Welcome to the Academic Induction page, your essential guide to academic roles at Oxford. Discover key insights on titles, contracts, pay, career progression, and training to support your journey.
Academic Roles and Titles
Oxford University has a distinct academic structure, with various titles reflecting different roles, responsibilities, and career stages.
Academic positions typically fall into Professorships, Associate Professorships, and Other Academic Titles, each with specific expectations in research, teaching, and leadership.
Full Professor: A senior academic grade that requires strong performance across several areas. Full professors are expected to lead their department or faculty, and the university as a whole.
Titular Professor: An honorary title awarded in recognition of excellence.
Associate Professor: The main academic grade at Oxford, roughly equivalent to an associate professor in the US. Associate professors are appointed for a period of up to five years.
Visiting Professor: An academic title that can be conferred by the university.
Visiting Lecturer: An academic title that can be conferred by the university.
Departmental Lecturer: A non-ladder faculty position that involves teaching and research.
Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer: An honorary title.
Tutor in General Practice: An honorary title. Academic contracts
Academic Contracts and Pay
Oxford’s academic contracts often involve a dual contract with both the University and the associated college. This arrangement means that faculty members typically split their duties between university and college responsibilities.
APTF Roles: Most Associate Professorships come with a college tutorial fellowship. The Associate Professor's time is divided between:
University duties: Teaching undergraduate lectures, supervising Master's and doctoral students, and other university-based responsibilities.
College duties: Delivering small-group teaching (tutorials) and providing pastoral and administrative support within the college.
A joint selection committee, made up of both university and college members, recommends candidates. However, the final decision is made separately by the university's divisional board and the college's governing body.
In case of disagreements between the university and college, the matter can be referred to the Joint Appointments Panel for mediation.
These procedures ensure a thorough, fair, and transparent recruitment process that aligns with the goals of both the university and the colleges involved.
