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Information about the data collection
The Higher Education staff data collection includes information on the number (head count) and full-time equivalent (FTE) of staff engaged in the provision of higher education courses at Table A and Table B providers. Reporting is different for full-time and fractional full-time staff compared to those on a casual work contract.
Data for full-time and fractional full-time staff are a snapshot on 31 March of each data year. Data for casual staff comprise of two submissions. The estimated staffing level for casual staff for the current calendar year (Estimated casual) and the actual staff resources expended by casual staff in the calendar year before are measured in FTEs.
Glossary of terms
Full-time Equivalent (FTE) is a standardized method to measure staffing. Full-time staff will be equal to 1.0 FTE, while fractional full-time staff will be a value less than 1.0 (as measured by their proportion of full-time hours). Staff engaged in dual sector universities (providers who offer higher education and VET) will only have their higher education FTE included in this publication.
Headcount is the number of actual persons working in the higher education sector.
Full-time staff are those engaged on a full-time contract under the relevant award (no less than 35 hours per week).
Fractional full-time staff are those whose number of hours to be worked each week is a specified fraction of the number of hours which would be worked by a member of staff with a fulltime work contract for the job or position and with the same classification type and level.
Casual staff are those who are engaged and paid on an hourly or sessional basis.
- Function is a general type of work which a member of staff has formally agreed to undertake in respect of their current duties.
- Teaching only function – The work involves only teaching and associated activities or the management and leadership of teaching staff and of staff who support teaching staff. There is no formal requirement that research be undertaken.
- Research Only function – The work involves undertaking only research work or providing technical or professional research assistance, or the management and leadership of research staff and of staff who support research staff. There may be limited other work (e.g. participation in the development of postgraduate courses and supervision of postgraduate students).
- Teaching and research function – A formal requirement is that both a teaching function and a research function will be undertaken, or the work requires the management and leadership of teaching staff and research staff and persons who support such staff.
- Other function – Functions other than a teaching and/or research only function.
Work contract – Work contract refers to hours and associated conditions of engagement for a member of staff. Full-time staff work for a continuous period, on a regular basis, have paid entitlements, and work a minimum of 35 hours per week. Fractional full-time (part-time) staff have the same characteristics except the number of hours are a fraction of full-time. Casual staff are engaged on an hourly or sessional basis and have no paid entitlements.
Current duties term is the duration of a staff member’s current duties or the classification of their tenure. It is reported as tenured, or limited term (fixed term) by length.
More information can be found in the TCSI Glossary | TCSI Support