Professional Staff Development Fund

Scope

Flinders University is committed to the individual development of professional staff and providing opportunities for continued career development.  The Fund aims to provide assistance to professional staff to access training and development that is relevant to their current role and their career advancement within the University.

While the University provides a wide range of in-house professional development activities to meet the needs of professional staff, there will be occasions where it is more appropriate or necessary for staff to attend activities or courses that are external to the University. Before considering an application to the Fund to attend an externally offered course, professional staff should review the full range of in-house professional development activities and other funding options offered by the University, including:

• Professional Staff Conference Scheme
• Study Tours for Senior Professional Staff
• Auditing University Topics

Applications to attend courses that duplicate the University's in-house professional development activities will not be eligible for funding assistance, except where the in-house activity is full or otherwise not available. 

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.
• There is a limit of one successful application every two years per individual. 
• The Professional Staff Development Fund will pay the approved cost amount less any GST.  
• 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.
• 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.
• Where a training need for a group of staff exists, it is not intended that the Fund will replace or supplement expenses associated with professional development activities and courses where this cost is to be met by the local area.

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 BEFORE the professional development activity occurs and the fund will operate on a first come first served basis. 

Approvals

Approval for the development activity and, where appropriate, time release and/or financial contributions must be granted by the staff member's supervisor and the appropriate manager.  The approving manager should be at least one level removed from the supervisor.

Approval will not be unreasonably withheld.

Payment of fees

There are three options for charging the approved Professional Development expenses:

1. Reimbursement option
   The recipient of the funding elects to be charged personally (in their own name) by the service provider.  The recipient seeks reimbursement via Service One, ensuring all the required documentation is provided, and nominates the Professional Development Funding Account to fund the expense up to the amount approved under the Fund.  The staff member's supervisor then reviews and approves the Service One request.  
2. Purchase card option
   The recipient of the funding elects to charge the approved expense to a Flinders University purchase card.  The card owner codes the amount approved under the Fund to the Professional Development Funding Account, ensuring all required documentation is provided.
3. Invoicing option
   The recipient of the funding nominates Flinders University to pay the invoice, with the invoice directed to People and Culture for coding and approval.

Full instructions for payment will be provided with approval documentation together with a payment schedule of accounts for charging.  Please note all payments are ex-GST.