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Policy Statement

At Prince Sultan University we are committed to Professional Development (PD) initiatives designed to enhance both the individual staff members’ competences and the overall performance of the University. According to this policy, each faculty member must obtain a minimum of 10 Professional Development points annually, by engaging in activities that improve their abilities and complement departmental and University objectives. Department chairs should collaborate with their staff to ensure that specified activities are aligned with the objectives and requirements of both their specific work unit and the University’s strategic plan. The policy is applicable to all levels and disciplines and guarantees that the faculty members keep up with developments in their fields, enhance their teaching and research skills and become more professional and satisfied with their jobs. It upholds high standards of quality and ethical integrity in all professional development activities, while also supporting a culture of lifelong learning, and providing sufficient resources for professional advancement.

Background and Justification

Faculty PD is a crucial factor for the success of higher education institutions and academic programs and an essential prerequisite for raising the quality of teaching and learning. Faculty members must keep abreast of the developments in their fields and effectively apply, when relevant, the latest technologies and approaches to deliver the knowledge they attain. They need to be well-rounded in maintaining competence within their specific areas of specialization, including teaching, research, professional practice, and quality assurance measures. Most international universities and higher education institutions recognize the vital importance of faculty PD.

Scope and Purpose

Scope

This policy applies to all faculty members, regardless of discipline or academic rank, status, location, or mode of delivery.

Purpose

A lifelong learning approach requires opportunities and incentives for professional development throughout their career to enable staff to refresh, develop, and broaden their knowledge and understanding of teaching and to improve their skills and practices. The main purpose of this document is to describe PSU’s PD in the context of the current regulations and guidelines and to ensure that the faculty members:

• Remain current and keep abreast of global developments in their fields of specialization.
• Identify and develop their potential.
• Improve their performance in all areas of competencies related to their profession.
• Increase job satisfaction.
• Improve the performance of students.
• Improve their self-confidence, motivation, and initiative.
• Respond positively to change and uncertainty.

The goal of establishing a clear PD definition is to create communities of learning among the faculty and administrative staff members at PSU. The activities used to promote a lifelong learning approach are key to helping all members grow.

Principles of the Policy

• Accessibility and Inclusivity: Ensure that professional development opportunities are accessible to all faculty.
• Alignment with Institutional Goals and University Policies: Professional development initiatives should align with the University’s broader mission and strategic goals, enhancing the quality of education and research.
• Funding and Resources: Allocate sufficient financial and human resources to support professional development efforts.
• Transparent Criteria for Evaluation: Establish clear communication and transparent criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development activities.
• Teaching and Research Integration: Encourage lecturers to integrate teaching and research, ensuring that professional development efforts encompass both domains and promote a holistic approach to academic growth.
• Quality Assurance and Accreditation: Ensure that PD aligns with accreditation standards and quality assurance measures, contributing to the University’s reputation and accountability.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Encourage lecturers to collaborate across disciplines, fostering a culture of interdisciplinary research and teaching.
• Ethics and Integrity: Promote ethical conduct and integrity in teaching and research as a foundational principle of PD.
• Feedback and Improvement: Establish mechanisms to collect feedback from lecturers to improve PD programs continuously (e.g., evaluation forms).

Definitions

Professional Development: Active engagement with learning new skills through continuing education and training. It can include taking courses or workshops, attending webinars, attending professional or industry conferences, earning online certificates, or expanding one’s knowledge in a specific field.

Academic Conference: A formal meeting of people with a shared interest, typically taking place over several days; a venue for researchers to present and discuss their work and exchange knowledge.

Symposium: A smaller conference (typically 1–2 days) where speakers present opinions on a chosen subject to a smaller number of delegates.

Seminar: A form of academic instruction (often small-group and recurring) focusing on a particular subject; may be offered by a university or a professional body.

Workshop: An intensive meeting (minimum 2 hours) with discussion and activity on a specific subject or project, emphasizing hands-on practice or lab work.

Summit: A meeting conducted by high-ranking officials or decision-makers seeking goals, missions, and objectives.

Lecture: An educational talk to an audience, especially to faculty and/or students in a university.

Presentation: A speech or talk in which work, ideas, or products are shown and explained to an audience; usually includes specific results from completed studies.

Forum: A meeting or medium for exchanging ideas and views on a particular issue (e.g., round-table discussion).

Panelist: A participant in a panel discussion—a group convened to discuss a topic in front of an audience at scientific, business, or academic events.

Responsibilities and Implementation Strategies

The development of academic staff is a shared responsibility among individuals such as faculty members, deans, vice deans, chairpersons, directors, and coordinators, as well as the University’s Academic Affairs Office.

Procedures for Handling Policy Violation

1. The academic leaders are responsible for implementing the PD policy.
2. The Compliance Office is responsible for checking compliance with the policy.
3. The Compliance Office will report violations of the PD policy.

Violations

• Submission of false evidence may amount to non-compliance and may affect the faculty’s evaluation.
• Submission of duplicate certificates will not be counted in the evaluation.
• Non-compliance with the scoring requirements will result in the deduction of marks from the faculty’s evaluation.

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Appendix I — Guidelines of Faculty PD

• Each faculty member must obtain 10 points per academic year, following the guidelines below.
• PD is a shared responsibility between the faculty member, the college, and the University.
• The academic leaders are responsible for identifying their department’s development needs and preparing an annual professional development plan. Training and workshop needs should be submitted to the TLC within one month of the start of the academic year. The TLC will take the necessary actions to arrange the requested workshops and training for the faculty.
• Faculty members are encouraged to obtain professional certifications in their areas of expertise. The College/Department should create a list of approved certificates based on quality and ranking.
• The college/department is responsible for assessing the faculty member’s performance and providing guidance regarding his/her professional development plan.
• The respective committees, departments, and colleges should revise and approve the faculty development plan.
• Program chairs are encouraged to support a sharing culture by inviting faculty to offer PD sessions for colleagues through the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The TLC announces proposal submissions each semester.
• The University will, as conditions allow, provide the time and financial support necessary to implement faculty professional development plans requested from the TLC and colleges.
• Faculty professional development can take place in-house or off-campus.
• In-house training includes sessions provided by the University, experience gained on the job, and peer interaction; PD via platforms such as Coursera, TEDx, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, etc.
• Off-campus training includes, but is not limited to: attending conferences, workshops, lectures (virtual or in-person), courses, and exchange visits.

In-house Professional Development Programs

1. Whenever possible, the TLC should invite experts to organize in-house professional development programs in areas of common interest.
2. Colleges can arrange programs in specialization areas in collaboration with the TLC, ELC, or other PSU centers.
3. Each department should nominate attendees for these programs based on needs and priorities.
4. Faculty may attend the Higher Education in Teaching and Learning Certificate Program.
5. New faculty members joining PSU are required to take part in the New Faculty Orientation.
6. The TLC organizes New Academic Leader Orientation to share guidelines, regulations, and policies for managing program/department/college matters.
7. PSU faculty are strongly encouraged to share their expertise with colleagues to cultivate a healthy PD culture across campus.

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Appendix II — Professional Development Calculation

Professional development activities are assigned points. Every faculty member should achieve a minimum of 10 PD points per academic year using the following table.

Examples of Accepted Evidence (for faculty portal)

1. Certificate of Attendance.
2. Certificate of Presenting at an e-event.
3. Certificate of Course Completion.
4. Letter of Appreciation.

Examples of What is Not Accepted as Evidence

1. A screenshot of a WhatsApp message.
2. A flyer only.

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References

1. Learning Forward — Professional Learning Definition: learningforward.org
2. Ohio State — Organizing for High-Quality Professional Development: education.ohio.gov
3. Dictionary (conference): google.com
4. Education Glossary — Professional Development: edglossary.org