News
Uni. promotion schemes to be on par with global standards
View(s):In a move to bring academic promotion schemes on par with international standards, the University Grants Commission has issued a fresh promotion scheme for professorial positions.
The circular, effective from the first of this month, states that all applicants for the position of Associate Professor, Professor or Senior Professor should possess a PhD/Doctoral Degree.
The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) also welcomed the circular, saying it would uplift the standards of the local academic community.
“Earlier, it was very easy to get the promotion. In 2009, it was amended, but still there were loopholes. This helps matters,” FUTA Secretary, Prof Rohan Fernando told the Sunday Times.
If the applicant does not have a Doctorate Degree, he/she can still apply for the position of Associate Professor, if he/she has at least 10 research publications in indexed journals.
According to the circular issued by the University Grants Commission, the applicant should have 15 or more research publications for the position of Professor, and 20 or more research publications for the position of Senior Professor.
However, existing academic staff will be given an opportunity to apply for Professorial positions by way of promotion or recruitment under the previous regulations as well. The circular provides room for any current member of the staff to apply within the next three years, starting April this year.
The previous regulations provides for staff to apply for Professorial promotions under, academic contributions, university development and contribution to the development in the country.
The applicant needed to score minimum marks of 110, including 50 marks under academic contributions and 10 under university development to qualify for the promotion.
The Sunday Times learns that a large number of academics who have been promoted to professorial positions do not hold Doctorate Degrees, thus lowering the esteem of the said positions.