Department of Surgery and Cancer Academic Promotions 2026 Timetable

Outline Dates for 2026

20 June 2025 – Eligible staff lists sent to Head of Divisions for review.

20 June 2025 – Early notification sent out to the Department to eligible staff to start to have conversations with their Line Manager and Head of Section/Division of a potential application and to start to gather in the information required based on the previous year’s application form.

4 August 2025 – Second notification sent out to the Department of eligible staff.

TBC September 2025 – Formal Memorandum (email) from the Head of Department sent to all eligible Academic, ARF/SRF Research and eligible staff (applying for Reader or Professor of Education) on the Learning & Teaching Family.  Details of the Academic Promotions procedure and timetable, including relevant attachments and links for further information.

25 September 2025 (by 5pm) – Deadline for submission of DRAFT Application Form including publications list to Karen Pontifex (k.pontifex@imperial.ac.uk).  Applications will not be accepted after this date.

30 October 2025 – Departmental Review Panel

by 7 November 2025 - Staff who have applied will be notified as soon as possible after this date as to whether their application is supported/unsupported by the Panel.

Department will ask the Heads of Divisions/supporters to prepare the HoD Citation, Education Citation and arrange for a Clinical Citation.

21 November 2025 (by noon) – Candidates to submit Final Application form to Karen Pontifex k.pontifex@imperial.ac.uk

  • FINAL version of the application form (signed electronic version)

21 November 2025 (by noon) – Heads of Divisions or Supporters to submit to Karen Pontifex (k.pontifex@imperial.ac.uk)

  • Final version of the Departmental form (referees for each candidate)
  • Final version of the HoD Citation for Head of Department to review
  • Final version of the Education Citation for the Director of Education to review
  • Clinical statement of support from a senior NHS representative (for the Clinical applicants)

TBC (by 5pm) – Department submits All applications to the Faculty Promotions Panel attended by the Head of Department

TBC 2025 – Faculty Promotions Panel

Department will be notified of Faculty Promotions Panel decisions and the Department will notify applicants and supporters soon after.

TBC (by Noon)– Department to submit Application Form; Department Form; HoD Citation; Education Citation; Clinical statement of support for clinical applicants to University HR to (ac.pro@imperial.ac.uk).

TBC (by Noon) – Candidates to submit to Karen Pontifex (k.pontifex@imperial.ac.uk) 

  • MEQ teaching evaluation reports relating to the last two years.  Individual candidates may optionally provide additional attributable feedback (e.g. via peer observation or older SOLE data to supplement the centrally run MEQ) but this is not required.  All available evidence will be considered by panels.
  • Four selected publications in electronic format – These will be recent publications which have had the greatest impact since the previous promotion or since appointment at the University, and that show what has been achieved in the interim.  Publications prior to appointment at the University or used to support a previous application for successful promotion will not be considered.
  • A summary of the importance and originality of the selected publications – a brief paragraph for each selected publication on one-page.

TBC – Department to submit teaching Evaluation reports; four selected publications and summary to University HR to (ac.pro@imperial.ac.uk).

February - April 2026 – University HR will email all the named referees and may refer back to the Department regarding selection of referees

March 2026 – University HR informs the Department of the dates for the candidate interviews; the Department will inform candidates and arrange observers.

May 2026 – Relevant candidates (Faculty of Medicine) will be interviewed and accompanied by the HoD or nominated observer.

Decisions – In consultation with the Faculty Deans and Heads of Department, applicants will be informed as soon as possible after a final decision has been made.

Please refer to the Academic Promotions webpages for all information relating to the process, forms and criteria, and ensure you are familiar with all the Appendices and Guidance Notes. 

Staff may wish to discuss the process informally with their Line Manager, Head of Division or Head of Department, who can provide informal guidance and advice.