Professor Frankie MacMillan, University of Bristol, UK
I have had a long path to promotion as a teaching focussed member of academic staff at University of Bristol, UK. I started in the Department of Chemistry with my father, making a monoclonal antibody to a gibberellin, a plant growth hormone. I did this briefly before working in the Dental School and then joined the Department of Physiology as a post doc on sequential research grants.
An opportunity arose for a temporary lectureship, which I took and this led me immediately to one of the first permanent teaching focussed posts in the Department of Physiology. At this stage there was no defined role or career pathway, but I enjoyed teaching and interacting with students. I found it fitted well with working part time while my children were young.
Recognition for teaching and learning
Over the years the Department merged and evolved to become the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience. This change increased the number of teaching focused staff and with it, a new interest in delivering and developing high quality teaching. In 2007, the first teaching focussed ‘career pathway’ was created at the University of Bristol.
This was a great leap forward in recognising the importance of teaching at the University. Unfortunately, there was still no clear career development of teaching focussed staff for promotion to Reader (now known as associate professor) and full Professor.
Breaking down barriers
Promotion was judged by the same criteria as research active staff, which failed to acknowledge the differences in grant income and the limited opportunities and recognition for teaching outside the university. In the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience this barrier was surmounted by Professor Judy Harris, the first teaching focussed Professor in the school who was a great inspiration.
For many years, I did not focus on gaining promotion higher than Senior Lecturer as it seemed insurmountable. How could I achieve the criteria for promotion to reader on top of a heavy workload and caring for a family? However, my ambitions changed as I came to realise that the role of teaching was gaining recognition and I finally had the chance to pursue promotion.
How to progress
To achieve this, I presented teaching initiatives, delivered many varied outreach activities, and developed innovative final year research projects, which I presented at The Physiological Society’s meetings and teaching focussed symposia, as well as the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) and many others. I also took part in the Enhancing Student Learning Through Innovative Scholarship (ESLTIS), a conference for all UK teaching focussed staff in Higher Education.
I published papers on teaching initiatives including, creating a video resource for students to inform them on how tissue sections are prepared for histology and a detailed paper on a practical activity we developed for the American Journal of Physiology education sourcebook. I ran a workshop on teaching experimental design at IUPS. These were all done in collaboration with colleagues, highlighting the importance and benefits of working together.
I also sought other opportunities, chairing the School Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee and writing Athena SWAN applications.
I’m glad much progress has been made since my own endeavours in seeking promotion to professorship in teaching and learning. University of Bristol, UK recently introduced a promotion framework which goes a long way in recognising the different contributions and activities for promotion in a more flexible and accessible approach for teaching focused staff as well as for those with a more rounded portfolio combining research and teaching. I believe the new promotion framework has and will continue to benefit colleagues in the years to come.
My top tips for developing your case for promotion
- Find a critical friend to review your application
A fresh pair of eyes on your application can be very helpful. I recommend getting support from a teaching focussed member of staff. I certainly benefitted from the feedback from a research active member of staff.
- Support your claims with evidence
Ensure you describe clearly why your actions were important and provide evidence. For example, nominations for any teaching prizes, whether internal or external, requires feedback on your teaching, so either share student feedback or show how tests scores improved.
- Get involved in activities to demonstrate leadership in your discipline.
Ask to join committees, or volunteer to help at open days or for outreach activities.
- Network
Conferences are great for inspiration. Attend them to gain ideas for educational activities or studies. Step outside your own discipline, as you can find many good ideas by broadening your field of vision.
Want to know more about progression to professorship level in teaching and learning? Watch this session from Professor Frankie Macmillan and Professor Derek Scott who unpick some of the key criteria most considered in promotion applications, and how to build your case.