Professional Staff Development Fund
The University has committed to provide $350,000 per annum over the life of the Enterprise Agreement 2019-2022 to support professional staff training and development linked to career advancement at the University.
Who can apply?
The Professional Staff Development Fund is open to ALL PROFESSIONAL STAFF employed on a continuing or fixed term basis with six (6) months or more continuous service (not including casual service).
Guidelines
- The maximum amount of funding per application is $3,500.
- The Professional Staff Development Fund will reimburse the cost amount less any GST. Please ensure your evidence of expenditure details whether or not the GST has been applied.
- The fund can be used in conjunction with Study Assistance for Professional Staff but should not duplicate the in-house professional development activities / courses offered by the University.
- It is not intended that the Fund will replace existing professional development activities and courses that have been offered and funded by the local area.
- The Fund may be used for course fees, resources required to complete the course, and related expenses such as pre-approved travel and accommodation costs.
- There is a limit of one successful application every two years per individual.
Criteria for applications
The University will award access to the fund on the following criteria:
- Relevance to an existing or future possible career at the University, as documented through the Professional Staff Performance and Development Framework;
- Relevance and benefit to the direction of the College / Portfolio / Division and the University; and
- Endorsement by the individual's immediate supervisor and the appropriate manager of the College / Division (must be one level removed from the approving supervisor).
Applications must be received by the Professional Development Unit BEFORE the professional development activity occurs and the fund will operate on a first come first served basis.
Reimbursement of fees
The College / Portfolio / Division has the responsibility to pay the fees up front and they will be reimbursed by the Professional Development Unit (PDU) up to the agreed amount on evidence of expenditure.
Frequently asked questions
Reimbursement
Reimbursement is performed in a single transaction via GL journal, once the PDU receives all your receipts for the expenses listed on your application form. Please send through all your receipts at one time. Split payment (i.e. several transfers throughout the year) is by negotiation only.
Please seek advice from your local Finance Officer or College / Portfolio / Division Office. You can also contact the Accounts Office for further information on ext. 12705 or email: accounts@flinders.edu.au
You can find a list of Natural Accounts.
As per Section 6 of the policy 'staff members should apply for assistance as early as possible as the Fund operates on a first come, first served basis, until the Fund has been fully allocated. Applications made after the funding has been fully allocated may be resubmitted at the beginning of the following calendar year'.
If your application has been approved, funds up to the approved amount are available for reimbursement.
As per Section 8 of the policy, 'It is the College / Portfolio / Division responsibility to pay the fees upfront for the identifies activity. Funds up to the agreed grant value will be reimbursed from the PDU to the nominated College / Portfolio / Division on receipt of evidence of expenditure'. The PDU reimburses via GL journal. Staff members requiring reimbursement of their personal funds are required to do so from their College / Portfolio / Division via the Employee Reimbursement Form.
The PDU aims to process your reimbursement within one business week of receiving all the receipts. You will receive an email notifying you that the GL Journal transfer has been processed. If you have sent through all your receipts and your reimbursement has not been processed, please contact us.
The Professional Development Unit will follow up outstanding receipts in March and September each year.
If you registered for a conference held overseas, we reimburse according to the conversion rate at the time you paid. Please note the amount in Australian dollars on your application form or receipt.
Variations or cancellations
Please contact the Manager, Professional Development Unit if this happens, so we can make a note of it and work with you individually to come to a solution or offer alternatives. It is important to inform us if your activity does not go ahead, as support from the fund is limited to one successful application per staff member, every two years.
This may happen if you miss out on the conference early-bird rate or there are unanticipated charges on your conference invoice. If the total of the receipts add up to more than the total you were approved for, we reimburse up to the amount for which you were originally approved. Please list on the reconciliation form which costs you would like to include in the reimbursement. You will need to seek funding elsewhere to cover the shortfall.
The PDU will reimburse according to the amount actually paid, which should show on your receipt/proof of payment. The Professional Staff Development Fund will reimburse the cost amount less any GST.
As per Section 8 of the policy, 'funds up to the grant value will be reimbursed from the PDU to the nominated College / Portfolio / Division on receipt of evidence of expenditure'. If these unanticipated incidentals make your total reimbursement amount higher than you were originally funded for, the PDU cannot include these in the reimbursement. You will need to seek funding from your area or other sources to cover these. Please refer to your funding letter for your approved total.
As per Section 9 of the policy, 'the individual is responsible for submitting a brief evaluation of the activity and confirmation of attendance to their Supervisor within 3 months of completing the activity'. You do not need to send your report to the Professional Development Unit.
We can accept:
- Itemised receipts - either originals, copies or scanned versions. The receipts need to show that there is no balance outstanding. You can send them to the PDU via email or internal post to Professional Development Unit, Registry Building.
- Basware/Tech one reports showing amounts paid. You can also email us the Basware Journal No. and date paid as proof of payment.
- Fraedom transactions statements showing amounts paid
- Travel itineraries from University-approved Travel Providers which show the amount paid and the University account number charged
- An email from the provider saying the fee has been paid.
We cannot accept:
- Tax invoices that show the balance is still outstanding
- Accommodation reservation confirmation emails
- Purchase orders
- Conference websites or registration forms listing fees
It would be appreciated if you could highlight the amounts you are claiming for on your receipts.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
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CRICOS Provider: 00114A
