Staff Professional Development Opportunities

Lunch & Learn sessions are an opportunity for staff from across the College to enjoy a short burst of learning over lunch – usually held for 60 mins via Teams. The topics have been developed based on feedback from the Your Voice Survey. 

We have developed a range of Supervisor Training to support new and existing supervisors to perform their role and successfully lead their team.

New supervisors should also complete these compulsory online training courses:

• Supervising at Flinders
• Work Health and Safety for Managers and supervisors
• Equal Opportunity Online - Module 4

We also recommend utilising the Manager and Supervisor Resources Page.

Flame is a “training by experience” leadership program designed especially for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences to match the needs and preferences of our staff.

We are passionate about investing in our people and providing opportunities to foster and nurture leadership excellence across the College.

FLAME Programs are open to fixed term and continuing CNHS Academic and Professional staff.

The FLAME Programs run for 12 months and involve:

• Participation in a range of training sessions 
• Reflections and sharing of learning through collegial conversations and peer-to-peer feedback
• Opportunity to drive a group project of strategic importance and value to CNHS
• Completion of a portfolio, reflecting on your experience and learning journey

Expressions of interest have closed for our 2023 Bronze & Silver Programs.

An overview of training sessions is provided on the following pages. At the end of 2023, we will seek expressions of interest to participate in 2024 Programs. 

Bronze Program: leadership for aspiring or emerging leaders

Silver Program: leadership for people who lead people (i.e., staff with direct reports or service roles)

We recognise that mentoring is an important mechanism for career development and contributes to building a collegial and high-performing workforce.

The College has developed an Academic Mentoring Program to provide a career development opportunity for academic staff to broaden their knowledge, skills, capabilities, and experience.

There are also opportunities for Professional staff to be involved in the University-wide Professional Mentoring Program. Learn more about the Professional Mentoring Program. 

Nominations for the 2023/24 CNHS Academic Mentoring Program will open in April. 

Key Dates

• 6 June 2023: Program Launch
• 12 June 2023: Mentor Induction Workshop
• 15 June 2023: Mentee Induction Workshop
• TBC October 2023: Mentor Community of Practice Session 1
• TBC February 2024: Mentor Community of Practice Session 2
• TBC May 2024: Mentee Program Completion / Next Steps Session

Benefits for mentees

• increased internal networks and understanding of different functions
• increased job satisfaction and effectiveness
• improved career development and promotional opportunities.

Benefits for mentors

• enhanced personal satisfaction through development of others
• expanded professional networks and visibility
• improved interpersonal and leadership skills.

The College People and Infrastructure Committee support the development and implementation of a Nursing and Health Sciences Reconciliation Action Plan but also recognise that our academic and professional staff require ongoing development to fulfill our commitment to Indigenous cultural safety in all that we do.

The College is committing in 2023 to the development of a new framework for ongoing and expanded workforce capability and training amongst our staff. The framework will outline the learning and development that we are currently offering or intend to explore as foundational or bespoke opportunities for Education; Research, Practice and Professional Services.

The foundational learning and development opportunities commence when a new staff member enters the University. In partnership with Your Mob Learning, the induction of new staff members requires the completion of Indigenous Cultural Awareness online training. This foundational program is mandatory, and the College will be monitoring completions while also strongly encouraging existing staff to complete if they have not yet done so. For existing staff who have completed the Indigenous Cultural Awareness Foundations program offered by Your Mob Learning, the College will be strongly encouraging staff to complete the Refresher program and also the Comprehensive program also available via the same link. All of these resources are offered free to Flinders University employees via iEnrol and the College will continue to raise awareness of these opportunities. To supplement these foundational learning and development opportunities, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences will be offering other opportunities of relevance to all staff, regardless of position type. In 2023 we will be exploring opportunities to specifically support staff learnings of anti-racism in the hope that we can offer something for 2024 and beyond.

While the above opportunities have relevance for all staff, regardless of position type, Nursing and Health Sciences are committed to provide additional opportunities that respond to specific needs of staff working in any one or more of the following: Education, Research, Practice, Professional Services.

The bespoke EDUCATION learning and development opportunities will build upon the central collection of resources available that has been designed to inspire and motivate staff to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural content in their teaching. While the University Learning and Teaching Academy will centrally provide some additional relevant resources our own Learning and Teaching Academy chapter, through the Indigenous Aspects of Education Community of Practice, will provide opportunities that respond to the specific needs of staff in Nursing and Health Sciences.

More information coming soon on bespoke research, practice and professional services learning and development opportunities. 

University-wide information on Academic Promotions can be found here.

Following information sessions facilitated by Professor Robert Saint (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research). CNHS will also provide additional training and support for staff considering applying for promotion as well as supervisors. 

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences acknowledges the importance of all staff participating in regular professional development which provides an opportunity for extending knowledge and skills of relevance to their role. There are various means by which staff can be supported financially to participate in professional development. 

Academic staff

• Outside Studies Program
• Overseas Conference Scheme
• Professional Development Funding Scheme – local

Information on eligibility and how to apply can be found in the Guidelines.

Professional staff

• Professional Staff Development Fund
• Professional Staff Conference Scheme
• Study Assistance Scheme
• Study Tour Scheme
• Auditing University Topics 

Information on eligibility and how to apply can be found here.