Professional Staff Development Fund

Flinders University is committed to the individual development of professional staff and providing opportunities for continued growth, learning and career development.

To facilitate professional staff development, the University has committed to provide $350,000 per annum over the life of the Enterprise Agreement 2023 to 2026 to support professional staff to actively pursue their professional and career development as an integrated element of their employment with the University.

The fund has two components:

$150,000 per annum for the university to establish and deliver centrally funded, generally externally facilitated, leadership and professional development programs; and
$200,000 per annum for a fund to which staff can apply for individual development activities.

Application form - Service One

Who can apply?

The Professional Staff Development Fund ('the Fund') is open to all professional staff employed under the 2023 - 2026 Flinders University Enterprise Agreement on a continuing or fixed term basis with six (6) months or more continuous service (not including casual service).

Guidelines

Staff can apply twice over a two-year period up to the value of $4,000 per applicant, with one development activity per application.

The Fund will pay the approved cost amount less any GST.

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, to determine the best option for their development, including:

Professional Staff Conference Scheme
Study Tours for Senior Professional Staff
Observing University Topics

The fund can be used in conjunction with Study Assistance for Professional Staff, however, not in conjunction with the other funding schermes referred to above. Applications should also not duplicate the in-house professional development activities offered by the University.

The Fund is to be used primarily for development activities, and related expenses such as pre-approved travel and accommodation costs. Other incidental costs relating to travel or attendance, such as taxis, meals or parking, must be covered by the local area or individual, as agreed with the staff member's supervisor.

The fund is designed for individual professional development. 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 provide access to the fund on the following criteria:

Relevance to the staff member's current role and/or career advancement with the University, as discussed through the Performance Review and Development (PRD) process;
Relevance and benefit to the direction of the College / Portfolio and the University;
Endorsement by the individual's immediate supervisor and the appropriate manager of the College / Portfolio (must be one level removed from the approving supervisor);
The applicant has not already claimed $4,000 in the preceding two years; and
The applicant has not already submitted two applications in the preceding two years.

Applications must be received at least 5 business days BEFORE the professional development activity (or related travel) occurs and no funding will be approved retrospectively.

The fund will operate on a first come first served basis, and should all funding become committed, applications will be accepted on a waitlist and considered in the order they were received should additional funds become available.

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.

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.

Payment of fees

All applications are to be completed, invoiced and finalised within the same calendar year. For development relating to study across multiple years, separate applications will be required for each year of study.

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

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.
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.
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.

Want to study an MBA?

Flinders University is delighted to provide special discounts for staff for a limited period from 2023.

Special discounts for staff are available for the redesigned Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses, as well as the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma of Business Administration.

Flinders University staff can apply for a 30% course discount for our MBA courses. This can be applied in conjunction with support from the Professional Staff Development Fund, subject to the normal eligibility criteria.

Requirements are that staff must meet the entry requirements for the course. All professional and academic staff employed by the university regardless of mode of employment are eligible, noting that the discount may be subject to FBT if there is not sufficient connection between the employee’s current role and the MBA program.

MBA Alumni and Staff Discount

Frequently asked questions

Reimbursement

How do I work out which Account number/Natural Account number to use?

The account numbers and payment options available will be shared as part of the approval email received from professional.development@flinders.edu.au. For any additional funding required, please speak with your manager or local Finance Officer or College / Portfolio / Division Office. Y

You can find a list of Natural Accounts.

How do I know if there is still enough money left in the Professional Staff Development Fund to cover my activity costs?

Professional 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 payment.

What details are required for the invoice from my course provider?

Invoices are to be made out to Flinders University, not the staff member. Details for the invoice are:

Company name: Flinders University
Company ABN: 65 542 596 200
Contact in accounts: accounts@flinders.edu.au
Contact phone number of person in accounts: (08) 8201 3804
Contact email for invoices: invoices@flinders.edu.au
Postal address for the invoice: Sturt Road, Bedford Park SA 5042
(Note all invoices must be sent via email to invoices@flinders.edu.au)

Variations or cancellations

What if my activity gets cancelled/rescheduled or the price changes dramatically?

Please contact professional.development@flinders.edu.au 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.

What if I end up paying a higher amount for my activity than I was originally approved for?

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 expenses add up to more than the total you were approved for, payment from the Fund will be made up to the amount for which you were originally approved. You will need to seek funding elsewhere to cover the shortfall.

I managed to get a discount on my conference registration. Do you pay expenses according to the cost estimates on my application form, or the amount shown on the invoice, and do you include GST?

Expense payment will reflect the amount actually charged, which should show on your invoice, credit card statement or reimbursement documentation. The Professional Staff Development Fund will pay the cost amount less any GST.

I forgot to include incidentals, such as, airport meals, taxi fares and parking expenses in my original application. Can I send through these expenses to add on to the payment?

Please note that incidental costs are not covered through the Fund, as detailed in the guidelines above, 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.

Evidence required

Do I need to send through a report on the activity or course?

The professional staff member is responsible for submitting a brief evaluation of the activity and confirmation of attendance to their Supervisor within three months of completing the activity. You do not need to send your report to us.