Professional development and accountability: working with newly appointed staff to foster quality

The aim of this paper is to examine some issues in professional development and the accountability of academic staff particularly in regard to newly appointed staff. It examines ways in which universities can assist new staff develop their skills in the various aspects of their academic role and identifies the responsibilities of the university and heads of departments in this task. It illustrates these issues by reference to a case study of a major Australian university which has recently adopted a department-based scheme for the professional development of academic staff. This scheme, amongst other things, involves new staff in planning sessions with the head of their department and the keeping of records of responsibilities, achievements, needs for professional development and the resources which will be provided to assist staff. The introduction of any scheme for accountability of staff or of professional development is likely to encounter some resistance in the prevailing academic ethos. The paper will examine ways in which the genuine fears of some groups can be addressed and how such schemes may be developed and introduced in a sensitive fashion.