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The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T +44 (0)1227 764000
Learning and Development Guide
Policy Statement
The University of Kent recognises that its staff is its greatest and most valuable resource. In order to motivate, develop and retain its staff, the University is committed to ensuring that all staff are encouraged to maximise their potential and are presented with opportunities for on and off the job learning and development to do so.
The Learning and Development policy statement is consistent with the Institutional Plan and the Equality and Diversity Policy and is applied on a non-discriminatory basis.
Learning and Development is linked with the appraisal systems currently in operation and appraisal will continue to play a major role in identifying staff development needs.
It is the responsibility of the University senior management, Human Resources (Learning and Development), Heads of School/Departments and individuals themselves to identify learning and development needs and to ensure that they are met.
General Information
The Learning and Development office is located in Human Resources under the direction of the Director of Human Resources.
Issues of policy are referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (staffing) and the Staff Policy Committee.
The Learning and Development office organises an annual in-house development programme across a wide range of Personal and Professional skills’ development, including workshops on aspects of University policy and procedures and a monthly induction programme.
All staff are invited to apply for funds to finance a wide range of learning and development activities, either as individuals or as groups or schools/departments.
There is a commitment to ensuring that central resources are spread as widely as possible across staff groups and academic schools/professional service departments.
There are other complementary sources of learning and development support including IT training (Information Services), Teaching and Learning (Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching including the Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education) and Health and Safety (Safety, Health and Environment Unit).
The principle is reaffirmed that staff studying for formal qualifications which have been recognised as legitimate and relevant may be granted some time off, with pay, in consultation with their Head of School/Department, for revision and examinations, or to prepare for other forms of assessment.
Members of staff meeting the conditions laid out in the University Regulations on Members of Staff Taking a University Course: Tuition Fees may be eligible for fee remission for part-time programmes at the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University and the Associate Colleges. Details regarding Staff Fee Remission can be found at https://www.kent.ac.uk/finance-staff/general/staffstudy.html.
We continue to foster a culture within the University in which learning and development is seen as a valid use of time and money and is incorporated into the planning process.
Allocation of Funds from the Central Learning and Development Budget
1. |
The central Learning and Development budget is provisionally allocated at the beginning of the financial year to activities which reflect the University’s current priorities and plans. This allocation is presented to the Staff Policy Committee for consideration and approval. |
2. |
All applications for Learning and Development funding should be made on the standard form, copies of which can be obtained from the Learning and Development Office in Human Resources or from the HR website. On the receipt of applications, consideration will be given both to the area of activity and its relevance to University priorities and to the desirability of spreading funding widely across staff groups and School/Departments. |
3. |
The learning and development activity must be relevant to the individual or group’s current or future work at the University. Staff requesting funding must give written details of how the proposed activity will be relevant. |
4. |
All requests for funding from members of staff must be countersigned by their Head of School/Department. This signature will be taken as confirmation of the relevance and, where appropriate, as authority for the member of staff to participate in the proposed learning and development activity. |
5. |
Where a member of staff is allocated Learning and Development funds or a place on a course and subsequently fails to attend without prior notice or a valid reason, his/her department will normally be required to refund the relevant amount to the Learning and Development budget. The signature of the Head of School/Department on the initial application for funding confirms acceptance of this requirement. |
6. |
Expenses (e.g. travel costs or accommodation where not included in total cost for a residential activity) incurred will not normally be met from the Learning and Development budget. Schools or Departments should therefore explore alternative ways of meeting related expenses (e.g. from departmental funds). |
7. |
Funding for course books and materials will not normally be provided from the Learning and Development budget. |
8. |
Payments of fees will be made in advance of the development activity (where an application for funding is made at least 10 working days before payment is required). Retrospective requests for funding will be met only in exceptional circumstances. |
9. |
Approval of funding requests will be valid only for the duration of the current financial year. Funds allocated but not spent by the end of the financial year will not be automatically carried forward, but will require a fresh application. |
10. |
Where a member of staff is funded to attend a course running over an extended period of time (i.e. more than 5 sessions), he/she will be required to repay a proportion of the course fees equivalent to the proportion of the course still to run should he/she leave the employ of the University. |
11. |
Where a member of staff is allocated funds from the Learning and Development budget he/she will be required to provide a report of the development to both the Learning and Development Office and to their Head of School/Department. |
12. |
Where a member of staff wishes to attend Language Express Classes, an application for Learning and Development funding can be made via the provider, the Centre for English and World Languages. Conditions will apply where funding is allocated. |