Professional development is relevant at all stages of your career, and is not (necessarily) remedial. We encourage all faculty to check out the resources listed here.
PD workshops and courses are also a great way to meet people and create networks across campus, which in turn can further your professional development!
What you need to know
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Most of these opportunities for professional development on campus are free and short-term commitments.
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Professional development can be very helpful for when you’re ready to take on an administrative role.
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FPER (the Faculty Professional Expense Reimbursement Plan) can cover expenses related to professional development, including conference attendance, workshop costs, and materials.
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Policy 4 – Benefits to Faculty and Staff Undertaking Part-time Educational Programs gives you free tuition for up to two courses per term.
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There is mandatory training for all employees on accessibility and safety.
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You can take any course on LinkedIn Learning by logging in with your Waterloo ID.
Who to talk to
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Other faculty members, about opportunities they may have accessed on campus.
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Your chair/director and dean, about gaps in your performance review and what would be appropriate for you; opportunities specific to your department/school and faculty.
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Katie Damphouse at the Centre for Teaching Excellence, about personalized development planning.
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Teaching Fellows in your Faculty, for mentoring and resources related to teaching.
On-campus professional development opportunities
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Communities of Practice: Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for a specific interest. There are a number of them at UW, on topics including collaboration, teamwork and group work in education; academic advising; exploring Extended Reality technologies in teaching and learning; and knowledge mobilization.
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Centre for Teaching Excellence: an annual conference, one-on-one guidance, workshops, a course design retreat, grants for research on teaching and learning, and more. CTE also facilitates the workshops on graduate supervision that are required for getting Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor (ADDS) status.
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Writing and Communication Centre: support for faculty as both instructors and writers, including one-on-one consultations and a weekly Faculty Writing Café (Wednesdays from 2:00pm to 4:30pm in SCH 228F)
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FAUW: an annual tenure and promotion workshop series, new faculty events, and more
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Academic Leadership Program: training for Academic Chairs and Directors, Associate Chairs/Directors, and Associate Deans
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Organizational & Human Development: workshops in leadership development, business communication, inclusivity, and more – they can also provide customized training solutions for your department
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Information Systems & Technology: tech-related workshops, seminars, and other training opportunities
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Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office: A range of trainings and workshops, including equitable recruitment training, the Making Spaces for LGBTQ+ persons program, and the online Sexual Violence Awareness, Referral and Support training
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Sustainability Office: The Sustainability Certificate is a seven-part series that provides UWaterloo employees with a basic understanding of key local and global sustainability issues, as well as efforts underway to address them.
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Centre for Extended Learning: Professional Development courses ranging from languages to project management to MS Office
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Waterloo International: funding opportunities, and grants to help you internationalize your course content
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Centre for Career Development: advising and workshops for employees on career values, work permits, retirement, and more
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
The University has an institutional membership in the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, which provides webinars and courses on topics including teaching, research, writing, anti-oppression, tenure, mentorship, and more.
The office of the Associate Vice President, Academic, has more information and instructions for joining.