Redeemer approaches staff professional development from an institution-wide perspective. Rather than having individual departments and areas determine their own professional development activities, there will be an institutional budget, from which approved professional development activities will be funded.
Before you submit your request, please read the Approval Process and Approval Criteria below.
Professional Development Funding Application Form
Approval Process
This process applies to staff at and below the level of Director. An application for funding for staff PD activity will normally be made by a Director-level manager for a staff member within that Director’s department; where the PD is for a Director, the application will be made by the applicable Vice-President. The application will be made to the Director of Human Resources, and will be approved by a committee consisting of the Director of Payroll and Benefits, the Director, Experiential Learning and Careers, and the Director of Human Resources.
Applications will normally be considered by the committee as received, with efforts to provide a response to each request in a timely manner.
Approval Criteria
The committee will consider and weigh the following factors, in order:
- how the proposed development relates to the university’s strategic objectives;
- how the proposed development relates to the department’s strategic objectives;
- how the proposed development relates to the staff member’s professional development plan, as set out in the annual appraisal;
- the specific benefits expected from the PD, and how they impact the individual, department, and university;
- technical or professional training/certification requirements in the individual’s work;
- the amount, and recency, of PD funds previously accessed by the applicant, as well as funding received under the separate Tuition Reimbursement Policy;
- the expense of the proposal, including registration, travel, and lost work time; and
- the impact on, and funds remaining in, the PD budget.
Please note that if funding is approved, staff are required to submit to HR a brief written report (several paragraphs/half page, or more), upon completion of the PD event, that answers the following question: What did you learn at the conference that will benefit Redeemer University?