University of Sydney
EN-9: Staff Professional Development and Training

The University offers 60 sustainability-related development opportunities internally. These opportunities are conducted face to face and online and are predominantly in the area of social sustainability. Areas of development include cultural competency (including immersive and monitoring experience), bullying, harassment and discrimination prevention and leadership (on top of the University's mandatory awareness module) and inclusion (such as accessibility awareness and disability support and leadership for staff and students). The University also offers courses through its own Centre for Continuous Education (CCE).

The University is currently redesigning itd Capability and Careers Framework for professional development of professional and academic staff. Sustainability has been integrated throughout the whole framework at 4 capabilities – foundation, intermediate, advanced and expert. Additional training will be added to the training catalogue.

The University has various channels for external professional development. Our main online opportunities include LinkedIn Learning (formally Lynda) - 67 training suites available to staff based on sustainability/SDG. This includes suites of modules such as The Employee's Guide to Sustainability, a step by step guide on key aspects of environmental sustainability and how to apply them at home and work - (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/the-employee-s-guide-to-sustainability/what-is-sustainability-and-why-should-you-care?u=2196204). This suite is included in our Green Impact, "Getting Started" section. Staff can also apply to the Professional Staff Development Fund to undertake courses elsewhere such as the Monash University micro-credential that looks at how to use behavioural science to change behaviours, specifically in sustainability-related areas.

As part of the annual performance and development cycle at the University, Professional staff are required to capture at least one objective under the Key Performance Area of Culture and Values and two of the University's values are ‘diversity and inclusion ‘and ‘respect and integrity’ and this is agreed to by their Supervisor.
As part of the performance plans, professional staff are encouraged to look for development opportunities and look at ways to use money put aside in the Professional staff development fund.
Some local area examples include:
Library Services - incorporated Work, Health and Safety as a mandatory performance indicator in all staff performance and development plans.
The Business School - incorporated Cultural Competence modules as mandatory training for all their staff which was then incorporated within their performance and development plans.
The Operations Portfolio – incorporated Diversity and Inclusion Training modules as mandatory for all their staff.
In addition some Diversity and Inclusion network leaders and members have diversity and inclusion included in their performance and development plan.
Academic staff as part of their annual review also have to capture their service to the University and their area of expertise that incorporates how they work within the values and sit on D&I committees.
A number of the mandatory compliance training modules that all staff must undertake and that are directly linked to the culture of the University – Workplace health and safety; Code of Conduct; Respect in our Community – Preventing bullying, discrimination and harassment, anti slavery awareness and completion of these modules must be marked off as part of the annual performance review for all staff.

From 2020, under the University’s Mandatory Compliance Training Direction, all continuing and fixed-term staff must complete awareness modules that including anti-bully, discrimination and harassment and anti-slavery awareness.