Recognised professional learning activities

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT COUNTS

Continuous learning is central to academic excellence, and it is recognised that educators develop their knowledge and skills by engaging in various activities. With this in mind, the ways in which educators can satisfy their annual professional learning requirements has been expanded.

The goal is to offer professional learning opportunities that are:

Flexible: The growing suite of activities will provide new and flexible opportunities for educators, catering to different educational experience profiles, interests, skills, and time commitments.
Recognised: The professional learning activities listed below will be recognised and will count towards the annual professional learning requirement.
Collaborative: By engaging with these activities, educators will participate in a community of professionals, grow their networks, share insights, and contribute to the design of activities for others.

PLANNING YOUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR THE YEAR

From 2024, relevant staff will need to complete 6 points of recognised professional learning to meet the annual requirement.

The activities available to meet this requirement are designed to be flexible and accessible to staff with different levels of experience. Activities worth 6 points typically involve at least 6 hours of engagement, while activities worth 3 points usually take around 3 hours. The time commitment may vary depending on your prior experience, the specific topic, and the context of your discipline. Point values are assigned based on the depth of learning involved in each activity, as well as its contribution to your professional development and that of others.

Please note that if you have completed any recognised activities this year, the MEA will have records of your engagement and completion, and this will be reflected in our end of year faculty reports. Activities must be completed by 4 December of the current year.

EXPLORE YOUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPTIONS

Activity	Activity description	Completion requirement per year	Value
Module	Interactive short course to enhance teaching practice.	Completion of the module	3 or 6 points
Workshop	Sessions focused on practical teaching challenges, led by experienced facilitators.	Attending the workshop and submitting a reflection	1-6 points
Core suite of professional learning	Self-paced modules for staff who are contractually required to complete a module from the 'core suite', including PhD Teaching Fellows and CDPAE staff.	Completion of the core suite module	6 points
Faculty and Portfolio-based recognised professional learning	Professional learning to improve educators' teaching practice, run by Faculties or Portfolios and recognised by MEA. Apply to have your program recognised	Completion of the recognition module	1-6 points
Advance HE Fellowship (EEP)	International professional recognition through the Education Excellence Program (EEP).	Attain Fellowship (any category)	6 points
Advance HE Principal Fellowship	International recognition of exceptional practices in higher education teaching and learning.	Attain Principal Fellowship this year (evidence required)	6 points
Advance HE (EEP) mentoring	Mentoring applicants seeking Advance HE Fellowship through EEP.	Mentoring one applicant until submission	3 points
Advance HE reviewing	Reviewing applicant submissions for Advance HE Fellowship through EEP or TEP.	Reviewing three or more applications	3 points
VC’s Education Excellence Award	Award recognising excellence in teaching and learning at Monash University.	Submit 1 application (individual or within a team)	6 points
AAUT Award	National award recognising university teaching excellence in Australia.	Submit 1 application (individual or within a team)	6 points
Strategic project contribution	Engagement in strategic projects advancing learning/teaching initiatives (Elevate, PAAIR).	By invitation only. Recognition determined on a case-by-case basis	Case by case
Teaching Excellence Program (TEP)	Practice-based program introducing key Monash teaching approaches.	Active engagement in the program (exempt from annual professional learning requirement)	Exemption

LEARN MORE

Recognised professional learning activities will often require submitting an artefact that demonstrates the application of professional learning. These artefacts, such as revised lesson plans or assessment proposal forms, should be directly useful to the practice or to professional learning of educators (either the person whose activity is being recognised, or their Monash colleagues) and must show meaningful engagement with educational literature.

Feedback on these artefacts will typically involve review by self, peers or facilitators. Self-assessment activities are encouraged to help participants develop their evaluative judgement and contribute to higher standards of educational practice.
We value the significant role that staff across the university play in advancing strategic learning and teaching initiatives. Engagement in these projects also provides substantial opportunity for professional development, supporting staff to acquire new skills, broaden perspectives, and drive innovative practices.

Participation in strategic projects will be by invitation. Recognition towards the annual professional learning requirement will be determined individually, taking into account the time commitment and nature of the work involved.
The MEA acknowledges Faculty expertise and wider University Portfolio initiatives, and enables staff to receive formal recognition for high-quality, Faculty and Portfolio-designed professional learning activities.
Whether it's about deepening pedagogical approaches, exploring new tools, or refining assessment strategies, your activity may be eligible for recognised professional learning points.
Any Monash staff member or team who is involved in running an eligible professional learning activity is welcome to apply for recognition.
The term "relevant staff" refers to any Monash staff member who is required to complete at least one MEA Module per calendar year. This group can meet their annual professional learning requirement by completing at least one 6-point activity or at least two 3-point activities.
To determine your requirement and learn more about exemptions, please review the Performance Development Process: Academic Staff Procedure. If you have any questions, feel free to contact HR for further clarification.
Other Monash staff are also welcome to engage in the activities listed on this page.
- Activities can only be recognised for the year in which they are completed.
- The MEA cannot recognise activities completed prior to 2024.
- Except for MEA modules or workshops, relevant staff can only be recognised for the same activity 3 years in a row.
- The MEA will not recognise the same MEA module or workshop twice for the same individual, regardless of when it is completed.

Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching

Recognised professional learning activities