Staff Development funding is available to support applications from all Technical staff in FST for developmental activities including attendance at courses and conferences.
Applicants should make a case for funding and demonstrate how the activity contributes to their professional development.
Before submitting an application, you must confirm with your department whether they are in a position to make an equal contribution to the cost of the activity, where appropriate. You must also have approval from the senior technician within your department.
The Staff Development Fund will routinely contribute to the costs of the following:
- Travel (at second-class public transport rates, in accordance with the university’s sustainable travel guidance)
- Conference/course registration fees
- Examination fees
- Expenses related to other forms of development such as mentoring or work shadowing
Funding is not available for the following:
- Purchase of course books (unless the course in question is conducted through distance learning)
- Higher degrees which are not directly work-related
- External courses or activities where a similar provision can be made within the institution
- Departmental away days
Please note
All applications will be considered on an individual basis, dependent on their merit and wider circumstances.
Individuals attending external events may be asked to share their experience with other interested parties after the event has taken place. This may include publication via Faculty newsletters and the Technicians Commitment webpages.
For courses that take place over more than one year, estimates for each year of the course should be given. Fees for future years may change; therefore, adjustments to the funding will be made where this is the case.
If an individual applies for funding for a course for personal professional development, a contribution of one third will be expected from the individual.
Follow-up report
The Technical Director is required to provide an annual report on the use of this fund, in order to justify its current and future use. With this in mind, individual or group recipients will need to supply a short report within one month of the activity undertaken. This report should cover the following areas, where relevant:
- How did this activity contribute to your continuing professional development?
- How did this activity contribute to the department or faculty more widely (eg. contributing to the achievement of the Department, School and/or institutional aims and objectives)?
- How do you plan to disseminate learning from this activity?
Application Process
Once you have the approval of you’re the senior technician within your department to undertake the activity planned, please complete the online application form.
Within one month of the activity finishing, please complete the short online summary report form.
Applications are reviewed by the Technical Director and the Faculty Resources & Projects Officer on a fortnightly basis, with the aim of responding to applicants within one month where possible.
If you have any queries prior to submitting an application, please contact the Faculty Resources & Projects Officer in the first instance.