ACADEMIC STAFFING STRUCTURE, ROLES & RECRUITMENT
1. MOTTO
UniAthena has been established on the motto of building and sustaining a strong and long reputation for excellence in international education. We seek to foster industry-ready graduates, as well as industry working professionals seeking higher education. This can be made into reality only by commitment of the entire staff to the Institution’s cause.
2. STAFF RECRUITMENT
The College supports professional standards in learning and teaching by ensuring that staff are appropriately qualified at appointment and through development opportunities that align with the College’s strategic priorities. For academic posts, the College appoints those holding a master’s degree in a relevant area. Additionally, the College has recruited staff with doctoral degrees. Some staff members are also working towards a doctoral degree which contributes in the provision of a quality learning experience to students.
A number of staff have industrial and/or commercial experience. This allows them to bring a greater sense of reality to their teaching in the provision of case studies and/or real-life illustrative examples.
New members of staff participate in the College Induction programme. The Induction programme aims to integrate new staff into the organisation. It combines online support via Moodle and face-to-face sessions. Discussion during these sessions revolve around organisational background, College strategic developmental plans, course offered, student background summary, learning and teaching context, including consideration of the student learning environment. New members of academic staff are assigned a mentor who is a more experienced colleague who possesses appropriate knowledge and understanding of the vision and values of the College. The mentoring process continues for the duration of their first term, during which time they are encouraged to seek clarification on any issue whenever needed.
3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ACADEMIC STAFF
3.1 Executive Responsibilities:
The Executive operational responsibilities are undertaken by the Head of Operations, who is accountable for Marketing and IT requirements of UniAthena. The Head of Operations reports directly to the CEO, who in turn is accountable to the supreme Executive, which is the Governance Board. All strategic, tactical and operational matters pertaining to UniAthena are handled by the Head of Operations.
3.2 Academic Responsibilities:
The Academic Director will be overall responsible for all the academic responsibilities pertaining to UniAthena. The Quality Team and the Academic Delivery Teams will report directly to him. The Academic Delivery Team will devise the curriculum; its content; its learning outcomes; and assessment criteria, including the delivery of all modules. It will do this as an indigenous UniAthena programme, or as a programme structured by an Awarding Body or the University we partner with. The faculties team will deliver the programme units through pre-recorded sessions; students will be engaged by the faculties and course administrators throughout the delivery of the programme. The Quality Team will look into all quality aspects of UniAthena, which includes internal quality audits, including academic delivery, assessments and internal verifications.
3.3 Finance & HR Department:
The finance manager and the accounts department personnel will report directly to the CEO. The HR Officer and the HR administration personnel also will report directly to CEO.
3.4 Delivery Responsibilities:
Course Leaders and Personal Tutors – Course Leader is responsible for ensuring smooth conduct of the course delivery, students’ academic support, assessments as well as all other academic matters. Personal Tutors will be the module leaders giving student academic support to the specific module each student is doing at any given time.
Assessors & Internal Verifiers (IVs) – Assessors are responsible for assessing and providing feedback on students’ assignments. IVs role is to sample and verify the assessment decisions taken by the assessors, and are the final authority to release all assessments after review.
Admissions - Admissions department’s job is to register and monitor all students’ admissions, as well as ensure that all admissions are made as per the eligibility criteria of the programme.
Student Welfare – this is provided as a pastoral support to all students to help them overcome their personal and professional challenges, as well as give them non-academic support where required.
3.5 Delivery & Assessment Process. The following delivery process will be followed:
The assignment briefs are devised by the respective faculties, internally verified by the Internal Verifier (IV), a quality form completed, and the assignment released through the Learning Management System (LMS).
The students subsequently submit their assessments on the LMS.
Once the assignment has been assessed by the faculty/assessor by downloading all assignments from LMS, the concerned faculty/assessor will provide feedback and grades, as per the assignment requirements, and upload the same back to LMS.
The Internal Verifier (IV) will sample 25% of the assessments, verify and approve the assessment decisions made by the assessor. They will complete the requisite IV forms and upload these on LMS. Once approved by IV, all the students’ assessments are released which the students can access and view now on LMS.
3.6 Course Leader
A Course Leader will be appointed for each academic programme delivered by the UniAthena Institute. A Course Leader will be responsible for the planning, organization and administration of the programme, and will assume academic leadership, course planning and delivery strategies for the whole programme.
Will head the course/programme to ensure its smooth planning, conduct, assessments and quality requirements of the programme.
Facilitate reply of acceptance or rejection of applications for entry into the programme and advise on the admission of students.
Work with Module Leaders to deliver the programme efficiently. Ensure that for every module, a module kit is made which comprises presentations, assignment brief, activities planned, case studies, videos, experiential training aid kits activities, and other such academic material is put which will be used during the conduct of the module.
Arrange for new staff¬ induction / training for those involved in the delivery of the programme.
Handle students’ issues, request and other academic or administrative matters which may come to him/ her on a regular basis.
Maintain all minutes, reports and records pertaining to the conduct and management of the programme.
Oversee the preparation of the annual programme monitoring report, for the respective University/Awarding Body specific requirements.
Investigate minor issues/problems and complaints raised by students or staff¬ and giving advice on general matter relating to the programme.
Ensure that student records are properly maintained by course administrators and counsellors.
Implement all relevant Board of Examiners/Assessment Board decisions pertaining to the programme.
Advising the Academic Head on all matters relating to resources required for the programme and its development.
Ensuring the course is conducted in accordance to the quality regulations and requirements set by the Awarding Body/ University.
3.7 Faculty/ Assessor
Faculty earmarked for a course/ module within the course will ensure that the course/ module schedule is made ready at least one month in advance.
The schedule thereafter will be sent to all concerned students with the help of Course Administrator, minimum three weeks in advance from start of the course/ module.
Lesson plan for the module will be prepared by the faculty and all his/ her presentations/ materials put on LMS for students to view and access the same. This will be done at least one week prior to the beginning of the module.
Assignment brief will be made ready minimum two weeks before start of the module. The same will be sent to the Internal Verifier and Lead Verifier for their review including filling up of the IV Form by them and allowing the faculty to release the assignment brief on time.
If there is any change required in the assignment brief, the same will be communicated to the faculty, who will make the changes and forward the same again for internal verification. The assignment should be ready for release ideally one week in advance to start of the module and will be put on LMS for students’ perusal.
The faculty will conduct an initial orientation of the course/ module during his/ her first class and explain the assignment brief to the students.
Classes will be conducted as per the laid down schedule and the assignment requirements, including other activities/ case studies will be discussed in classes for students 360-degree comprehension of the module taught to them.
The assignments by students will be put on LMS by due date by the students.
In case of any compassionate/ health problem not allowing the student to submit his/ her assignment on time, he/ she will fill follow the Extenuating Circumstances guidelines, explaining the reason of non- submittal of assignment with evidence. The same will be approved by the concerned faculty/ course leader.
One Resubmission chance will be given to students who fail to pass in any mandatory assessment criteria/ or the minimum pass marks; the faculty concerned will motivate and render all help to the student, to enable him/ her to pass in the module.
The faculty will thereafter assess all submitted students’ assignments and upload the feedback on LMS.
The Internal Verifier (IV) will sample 25% assignments for the internal verification process. He/ she will see that the assessment decisions are fair before uploading all assignments back on LMS. The IV will also fill up the requisite IV Forms of the sampled students assessed work.
The students now will be able to review the feedback and grades on the work submitted by them.
If a student has a complaint or wants to appeal against the assessed decision, he/ she has to follow the Appeals & Complaints Policy.
3.8 Course Administrator
The Course Administrator will ensure that all registrations of students are done properly through the CRM system and all relevant documents and application forms are filled in correctly.
He will also ensure that all documents as per registration check list are submitted by the new student; in case of a problem, will apprise the Academic Counselors to acquire the documents before start of the course/ module.
The Course Administrator will create a batch on LMS and give access to the new students by issuing their username and password to them.
He will ensure that the course/ module schedule is forwarded to all concerned students minimum three weeks in advance to start of the course/ module.
The Course Administrator will ensure that one week prior to the beginning of the course all relevant documents, presentations, assignment brief, etc. are put on to LMS. In case of any problem, he will immediately inform the faculty, as well as the Course Leader.
He will during the conduct of every class be present at the classroom venue for students to interact with and sort out any administrative issues/ problems they may be facing.
The Course Administrator will respond to the queries/ issues of every student within 24 hours and apprise them of the outcome.
He will route any Extenuating Circumstance received by him to the concerned faculty/ course leader for his/ her approval.
The Course Administrator will help out the students facing any technical glitch on LMS while accessing documents or submitting their assignments.
After students’ submissions of assignments’ on LMS, he will get a report of the number of students who have submitted their assignments. He will get in touch with others who could not submit and apprise the faculty and course leader of the same.
4. STAFF RECRUITMENT
The aim of this policy is to ensure that the Institution adopts a fair and thorough approach to the recruitment, selection and induction of staff¬. This commitment is based on the following principles:
UniAthena recognizes that to achieve its strategic objectives it is critical to recruit talented people with outstanding abilities and commitment.
The institution strongly believes in good talent acquisition and actively seeks to promote equality opportunity in employment during recruitment and selection.
To demonstrate its commitment to quality of learning opportunities and excellent academic standards, the institution aspires to show utmost professionalism in its recruitment and selection practices.
This policy stipulates that the UniAthena institution recruiting staff will ensure that:
Objective selection criteria will be well defined for all vacancies.
A good JD is made for every academic staff recruitment giving out the roles, responsibilities, reporting structure, skills and competencies required, including the payable compensation and benefits for each vacancy. The Institution will ensure that the JD is reviewed and updated to ensure that it reflects the actual requirements of the job.
A personal specification will also be included in the job description. The personal specification is meant to set out the selection criteria which are the skills; abilities; experience; knowledge; qualifications; and training required for a person to be able to carry out the duties in the post.
Selection methods are appropriate to the requirements of the advertised post.
HR personnel involved in making appointments and preliminary interviews are appropriately skilled and trained.
Equal opportunities will be given to all.
After the post is advertised all applications received will be treated in strict confidentiality and in compliance with the data protection policy. The decision for the selection of the candidates will be final. However, the candidates will have the right of complaint and appeal if there is sufficient evidence.
The most suitable person will be appointed for each vacancy after going through the detailed recruitment and selection procedure.
Newly appointed staff¬ will be inducted as per policy laid down, so as to reach full e-ffectiveness in their role as quickly as possible.
The Academic Head of the institute will be personally involved with a newly recruited sta¬ff member, so that new colleagues feel motivated, identify themselves with the institution and take responsibility and ownership of their work.
Monitoring and evaluation of recruitment will be carried out, and the results analyzed with regard to future recruitment of personnel. To implement the recruitment and selection policy the school will ensure that all HR and other concerned selection panel members have received appropriate training in good recruitment practices, and are fully aware of the relevant legislation and labor laws on the matter of recruitment. All academic and non-academic sta¬ff members will be recruited in the same way, keeping these basic principles in mind.
5. FACULTY SELECTION
UniAthena will be providing distinctive high-quality teaching, learning and training opportunities in line with the requirements of the market, so as to shape best-of-breed, industry-ready professionals who can enter employment with confidence. Faculty selection is a deliberate process, and the best are picked up with both teaching and corporate experience, so as to ensure that the learning by students is more comprehensive and the quality of our teaching is not compromised. The following procedure will be followed during faculty selection:
Faculty Job Descriptions (JDs) will be posted on the web site, as well as on recruitment portals.
Interested candidates will apply online or through emails, along with their CVs.
The CVs will be screened by respective Institute Faculty/ IV and selected candidates’ CVs forwarded to the Academic Head of the Institute.
Potential candidates can be called for a test class at UniAthena venue, if the candidate resides near the venue location. Other candidates test class will be conducted through the online e-classroom portal.
Candidates will be interviewed thereafter by the recruitment panel comprising Academic Head, Assoc. Dean, Senior Faculty and a Course Leader.
Faculties experience, academic achievements, quality assurance processes involved in, etc. will be seen closely before recruitment.
Before induction of any faculty/ internal verifier, the skills required to be taught particular modules and assessment of such modules, minimum requisite experience required by him/ her for engaging students’ classes, as well as the minimum qualifications required by the staff¬ for induction as faculties or internal verifiers will be spelt out explicitly.
If selected, will be forwarded an offer letter.
6. NEW FACULTIES INDUCTION
New faculties will be formally inducted by introducing him/ her to all staff¬ members.
The Quality Assurance processes which involves right from making of an assignment brief to the internal verification process will be explained, and the SOPs on the same disseminated to the concerned faculty.
Initial classes by the faculty will be observed and the faculty guided towards the conduct as well as the assignments discussion requirements required to be explained to the class.
If a senior faculty member is recruited, then he/ she will be made to undergo the IV process, wherein he/ she will IV test assignments and provide feedback to the assessors.
The faculty and the IV induction checklist are available with the Institute, in which all quality requirements which are mandatory for any faculty or IV to know is mentioned. These will be issued to the new members, so that they are aware of the same, and implement the essential requirements meant to be done by them.
The other academic staff¬ members will also be inducted by providing them with On-The-Job training in their respective domains. The ‘Faculty/ Internal Verifier Staff¬ Induction Checklist’ is given at Appendix.
7. MEETING THE EQUALITY PRINCIPLES
This scheme is designed to ensure that the Institute meets all mandatory requirements in relation to the laid down equality principles. In practice, this means:
Taking steps to eliminate discrimination and harassment on grounds of race, gender, disability, age, sexual preference, religion or belief. Promoting good relations between persons of different racial groups. Taking account of the different needs of all staff members when preparing policies or providing services, and addressing any gender related pay gaps, promoting positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, encouraging their participation in public life and taking steps to meet their requirements, even if this calls for more favorable treatment.
As an education provider, the institution will ensure that the principles of equality and diversity are applied consistently across all aspects of learning and service delivery, including admissions, curriculum development, teaching and learning, marketing and the institution environment. In particular, it will:-
Ensure that Equality and Diversity is integral to faculty induction and embedded within the curriculum.
As an employer will ensure that the principles of equality and diversity are applied to recruitment, redeployment, staff development and promotion, thereby ensuring that all its employees are encouraged to achieve their full potential regardless of age, disability, gender, race or sexual orientation, religion or belief. In particular, it will
Ensure that disabled staff and staff from other underrepresented groups that have traditionally experienced unlawful or unfair discrimination, have access as far as is reasonably practicable to appropriate support and facilities.
Take Positive Action and other appropriate steps to encourage applications for employment from under-represented groups.
Develop recruitment, selection and promotion procedures that enable people from under represented and disadvantaged groups to fully participate in the process.
Ensure that its staff¬ development schemes raise awareness and eff¬ectively meet the learning needs of all staff¬.
Take action to ensure that individual employees, be they be full or part-time, are treated equally and fairly and that decisions on pay, training, career management and termination of employment are based solely on objective, job-related criteria.
As a user of contracted services, the Institution will ensure that the principles of equality and diversity apply both to the selection process and to the specification, quality and range of services provided.
To these ends, the institution will:
arrange induction, staff development and refresher training on all aspects of equality and diversity for all members of staff
incorporate equality and diversity into learner induction and curriculum delivery
regularly consult with its staff and learners, including staff and learners from under-represented groups, and seek their advice on how its policies should be implemented
regularly assess the impact of its policies and procedures
continuously monitor its progress.
embed the results of its monitoring into its self-assessment and quality improvement processes
report and publicize the results of its monitoring and impact assessment to staff, learners, and other stakeholders
Appendix
FACULTY/ INTERNAL VERIFIER STAFF INDUCTION CHECKLIST
Before induction, the qualification assessment of the candidate will be carried out by ensuring that the candidate is meeting all the qualitative requirements mandated in the Job Description for selection of a person as a faculty/ verifier.
Job Description with roles and responsibilities, including reporting channels will be explained to the new inductee.
On getting inducted as a new faculty into UniAthena, the concerned new member will go through the UniAthena Policies & Procedures to get a comprehensive view of the policies and systems being followed at the institute.
The new academic staff¬ member will be introduced to all UniAthena staff¬.
Initial orientation induction will be done by Course Leader by explaining the academic modalities, course highlights, verification processes and the quality assurance processes and procedures.
Learner recruitment process, the CRM and the LMS systems will be introduced to the new member.
The assessment process will be explained in detail and samples and examples given to the new faculty member to comprehend the whole process comprehensively.
The internal appeals process will be explained, with showing some of the cases involved in such appeals process.
Internal Verification being an important integral part of the whole academic process will be explained, including showing the requisite forms required to be filled up for assignment briefs, as well as for assessment decisions by assessors.
Malpractice procedures, as well as conflicts of interest will be explained by the Course Leader to the new inductee, as well as highlight the action to be taken if such situations arise.
Retention of different documents, including time periods for holding such documents as mentioned in the SOPs will be highlighted. Also, how the registration details of students, assignments, as well as various documents are securely stored on CRM, LMS and back-up server will be explained.
The staff¬ and students feedback levels and implementation will be highlighted and explained to the new joiner.
All important policies relating to staff¬ procedures will be available on UniAthena’s HRMIS.
