achievement for Education may include:

High quality, inclusive UG/PGT teaching practice demonstrated through module/programme outcomes, supervision, assessment and student progression for lectures, tutorials, practicals, studio, fieldwork or placements.
Excellent student feedback, prizes or awards for teaching, good feedback from external examiners, peer and other reviews of teaching.
High quality PGR supervision enabling timely submissions and successful outcomes as Second Supervisor; external examining of PGR students.
Developing or enhancing inclusive practice in teaching and student experience.
Significant contribution to programme or subject curriculum development, externally recognised through e.g. PSRB accreditation or invitations to be an external assessor or advisor for curriculum development.
Continuous programme or subject level development and updating, incorporating scholarship or research activities, with a demonstrable positive impact on engagement and outcomes e.g. improvements in student outcomes, or NSS scores or B3 metrics.
Leadership of, or contribution to, recognised enhancement of programmes though PSRB, course accreditations, and/or other quality assurance processes.
Professional qualification e.g. Fellowship/Senior Fellowship/Principal Fellowship of HEA.

Evidence for Academic Citizenship and Leadership

Evidence of Evidence for Academic Citizenship and Leadership may include:

Participating in university administrative processes, including membership and chairing of committees, panels, working groups, projects and quality assurance processes.
Inducting new colleagues and mentoring and/or coaching colleagues in building skills and careers.
Working across the academic-practice nexus in learning and teaching.
A leading role in support of student recruitment and experience or innovative, impactful practice in student recruitment and experience e.g. in open/applicant days or outreach and / or engagement with employers and external partners.
Contributing to activities associated with student engagement in a way that results in a demonstrable improvement to student outcomes, progression or experience.
Collaborating with colleagues (e.g. in MRE) in the development and delivery of outreach activities including widening participation, inclusion and diversity initiatives.
Leading and managing a subject/programme coordination across a team and ensuring the planned quality of teaching and learning is achieved and evidenced.

Education and HE Practice pathway

Curriculum Enhancement

Leading significant and externally recognised contribution to programme or subject curriculum development e.g. PSRB accreditation or invitations to be an external assessor or advisor for curriculum development.
Sustained leadership of educational change and innovation leading to measurably improved student outcomes at both school and faculty level.
Leadership of or contribution to recognised enhancement of programmes though PSRB, course accreditations, and/or other quality assurance processes.
Developing and leading on education projects/initiatives at cross faculty or institutional level.

Innovation in Teaching in support of Student Experience and/or Outcomes

Continuous development and improvement of teaching practice leading to improved delivery and/or inclusivity and accessibility outcomes including through the IDEAS model.
CPD or scholarly activity that leads to increased pedagogic knowledge and a demonstrable, positive impact on practice.
Innovative use of new technologies or education resources leading to improvements, such as in student engagement or outcomes.
Innovation in educational delivery models such as online, short course apprenticeship or distance learning
Innovation in pedagogy and / or teaching practice that leads to the development of the discipline or field e.g. the development of new conceptual models that are adopted by others, or contributions to the development of professional body guidance.
Dissemination of innovation internally and externally, through conference presentations, keynotes, and high-quality scholarly outputs.

Leadership in Educational Practice and/or Portfolio Development

Significant contribution to student-facing, employer or UK/TNE partnership activities.
Contribute to the development, enhancement and delivery of outreach activities including widening participation, inclusion and diversity initiatives in line with faculty and institutional strategy.
Significantly contribute to University-wide student enhancement initiatives that lead to improvements in policy, practice or outcomes with a demonstrable positive impact.
Engage with the University's strategic aims through involvement in, leadership of or contribution to faculty activities supporting the University's strategic aims in education.
Contributing to the academic leadership of your discipline or teaching of your discipline or related professional practice externally at national level (e.g. conferences, validation processes).
Effective management of high performing educational or employer partnerships locally, regionally or internationally.

Education, Knowledge Exchange and Professional Practice

High Quality Outputs from KE, Innovation, Enterprise or Professional Practice (compulsory criterion for those on this pathway)

Significant contribution to non-academic (and academic) outputs (e.g. reports, white papers, policy papers), demonstrating influence and impact among partner and stakeholder communities.
Development of KE or professional practice tools, resources and training aimed at driving change with impacts orientated towards user communities and beneficiaries.
Delivering collaborative/co-created projects with external partners yielding improved outcomes for partners and designated beneficiaries.
Significant contributions to engagement and/or knowledge exchange or professional practice activities that deliver research impact including impact case studies locally, nationally or internationally.
Growing projects and partnerships with external organisations around academic/applied/professional insights and expertise.

Sustainable Income from KE, Innovation, Enterprise or Professional Practice

A successful record of securing funding to sustain your KE activities and contribute to Faculty income, including collaborative funding, funding in-kind and support for others.
A track record of involvement in successful, collaborative bids for funding and of supporting colleagues in bid preparation or the development of relevant skills and experience.
Generating income based on commercialisation or innovation projects (e.g. consulting, patents, licensing, or spin-offs.
Development of training or education programmes that lead to commercialisation opportunities, such as CPD or development of professional practice.
Collaboration in bids supporting development of evidence base for professional practice.

External Engagement and Leadership of Others, including Economic or Societal Impact from Knowledge Exchange activities and/or Professional Practice

Growing projects and partnerships with external organisations around academic/applied/professional insights and expertise.
Delivering collaborative/co-created projects with external partners yielding improved outcomes for partners and designated beneficiaries.
Initiating and developing collaborative projects with NHS partners, education providers, charities, and community organisations, and industry to address social/environmental issues.
Undertaking projects based on academic / applied / professional insights and expertise that enhance the arts, culture, and society.
Delivering collaborative projects that improve equity, social justice, and quality of life by working with individuals, organisations and communities.

Education and Research

High Quality Research Outputs (compulsory criterion for those on this pathway)

A body of high quality, peer reviewed outputs that demonstrate a substantial contribution to the discipline or area of professional practice.
Externally-recognised national reputation for research including aspects of knowledge exchange where appropriate.
Shaping disciplinary and or interdisciplinary debates as evidenced by invitations to speak or perform, conference/seminar organisation at a senior level.
Contributing to impact case studies of developing other forms of research impact that are of national or international significance.
Leading on contributions to interdisciplinary research through outputs or to national level challenge-led research efforts.

Sustainable Research Funding (compulsory criterion for those on this pathway)

A successful record of securing external funding, relative to disciplinary norms, to sustain your research programme and contribute to Faculty research income (e.g., collaborative funding, in-kind support and studentships etc).
Leading and attracting small funding applications as PI.
Making contributions to larger funding bids or to national or global challenge-led research projects.

External Engagement and Leadership of Others in the Field of Research

Taking a leading role in enhancing our relationship with external organisations such as research partners.
Contribute to your field and academia through peer review, editorial processes, external examining etc.
A demonstrable commitment to a personal training and development programme that enhances knowledge and skills to support you in your career pathway.
Responsibility for leading and delivering an area of the University’s research work and/or to take on a leadership role temporarily or permanently (e.g. PGR Lead, Research Lead, Impact Lead, UoA Coordinator, RIKE Network Lead).
Engage with the University's strategic aims through involvement in, leadership of or contribution to faculty activities supporting the University's strategic research aims.
Effective management or leadership of internal teams or networks e.g. a leading role in a RIKE network, research centre or institutes/collaborative programme grants.
Initiating and developing collaborations that raise the profile of the discipline department or University levels, that lead to high quality outputs, funding or societal impact.

How to apply

Key dates

Applicants for promotion to associate professor must submit their application form, including CV, by the deadline of 19 June 2026.

Application procedure

Applications are made via the application for promotion to associate professor Google form, which asks you to state the Academic Career Pathway under which you are applying and your preferred title, if successful.

On the form, you should summarise your evidence for the compulsory criterion of Education, Academic Citizenship and Leadership and the three optional criteria you have chosen, including at least two from your pathway. If you are applying under the Education and Research, or the Education, Knowledge Exchange and Professional Practice pathway, make sure you have addressed the compulsory criteria for those pathways. You can see examples of the types of evidence you might cite above and you can use a blank form for drafting purposes or refer to this version which has been filled with the example evidence.

Explain the impact of any factors that have limited the volume of evidence that you have been able to present in the Special Circumstances section. This might include, for example, family leave, or an extended period of ill health, or unusually intensive caring responsibilities or other circumstances beyond your control that have resulted in you being unable to work or which have had a detrimental impact on your work. Information provided in this section will be shared with the team in the faculty who write the critical appraisal and with the promotions panel. They will take this into account when assessing the quantity, but not the quality, of your outputs and achievements. There is further guidance on Special Circumstances, which is also linked in the form.

Upload a CV that clearly details your key achievements in relation to the compulsory criterion and the criteria that you have chosen. The CV can be a maximum of 10 pages long, in a minimum of 11pt font, in Arial, with normal margins and no web links.

A template CV is provided to help you to ensure that you include:

an introductory paragraph, summarising the case for promotion
current appointment, followed by previous appointments
education and training
professional qualifications and memberships of professional bodies
key teaching responsibilities in current and recent roles
a list of publications (maximum of 15) that are most relevant to your pathway and criteria, with a brief explanation of their impact and significance
presentations, keynotes and conferences
your record of funding
any key achievements not already included in the above.

If you are reapplying after a previous application, please ensure that your CV highlights developments since the original application.

You should use the template to help you to include all relevant material in a coherent way, but may add sections to it as you need to.

Remember to include not only what you have done / delivered, but also the impact that has had. You may find the Evaluating and Evidencing Impact: Academic Enhancement Toolkit useful for that.

Please note that you will need to be logged into your Brookes Google account in order to submit the form. If there are any difficulties with the form, please contact hrcommittees@brookes.ac.uk.

Timetable for consideration of applications

Faculty panels will meet to consider applications in mid July, and will feed back to applicants about whether their application will be supported, and why, with reference to the criteria, in late July.

Applicants whose applications are not being supported by the Faculty should then decide whether they want their application to proceed to SAPC by 17 August 2026.

SAPC will meet to consider applications in late October (exact date TBC). Outcomes will be communicated in early November, with promotions backdated to 1 August 2026.

In some cases, SAPC may decide to seek an independent reference to support their decision-making. When this happens the applicant will be informed. Once the reference is received, it will be considered by circulation and the applicant will be notified of the outcome of their application as soon as possible.

Unsuccessful applicants will receive written feedback about their application and will be given the opportunity to request a meeting with a panel member to discuss it.