Kuwait University aims at creating different levels for the Academic Support Staff where the promotion from one level to another is based on the academic achievement and professional excellence. In addition, it creates a competitive academic environment for competition and opportunities for professional and academic development. The promotion represents an incentive and acknowledgment for the individual’s accomplishments in these fields. These bylaws is applicable for those holding the following job titles: Clinical Instructor and Lecturer in the Health Sciences Centre, Language Teacher and Teaching Assistant).
Supporting Academic Staff are promoted at Kuwait University according to residency requirement and specified criteria, which should be satisfied during years of service in the current level of the applicant. Promotion policy is dynamic in nature and its criteria may change with time in response to the development of the university.

 

 

First: Promotion Criteria:
 

 The criteria includes the following:

 Teaching performance

The teaching performance is evaluated based on the following elements:

1-Writing a teaching book or participating in writing a teaching book.
2-Writing or participating in writing handouts/manuals for laboratory courses.
3-Supervising students’ projects and serving in the exam committees.
4-Commitment to teaching and office hours, and providing care and attention to students.
5-Professional development activities which lead to improving teaching competence by attending conferences, workshops and training courses specialized in teaching.
6-Students’ evaluation of teaching, if applicable.
7-Evaluating the teaching performance by a committee in the department/unit for Health center colleges.

 

Research Outcomes:

Research outcomes are evaluated based on the following elements:

1-Publishing academic research.
2-Writing a research book or a chapter in a research book.
3-Academic participation (abstract, poster or attending scientific conferences).

 

The administrative performance:
 

The administrative performance is evaluated based on fulfilling the following:

1-At least five years of residency in the current job level.
2-Obtaining “excellent” in the annual evaluations for the last two consecutive years before applying for the promotion.

 

Second: Promotion Requirements:
 

1-Promotion from the fourth level (Clinical instructor B, Language Teacher B, Teaching assistant B) to the third level (Clinical instructor A, Language teacher A, Teaching Assistant A) does not require the research outcomes condition and promotion will be based only on fulfilling the teaching and administrative performance.

2-Promotion from the third level (Clinical instructor A, Language Teacher A, Teaching Assistant A) to the second level (Clinical Lecturer, Associate Language teacher, Associate Teaching Assistant), requires to have one of the research outcomes mentioned during residency at the current level in addition to fulfilling the teaching and administrative performance criteria.

3-Promotion from the second level (Clinical Lecturer, Associate Language Teacher, Associate Teaching Assistant) to the first level (Senior Clinical Lecturer, Senior Language Teacher, Senior Teaching Assistant) requires to have at least one published (or accepted for publication) research paper in a journal or in a local or international conference in the area of specialization of the applicant during the residency at the current level. In addition, the applicant should have one of the research outcomes mentioned above during the residency of the current level and should fulfill the teaching and administrative performance requirements.

 

It is the responsibility of the applicant and the academic department chair/unit head to present all the required information that documents the level of participation and accomplishments according to the promotion criteria.

 

Third: Promotion Procedure:

1.The applicant should apply to the department chair/unit head or the head in which he/she belongs with the following documents:

1.1) CV.
1.2)The research outcomes for the promotion as mentioned above.
1.3)Documentation for the teaching performance as mentioned above.

 

2.The chair/unit head must send a letter through the dean to Academic Affairs Department asking about eligibility of the applicant according to the residency and annual evaluations.

3.In case the residency and annual evaluation requirements are met, the the department chair/ unit head refers the promotion application to the promotion committee in the department/unit to evaluate the application according to the criteria and requirements of promotion.

4.In case of approving the promotion, the committee prepares the promotion file with its recommendations to the Dean of the College. The dean forwards the application to the College Committee, and after obtaining its recommendation, forwards the file to the Vice President for Academic Affairs with his recommendation about the promotion.

5.The Vice President for Academic Affairs refers the recommendation to the Appointment Committee for the Academic Support Staff at the university which is formed by the president. The Vice President for Academic Affairs, then forwards the application to the President along with the final recommendation.

6.The promotion decision will be issued by the President.

7.The job level of the members of the concerned committees in the department, unit or the college should not be less than the job level of the applicant.
 

8.The concerned committees may present a justified recommendation of not to proceed with the promotion based on the evaluation of the application. In this case, the applicant may apply for promotion whenever he/she fulfills the required conditions.

9.All promotion discussions and reports shall be confidential.