What is Professional Development Leave?
The Professional Development Leave (PDL) program enables academic staff to take leave for developmental purposes, providing support to undertake a coherent program of activities directed towards:
- Enhancing knowledge, skills, professional experience and performance within an academic discipline; and
- Assisting the University to meet its goals with respect to teaching, research, community and professional service.
Through this program the University seeks to advance the professional and academic standing of staff and the university as a whole.
The program supports staff who have demonstrated a record of achievement in their discipline, as well as providing for the development of staff in the early stages of their academic career.
What can I do on professional development leave?
Professional development leave may include:
- conducting research
- developing curriculum materials
- attending conferences, etc.
PDL is not normally used to take leave for purposes that are primarily commercial in nature.
Contract research, consultancy and private practice are covered in MOPP D/7.1 .
PDL programs are normally carried out at a location other than the employee's home or QUT.
Types of PDL
Professional development leave is designated as 'short term' or 'long term'.
Short Term
PDL programs of 20 working days or less (PDL-Short) are approved by heads of school or equivalent, with the Executive Dean determining final approval on programs involving overseas travel. The funds are distributed by Faculty / Division to Schools / Departments where they supplement School / Department budgets in resourcing PDL-Short programs. Once these funds have been provided to the School / Department they are considered to be School / Department money, and do not need to be accounted for separately from other School / Department monies used to fund PDL-Short programs.
Long Term
PDL programs of greater than 20 working days (PDL-Long) are approved by the Executive Dean / Head of Division on the recommendation of the Facutly / Divisional PDL committee. A travel away from home allowance may also be approved to assist the program. Funds are managed at the Faculty / Divisional level with the PDL Committee making recommendations to the Executive Dean / Head of Division on how the money should be spent.
The primary contact for academic staff interested in a PDL program should be the Secretary of the Faculty/Divisional PDL Committee.
Related Pages
- PDL policy (MOPP B/12.7)
- PDL fact file
- PDL-long application form
- PDL calculator