In this paper we critically examine the research landscape in South Africa. We do this by documenting the progression and transformation of the country's National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researchers from 2005 to 2015. Results indicate that most NRF-rated researchers in South Africa are white and male but this trend is slowly changing with…

The rapid introduction of a faculty evaluation program at the University of Liverpool is described, addressing such issues as the consultation and negotiation involved in getting the program accepted, the changing role of the department head, and the program's part in the institution's overall academic plan. (Author/MSE)

Development of a policy for annual faculty appraisal discussions at New Zealand's University of Otago is described, tracing its evolution from the traditional faculty evaluation interviews. The role accorded to faculty development is examined, and the emphasis on a collegial rather than corporate view of university administration is noted. (MSE)

A study of the University of Melbourne (Australia) mandatory annual faculty evaluation program after its second year of operation is reported. Results revealed some faculty uncertainty about the plan's intentions and tensions between its summative and formative purposes. Some positive outcomes were identified, but too few to claim the plan was…

The McGill Faculty and Course Evaluation System, currently being tested at McGill University, attempts to coordinate existing evaluation models and present them in a comprehensible form to interested faculty members. The system includes user's guides, selected resources, workshops, consultants and a seven-step process. (JMD)

Universities find it difficult to judge the teaching of academics and are reluctant to reward them on the basis of the scholarship of teaching. Continuing tension between teaching and research, in which research-based criteria usually take precedence, compounds this reluctance. Boyer's four-tiered scholarship model assisted the understanding of…

A study of the faculty evaluation system at Nene College (England) is reported and compared with studies in other British universities. Evaluator, faculty, and administrator views of the program were generally positive, particularly concerning the opportunities the evaluation interviews present for discussing issues. Assessment by line manager…

A program for newly appointed lecturers in general practice at the University of Leicester's (England) medical school focuses on development of both teaching and assessment skills and encourages self-appraisal. Participant progress is monitored by direct evaluation and video-recording, with regular feedback an important feature. (Author/MSE)

Main features of the cyclical procedure used by the University of Geneva (Switzerland) to evaluate 75 teaching and research units (TRUs) over a 6-year cycle are that it covers teaching, research, and services simultaneously and combines self-evaluation, peer assessment, and use of a database on TRU resources and achievements. (Author/MSE)

Initiatives at the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) to improve instructional quality include identification of teaching skills through consultation with expert teachers, specification of teaching standards, use of student feedback on teaching, awarding of distinguished teaching awards, assessment of teaching competence upon hiring, a…

Toronto General Hospital (Canada) has developed a medical faculty recognition and reward program including a system to collect and evaluate feedback from trainees and administrators, an annual awards event, three categories of hospitalwide award (educational administration, program development, extraordinary contribution), and departmental student…