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Rewards Committee
All members of staff should be supported in their development, provided with the opportunity to undertake appropriate training and development opportunities, encouraged to think about potential career trajectories, and given appropriate guidance to make their own choices.
The Faculty Reward Committee process has been in operation since July 2014 with the purpose to ensure equitable treatment across the Faculty.
At fixed points of the year, applications for promotion of junior academic, teaching fellow and research staff up to grade 8, regrade of support staff, incremental progression and other rewards are reviewed by a panel, comprised of members of the Faculty Executive. The Faculty Reward Committee’s goals are to ensure:
Pay rewards and promotions are made on common, fair criteria, in a process open to all, on a standardised annual cycle, replacing the ad hoc process previously in operation
Division/Institute recommendations are based on objective information including recent appraisals and in the context of a fair process open to all
Market supplements are kept under review
Across the Faculty appraisals are effective and a satisfactory completion rate achieved
Equalities issues are monitored, and recommendations for improvement are reported to the Faculty Executive and SLMS HR Board on an annual basis
To make an application to the Rewards Committee, please first liaise with your Line Manager or the Institute Manager.
Academics: including researchers and teaching fellows
To help plan and support career development and recognise achievements, the UCL Academic Careers Framework is designed to be used in a number of ways by staff and managers.
Professional Services Staff (PSS): includes administrative and technical
Unlike academic staff at UCL, who are considered for promotion to a higher grade on the basis of their personal impact and achievements in the discipline, PSS are appointed to work at a specific grade. PSS jobs are graded based on the duties and responsibilities required. For a PSS job to be re-graded there must be a significant change in the duties/responsibilities that are required of the job. At appraisal, all PSS are encouraged to review their job description including any additional roles or responsibilities they have taken on or relinquished during the past year and discussions are held around these to help staff be considered for regrading.
Case Study
Dr Susan Parekh
Professor of Paediatric Dentistry
I joined the Eastman Dental Institute (Eastman) in 1998 as a part-time MClinDent in Paediatric Dentistry student. I was encouraged to pursue specialist training and undertook a Senior House Officer post in the Department, and MDFS exams. Following successful completion of the University of London MClinDent programme in 2001, I passed the Royal College Membership examination in 2003, thereby securing entry onto the Paediatric Dentistry Specialist List. In 2004, I was offered the opportunity to undertake a part-time PhD and academic training at the Eastman, in conjunction with my role as programme co-ordinator for the MClinDent and PG Certificate programmes in Paediatric Dentistry. Flexible working practices, supported and encouraged by the Division enabled me to meet the diverse obligations of these responsibilities. This was particularly necessary when preparing for the Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (UCL) in 2006, and the Exit Fellowship examination for the Royal Colleges in 2008. With support from the Eastman, I completed my PhD in 2011, and was promoted to Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in 2011.
The current Institute Director personally encouraged me to pursue enabling roles within the Eastman, and I was appointed as Deputy Director of Education in 2012, and Director of Education in 2013. This afforded me insights into the workings of the organisation, both locally and throughout UCL. I was only the second female Director of Education at the Eastman, and chairing sessions of the Staff Student Committee offered a role model to female students. In 2014, with my colleague, Dr Paul Ashley, we developed develop the first online MSc in Paediatric dentistry. The flexibility of this programme is particularly beneficial for women wanting to balance home and work life.
I was also encouraged to work with scientists at the Eastman, which led to the successful supervision of 14 Professional Doctorate students (all female) and one PhD student. My line manager personally encouraged me to pursue roles out with UCL and become a leader of national initiatives for Paediatric Dentistry. This has enabled me to expand my educational portfolio and ensure that the outcomes will have a lasting and significant impact upon Paediatric Dentistry clinical practice in the UK. My external responsibilities have included Chair of the Paediatric Dentistry working group for Dentists with Enhanced Skills (RCS), member of the BSPD commissioning group for Paediatric Dentistry (DoH), Deputy Chair of the Specialist Advisory Board for CS Edinburgh, Chair of the Clinical Excellence Network for children with rare enamel/dentine diseases and examiner for MPaedDent. I have also held several international roles including Chair of the Clinical Affairs Committee of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) and education roles in both EAPD and the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry, as well as Associate Editor of EAPD.
I was given the opportunity to have female mentors (at UCL and London Deanery), and I feel that I really benefitted from the experience. I feel passionately that good mentoring is crucial to supporting all staff, and recently undertook a mentoring and coaching course and am a designated mentor for the Eastman. In 2022, I was promoted to Professor in Paediatric Dentistry, and benefitted from the internal promotion process provided by the Eastman and the Faculty of Medical Sciences. I am an example of how the creation of a supportive environment and developmental opportunities can benefit women and the university and I am grateful to many members of the Eastman who have supported and encouraged me.