You are required to provide names, titles and contact details of nominated referees and must declare any conflicts of interest or areas of collaboration. Academics with whom you have collaborated may be nominated as referees, as appropriate, but they will be required to declare their interest as set out in the letter requesting the reference.
A referee’s input is critical in enabling a full and objective assessment of an applicant’s contribution. Referees are therefore requested to comment across the entire range of your duties with explicit reference to the relevant Assessment Criteria and to provide a full and frank appraisal of your suitability for promotion/progression.
Referees can provide useful insights into all aspects of your work but are especially important in assessing your contribution and standing in both teaching and scholarship.
Referees’ reports are subject to the strictest confidentiality; however, referees will be made aware that in providing a reference, they give their explicit permission for the use of that reference for consideration under the ACP T&S scheme. Confidential references normally are exempt from disclosure to the applicant under the terms of data protection legislation. Despite this, we often receive requests from applicants for copies of their references. By default, we will not disclose references without checking with the referee first.
For clinicians who hold an honorary clinical NHS consultant contract, an additional statement will be required from the relevant Clinical Director to confirm there are no issues with clinical practice.
Additional references might be sought in the case of an interdisciplinary application or internal nomination from cognate subject areas.
| Application | Applicant Nominates | Faculty Committee nominates | Total References |
| (Teaching) Professorship (Grade 11 and Grade 12) | 2 (+ 1 reserve) | 3 (+ 1 reserve) | 5 |
| Associate (Teaching) Professor (G10) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 2 |
| Associate (Teaching) Professor (G9) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 2 |
| Senior Teaching Associate (G8) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 2 |
| Teaching Associate (G7) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 1 (+ 1 reserve) | 2 |
Table 3: Summary of first time application referencing requirements
Promotion to a Teaching Professorship (Grade 11 and 12) (Scheme A)
Referees for promotion to a Professorship (Grades 11 and 12) should normally be external to the University but there may be circumstances where it is appropriate to nominate referees from cognate subject areas in the University.
In choosing your nominated referees, you should note that referees are expected to be international leaders in their field, and familiar with your field of expertise in teaching and scholarship. At least one of the referees should be able to comment on your service to the academic community externally.
Progression to Associate (Teaching) Professor Grade 10 (Scheme A)
For promotion to Associate (Teaching) Professor (Grade 10) two references are required, at least one of which should be internal and one of the referees should be able to comment authoritatively on the quantity of teaching and service to the University and academic community.
In choosing your nominated referees, you should note that referees are expected to be leaders in their field and familiar with your field of teaching and scholarship. You must supply the details of one internal referee and one reserve, and the FC will provide the details of one referee and one reserve.
Promotion to Associate (Teaching) Professor (Grade 9); to Senior Teaching Associate (Grade 8) and to Teaching Associate (Grade 7) (Scheme B)
For promotion to Associate (Teaching) Professor (Grade 9); to Senior Teaching Associate (Grade 8) and to Teaching Associate (Grade 7) two references are required, at least one of which should be internal and one of the referees should be able to comment authoritatively on the quantity of teaching and service to the University and academic community.
In choosing your nominated referees, you should note that referees are expected to be leaders in their field and familiar with your field of teaching and scholarship. You must supply the details of one internal referee and one reserve and the FC will provide the details of one referee and one reserve.