Excellence Everywhere - National University of Ireland, Galway

Criteria for PromotionStructure of the South AfricanMedical Research CouncilPresident’s Officen Corporate and Public Affairs Directoraten Legal ServicesResearch Directoraten Research Units, Groups, Centres,and Lead Programmesn Research Capacity Developmentn Research Admin and Managementn Strategic Research InitiativesTechnology & Innovation DirectorateFinance DirectorateOperations DirectoratePlanning for PromotionYou are more likely to advance in your career ifyou understand from the start how decisionsregarding promotion are made at the institutionyou are joining. Ask the head of your departmentor division for advice; you can then start planningyour strategy accordingly. It may be that promotiondepends on factors outside of the departmentstructure. For instance, in Argentina a researcherin a public university depends on evaluation fromConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicasy Técnicas (CONICET), the national researchagency, for promotion.Listed below are some of the important factorsthat university administrators take into considerationwhen promoting a scientist. Determinethe weight that each of these factors, and otheraspects of your job, carries. You can find this outthrough discussions with your department head orother immediate superior.Research. Your research must be of a qualityand quantity that contributes substantially to yourscientific discipline. Publication in peer-reviewedjournals in your specialty and statements fromindividuals in your field who can testify to thequality of your research may be required. Ongoingresearch grant support may also be expected.Additional evidence of competence includes prizesand other recognitions of your work, as well asinvitations to present your work at conferences.Teaching. You may have to provide evidence thatyou are a competent teacher and that you fulfillyour responsibilities to your students in a conscientiousmanner. Teaching is notoriously difficult toevaluate, but your department may have mechanismsto do so. You should ask early in your teachinghow your efforts are evaluated so that you canbe sure to perform well in the expected areas.Service. You may have to demonstrate that you arewilling to work for the betterment of the university,your profession, and the public at large. Serviceon departmental and other campus committees,on research ethics boards, on editorial boards ofjournals, and on grant review panels demonstratesyour willingness to assume your share of responsibility.Invitations to serve on editorial boards andother outside committees also demonstrate scientificrecognition beyond your institution. Work forprofessional associations and work as a consultantto government and industry also may be viewedpositively when considering your service to theinstitution.30 excellence everywhere