FAQs on Professional Development Funds
Current Status of Professional Development Funds Records
Professional Development (PD) Funds were transferred from School-based systems (mainly spreadsheets) to Finance One (the University’s accounting system) as part of the Finance One Re-engineering project. This process required Schools to review the 2006 PD balances and convert them to equivalent PD Fund Cost Centres for each staff member in Finance One.
From 2007 onwards transactions (allocations and costs) are being processed to PD Fund Cost Centres in Finance One. New 2007 PD Fund Cost Centres will be created if any new PD funds are received that require a unique Fund Type and/or Allocation Year.
Link to Professional Development Funds Guidelines
- What are PD funds?
- What is the scope of PD funds?
- Who owns PD funds and any assets purchased with the funds?
- Who can approve the use of PD funds?
- What can PD funds be spent on?
- What can't PD funds be spent on?
- What if Fringe Benefits Tax is incurred on PD activities?
- Can I transfer offshore teaching above load and marking payments?
- Are there any transition rules around existing PD funds?
- How many years do I have to spend new PD Funds?
- What happens to PD funds if I leave the University?
- Are there any other restrictions on PD Funds?
- What do I do if I have a question?
- How do I know what my PD balances and transactions are?
- Helpful links
Professional Development funds are accounts established by the University to be used for staff professional development; that is, to improve, develop and update knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies in research, teaching, community engagement and administration. The outputs from these improvements and developments benefit the individual and advance the strategic priorities of the University and their Division, Research Institute, Portfolio or School.
What is the scope of PD funds?
PD funds must be used only for activities directly related to a staff member’s own PD and expenses incurred in:
- research
- teaching
- community engagement
- administration
- professional development activities as set out in the staff member’s performance plan
Activities undertaken and expenses incurred within the activities must be consistent with University and with Divisional, Portfolio, Institute or School strategic priorities.
Funding that may be transferred into PD funds includes:
- School, Institute or Portfolio allocation of specific professional development funds
- University Supported Researcher Scheme funds
- University and Divisional Teaching Awards
- Divisional Professional Experience Program funds
- Vice Chancellor's Awards for Excellence
- Early Career Researcher (ECR) awards
- Divisional awards for research and excellence
- allocated funds for University programs for ECRs and Research Leaders
- Divisional incentive schemes (e.g. rewards for quality publications)
- surpluses from University consultancies and contract research
- income from offshore teaching above load
- marking payments
- awards from external bodies as a result of University activities
- other funds as approved by the Vice Chancellor or Deputy Vice Chancellor/Pro Vice Chancellor/Executive Director
Please note that internal and external research grant income is not related to professional development and may not be paid into PD funds.
Who owns PD funds and any assets purchased with the funds?
The University retains ownership of all PD funds and assets purchased with those funds unless agreed otherwise by the Vice Chancellor.
Who can approve the use of PD funds?
Approval to undertake PD activities and incur expenses associated with PD activities must be obtained by a staff member before the activity or expenditure occurs. Approval of activities and expenditure shall be in accordance with the Vice Chancellor’s Protocols and Authorisations. Typically your line manager would approve expenditure associated with PD funds.
What can PD funds be spent on?
PD activities and expenses may include reasonable:
- attendance at domestic and international conferences, including registration/conference fees, accommodation and food
- travel, where the travel is for professional development in regard to teaching, research, community engagement or administration, including expenses such as airfares and car hire to reach conference venues
- attendance at workshops, seminars, courses, exhibitions and other professional development activities to improve teaching and research
- purchase of books, journals and subscriptions for development of research and teaching
- membership of professional organisations for research, teaching, community and academic engagement or administration
- purchase of IT hardware (e.g. computers, printers) and software to assist in teaching and research activities
- assistance with developing skills for research, teaching, community engagement or administration (e.g. editorial assistance for writing)
- research assistance with respect to carrying out research activities to derive research publications or other research outputs
- support for research students’ development through funding workshop and conference attendance
- supplementation of funds provided for PD (e.g. a staff member may supplement funds they have been awarded for Professional Experience Program leave).
What can't PD funds be spent on?
PD Funds must not be used for activities and expenses that:
- are not directly related to a staff member’s own PD
- are not associated with the carrying out of duties and activities required of the staff member’s position
- are personal in nature
- do not comply with approved expenses in other university policies, procedures and guidelines
- are inconsistent with the Code of Ethical Conduct
Activities and expenses for which PD Funds must not be used include:
- marking of student work (such expenses would be met by schools)
- employment of sessional/casual staff to teach or mark
- airline club membership
- upgrading of airline travel or hotels
- meals separate from conferences or workshops
- purchase of testing material, for example, for teaching (such expenses would be met by schools)
- making overseas visits for teaching purposes
- travel (including car hire) and not related to PD activities
- Other PD activities and expenses may be approved at the discretion of the Vice chancellor or specified nominee
What if Fringe Benefits Tax is incurred on PD activities?
Any taxation incurred by the University in relation to activities and expenses referred to above will be deducted from the relevant PD Fund.
Can I transfer offshore teaching above load and marking payments?
Funds from activities such as offshore teaching above load and marking payments are assessable as income for taxation purposes. A staff member may sacrifice this income in return for other benefits such as PD. In order to sacrifice this income and that it not be assessed for income tax purposes, a choice must be made by a staff member before the amount is earned. To be eligible to transfer income from these activities into PD Funds, a written agreement must be in place between the staff member and the University prior to the commencement of work. The template records the agreement to sacrifice this income and is contained within the PD Fund Guidelines as appendix 1.
Are there any transition rules around existing PD funds?
Funding Accumulated as at 30 April 2008 - To assist with the implementation of these guidelines, staff members will have a period of up to three (3) years to acquit moneys in Professional Development Funds as at 30 April 2008. Pre-30 April 2008 money remaining as at 30 April 2011 will be transferred out of a staff member’s Professional Development Fund and used for other purposes as determined by the Vice Chancellor and relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor/Pro Vice Chancellor/Executive Director as appropriate.
How many years do I have to spend new PD funds?
Funding Accumulated From 1 May 2008 - All new moneys deposited into Professional Development Funds from 1 May 2008 onwards must be acquitted within three (3) calendar years from the date they are deposited. Moneys remaining after three (3) calendar years will be transferred out of a staff member’s Professional Development Fund and used for other purposes as determined by the Vice Chancellor or Deputy Vice Chancellor/Pro Vice Chancellor/Executive Director as appropriate.
What happens to PD funds if I leave the University?
Unless specified to the contrary in a contract of employment, any monies remaining in PD Funds at the time a staff member ceases to be employed by the University remain the property of the University.
Are there any other restrictions on PD Funds?
Expenditure against a PD Fund results in the Area (School, Institute or Unit) having the expenditure reflected in the Area's operating costs. Per the Financial Management Guidelines it follows that if an Area is going to over-run its operating cost budget by spending on discretionary costs (including PD expenditure), then "one-up" approval is required to undertake the expenditure.
What do I do if I have a question?
In the first instance, please contact your local PD Fund administrator - this would be the School/Institute/Research Centre/Unit support staff member who you normally go to for any PD Fund enquiries.
If you have trouble accessing My Cost Centres or require training, then please contact Finance Unit on extension 21381.
How do I know what my PD balances and transactions are?
The University has developed two tools to help you enquire on PD Balances - a monthly e-mail report to PD Fund holders (like a summary bank statement) and an online enquiry (like an online banking facility).
A PD Fund Report (R054PD) “PD Fund Holder Report” will be emailed to you following the close of each month.
This report will summarise your opening balance (e.g. for 2008 the balance is as at 01/01/08), allocations, operating costs, commitments and closing balances. You should refer to this report for a summary of each of your PD Fund carry forward balances and summary transactions.
My Cost Centres gives access to Cost Centre information via the University intranet and staff portal. My Cost Centres has been updated to show PD Funds by PD Fund Holder and the Fund Type/Allocation Year. All PD Fund Holders now have My Cost Centres access to enquire on their PD Funds.
The easiest way to find cost centres that you have access to is to just click the “Search” button in “Find Cost Centre”. After selecting your Cost Centres you will see two “tabs” in My Cost Centres:
“Summary” tab - which has 2 summary report views; and “Operating Result” tab - which will allow you to view carry forward balances and drill down to detailed transactions. My Cost Centres is intuitive and I would encourage you to spend 5 minutes studying the My Cost Centres 2007 Onwards - Quick Reference Guide to get the most out of the system.
Please note that if you have no transactions in a PD Cost Centre for the current year you will not see the PD Fund in My Cost Centres. You will be able to see the Opening Balance by referring to the R054PD Report e-mailed to you.