Re-watch our academic promotions webinar from 10 December 2020.

Questions and answers

Attendees were invited to ask questions at the webinar. All questions (with answers) are below, grouped into four categories:

• Making an application
• Referees
• Individual circumstances
• Individual specific questions

Making an application

Is it possible to put in an application with a target of getting a professorship, but being open to a readership instead?

If an individual applies for professor and the Academic Promotions Committee feel that hasn't yet been achieved but that Reader may be more appropriate, they will request that the individual is asked whether they would wish to be considered for Reader instead. However individuals are guided to apply only for the level they believe they have evidence to support.

It was great to see the encouragement in the promotions material for women to consider applying. Many of us are currently experiencing significant challenges during the pandemic with caring responsibilities amplified and increased during this time. This then creates challenges in actually finding the time it'll take to actually present a strong case for promotion (in quite a short time frame). This will potentially put people off for applying, especially given the two year rule if an application is unsuccessful. Do the panel have any suggestions for navigating this?

The Academic Promotions Committee welcome applications that are clear and succint and you are guided to use a bulleted format where possible. On that basis the actual content of the application should not be too length or onerous. Staff are strongly recommended to maintain their CV on an ongoing basis, building in new achievements as they happen. This will make an application in future years to more straightforward.

Some years ago, I remember being told by a (then-former?) member of promotion cttee that they looked not just for recent performance but for 'positive trajectory' i.e. for evidence that you were going to further improve that performance in the future. Is this part of the current criteria? Is it an _implicit_ criteria that promotions cttees seem to use in practice?

The Academic Promotions Committee based their decision on the evidence provided so they wouldn't base a decision on unknown future performance however they will reflect on the trajectory of contribution. As an example, the title of Reader will be offered where an individual has evidenced strong and sustained performance at Senior Lecturer level and with growing excellence and personal distinction in their subject. They will have an established and growing national or international profile and will normally be expected to be progressing towards professorial status.

Am I right in thinking that the 3 x 250 words boxes near the top of the form are among the most important parts of it?

All the information provided on the form is important and the Faculty Promotion Panels and Academic Promotions Committee read all the information carefully. The first section provides an initial helpful summary to provide an initial understanding of an individual's contribution, but the information in the following sections provides important detail to support that.

The section on Impact - D3.2 REF impact case studies. Is it OK to put impact activities in here that are not REF case studies? There isn't anywhere else on the form to document impact activities.

The University regards impact (in the widest sense) as an important aspect of research and will give it due credit in academic promotions. The title of this section has been updated to encourage all impact to be provided here. (This wording will not be amended in any CV templates received prior to the change in wording)

How important the academic citizenship is for grade 7 applications? I am an international staff and this has preveneted my opportunities in attending some events.

Academic citizenship has the same level of importance as research and/or teaching and scholarship. If you feel that your circumstances have impacted your ability to evidence this, you are recommended to consider providing details in the individual circumstances section to bring your particular circumstances to the Committee's attention.

How long would you expect it to take to put a good application together? Sorry, I know that is a "how long is a piece of string" question, but time is at a premium, especially these days! Some ball-park guidance would be helpful. Colleagues keep frightening me by saying it takes ages!

It is very difficult to advise on how long it takes to make an application as this may differ depending on how much of your information is already available. You are advised to read the CV template carefully to get a sense of what is requested. You may find it helpful to break your application down into smaller sections so it isn't perhaps so daunting. It may also be useful to have a look at the example CV on the website to get a sense of how much text is required.

What role does teaching play for those on a research only contract? Where is the best place on the template to talk about this as we aren't applying for teaching level 1?

It is recommended that you discuss this matter with your line manager, Head of Department or other colleagues to talk through the specific details. You should read the academic citizenship criteria carefully to understand how your experiences could be aligned to these.

If lots of your Citizenship has been teaching related - do you have any advice on separating this out for the Citizenship and Teaching sections?

It is recommended that you discuss this matter with your line manager, Head of Department or other colleagues to talk through the specific details. You should read the academic citizenship criteria carefully to understand how your experiences could be aligned to these.

The CV template contains sections that may/are not applicable to those on T&S contracts, eg around REF. Can we just delete these sections/items that are not relevant or are they to be kept and lebelled as N/A? It could look poor having significant (irrelelvant) sections that are wholly/largely empty. Could you please advise?

Please leave these sections in and label as N/A. In no way will this impact your application.

Can you share the link please for the template example?

You can find this at https://www.york.ac.uk/admin/hr/pay-and-grading/promotion/apply/cv-example-2020-21.pdf

Could you clearly state how much more if requested from researcher without teaching duties

The committee looks for a balanced range of activity that is proportionate to the position.

Can you speak about the value within T&S of experience/eminence/achievement that goes back years (pre-working at York) but within adult educational context (not necessarily HE)

You should provide the evidence that you feel supports your application and meets the criteria rather than necessariy being concerned about the timescale or whether achieved at York. Where the evidence relates to your previous employment, it is helpful to be as objective and clear as possible to enable the Committee to understand impacts and outcomes.

Do you weight publications by the reputation/rank of journals?

No - there is no weighting or other numeric assessment of publications. The Committee will strive to understand the relevance, role and reputation of the paper in an applicants field.

How far back should the CV go? eg as an ECR applying for grade 7, should I detail work undertaken before joining York and/or during my PhD?

You should provide the evidence that you feel supports your application and meets the criteria rather than necessariy being concerned about the timescale, particularly if you feel there is a clear rationale.

Could you explain the reason for the faculty- recommendations for G7? Do we typically have low numbers of applications etc

The cases normally are less extensive and subject specific advice at the faculty level is appropriate.

Can we list things done at other institutions (eg teaching) before joining York or does the panel focus predominantly on achievements at York?

You should provide the evidence that you feel supports your application and meets the criteria rather than necessariy being concerned about the timescale or whether achieved at York. Where the evidence relates to your previous employment, it is helpful to be as objective and clear as possible to enable the Committee to understand impacts and outcomes.

For both readers and professors, the guidance says: 'You will be working at Level 3 in either your teaching or research, and at least at Level 2 in all other areas'. This is confusing for promotion to reader. Any advice?

Additional narrative has been included on the website to provide further guidance on the distinction between Reader and professor. The title of Reader will be offered where an individual has evidenced strong and sustained performance at Senior Lecturer level and with growing excellence and personal distinction in their subject. They will have an established and growing national or international profile and will normally be expected to be progressing towards professorial status. The title of professor is offered to individuals with national and international reputations in their field who can evidence sustained excellence, intellectual distinction and leadership.

Will those currently on Grade 6 T&S contracts be considered for both Grade 7 T&S and (assuming a sufficient research profile) Grade 7 ART, or only Grade 7 T&S?

APC does not change the contract of individuals, only their grade. You would be promoted to a higher grade in your current contract.

Why is there effectively no differentiation in the criteria between Professor and Reader? Can you clarify the difference in practical terms?

Additional narrative has been included on the website to provide further guidance on the distinction between Reader and professor. The title of Reader will be offered where an individual has evidenced strong and sustained performance at Senior Lecturer level and with growing excellence and personal distinction in their subject. They will have an established and growing national or international profile and will normally be expected to be progressing towards professorial status. The title of professor is offered to individuals with national and international reputations in their field who can evidence sustained excellence, intellectual distinction and leadership.

For my 'Research' only position of 'Research Fellow' - I wonder if my 'teaching contribution' will be considered. Or should I write my 'teaching contribution' in the 'Academic citizen' section?

It is recommended that you discuss this matter with your line manager, Head of Department or other colleagues to talk through the specific details. You should read the academic citizenship criteria carefully to understand how your experiences could be aligned to these.

The guidance for T&S states that we "should meet all the additional criteria". Does that mean we must have something on each required sub-point? Or can we make up for a lack of a specific point by having very substantial contributions elsewhere? Would not having evidence for one or two points be a reason for rejection?

APC looks at cases in the round and will come to a judgement based upon a holistic approach.

Does the type of contract you are on matter? I am currently on a fixed term but it is due to switch to permanent 'sometime in the new year'. If this move does not happen before the promotion deadline, I will have to put fixed term on the form - will this disadvantage me?

Being on a fixed term contract will not disadvantage you.

How can you request feedback from outside your department?

It is recommended that you discuss this with your line manager/Head of Department who may be able to recommend a contact who is able to help you.

How strong is the requirement "sustained performance over a minimum period of two-three years will be expected"? If an applicant has joined the university a year ago, does he have any chance of being successful? Is it possible to make use of past experiences in other universities?

You should provide the evidence that you feel supports your application and meets the criteria rather than necessariy being concerned about the timescale or whether achieved at York. Where the evidence relates to your previous employment, it is helpful to be as objective and clear as possible to enable the Committee to understand impacts and outcomes. There is no service requirement for making an application.

What is the typical timeframe that you see for someone to be promoted from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer (eg in terms of years after PhD)?

There is no "typical" timeframe - this is very much an individual matter. It is recommended that you discuss your own circumstances with your Line Manager/Head of Department who will be able to help you create your own career plan and what aspects of development would help you achieve your goals.

Can one move from the ART to T&S contract through the promotion application process?

No, you are unable to transfer from one contract to another through the academic promotions process.

Technical question I might have missed: once we have the form can we maintain it as our record over a period, or is it for one-time use only?

The CV template is intended to be used for this year's process only. You may wish to retain a copy that you can maintain over time.

Is there a reader equivalent level for T&S?

All colleagues, regardless of contract type are able to apply for Reader. We have T&S colleagues on Reader level.

How are the levels established if some of the criteria in, say, research are fulfilled for level 3, (though not all), but I struggle to reach criteria for teaching or AC at level 2? Is there any more holistic view on the performance than there used to be before?

It is recommended that you discuss this with your line manager/Head of Department to consider what levels you feel have been achieved. While the Academic Committee do take a holistic view of an application they are in a general sense requiring achievement at the levels specified for each level.

What percentage of applications to the three faculty panels are successful? And what percentage at the university panel? Are these figures published?

The faculty panels have previous not had a role in making recommendations on applications - they simply provide a report for Academic Promotion Committee to consider. Over the last five years on average 84% of applications submitted have been successful.

Why is level 3 for T&S dependent on publications still?

The Criteria reflects the rounded set of achievements that the University requires for each level.

Those on research only contracts are asked to demonstrate level 3 research (that makes sense) and level 2 or 3 academic citizenship for promotion to reader/professor. If taken at face value, this implies that level 2 academic citizenship should always be sufficient. Put differently, why is there a range of levels indicated rather than a minimum level? There is no scope for trade-offs with the other criterion.

The current criteria and scoring methodology covers all levels and contract types and provides an appropriately flexible framework on how a level may be achieved.

You said not to cite publications currently under review and grants currently being considered. Is this still the case if you have a book manuscript under review, and a large full proposal under consideration, where both would have been submitted earlier (and a decision likely made earlier) had Covid not intervened.

You should use the Individual circumstances form form to explain any impact you feel COVID has had on your work and contribution

Thank you very much for this event. In the event an applicant's line manager / any senior colleague involved in the endorsement process ‐ who is going for the same grade promotion ‐ or has not yet received promotion at the level the applicant has applied for), what steps are in place to safeguard the applicant from potential bias in that circumstance?

While we would always encourage colleagues to speak to their line manager about making an application, you may wish to also consider speaking to your Head of Department or other senior departmental colleagues to obtain further views on your application.

Will SFDORA principles for assessment be incorporated into the promotions process? If, so can you provide details about how they wil be implemented, please?

The University of York is committed to the DORA principles and will be reviewing the detailed implications throughout 2021. As a general point it should be noted that the Academic Promotions process does not use academic output metrics to drive promotion decisions.

I had heard that the 2 year rule was to be removed from the promotions criteria following an employment tribunal case. Could you clarify the position for us please?

The two year rule remains in place with the associated opportunity make an application for a waiver of the rule.

Based on the evidence in the CV, do applicants ever get promoted more than one level above their current position? I'm thinking of those who have been held back or are reluctant to go through the process.

The Committee will consider each application against the level that has been applied for. We strongly encourage all academic staff to engage with the academic promotions process when they feel they are able to evidence the criteria for the level applied for.

Given what Saul [Tendler, Deputy Vice Chancellor] said about offering some professorial candidates a Readership does it make good strategic sense to go for a Chair rather than aiming slightly lower?

If an individual applies for professor and the Academic Promotions Committee feel that hasn't yet been achieved but that Reader may be more appropriate, they will request that the individual is asked whether they would wish to be considered for Reader instead. However individuals are guided to apply only for the level they believe they have evidence to support.

What is the highest grade for T&S staff?

There is no limit on grade for colleagues on T&S contracts. Colleagues on all contracts are able to progress through all of the grades.

Why is there such a major focus on publications and external impact for T&S contracts? By definition the role is more about teaching and administration of teaching, rather than research/publications? It seems a T&S role is being redefined into something similar to an ART contract.

The criteria reflects the rounded set of achievements that the University requires for each level.

What is the reason there are not different forms for different contracts, such as T&S and ART? Depending on your contract, you can face percieved defficiencies of emotiness and blank white space. For instance, if you are on a T&S contract you first have to navigate through the ART research sections and it can induce a perception of lack

Please leave any sections that are not applicable to your contract N/A. In no way will this impact your application.

Slightly confused about the role of external referees on an application for promotion to SL on a T&S contract. T and citizenship both mostly focused on things internal to UoY. How familiar with that do external referees need to be? And must they be university academics?

The role of referees is to provide an independent view of an application and assess whether in their opinion the level applied for has been achieved. It is not neccessary for the referee to understand University of York practice or indeed be known to the applicant. It is recommended that you discuss possible options for referees with your line manager/Head of Department or other departmental colleagues in particular those who are also on T&S contracts.

If probation period is on hold then does it mean that someone still on probation would not be able to apply for promotion now, even if that person has substantial record from a previous University?

There is no requirement to have completed your probation before making an application for promotion.

My role is mainly as a manager of a teaching team. I do not carry out research and do limited teaching. The criteria do not seem to fit with my job description. It seems as though I need to be gaining experience of tasks that are outside my role if I wish to go through the promotions process. Could you confirm this is not the case and suggest how I can gain the experience I need to apply.

You may wish to discuss your specific circumstances with your line manager/Head of Department to understand how you can evidence the criteria within your role or alternatively what opportunities are available to develop further aspects of the criteria. The Academic Promotions Committee do take a rounded view of an application but ultimately will assess all applications against the criteria so it is important to understand how to evidence this.

Are there any internal consistency / QAA practices undertaken by the University to sample 'potential' applications, not endorsed by departments / faculty (which subsequently did not go forward), to check if they may have been worthy of consideration by the committee?

All Academic colleagues are encouraged to make an application and there is no formal means of others halting an application if an individual wishes to progress one. However we would strongly encourage all colleagues to speak to their Line Manager / Head of Department at the earliest opportunity about making a promotion application and if at all possible resolve any concerns in relation to readiness.

For T&S income generation appears in a number of sections and supplimentary information. As a measure and demonstrator of contribution and achievement, This can be difficult to obtain, due to factors such as lack of training in fund and grant generation, opportunities, time being taken up at the teaching. It feels like a discourse of achievement transfering over from ART, and wider insitutional values

It is suggested that you may wish to follow up with your Line Manager / Head of Department or perhaps with other senior colleagues on T&S contracts to understand how best to approach these aspects of the criteria and how they can support you with the appropriate development.

If you have not applied for promotion before, should you use date of appointment instead please?

If you achieved promotion at a previous institution please provide the date of last promotion there. If you have not applied for promotion in any institution, please submit your date of appointment as suggested.

Can I start a CV in order to follow the practice that Nicky suggested of just maintaining a CV until I'm ready to apply, even though I'm not planning to apply in Jan 2021? On the website, it looks like you need to click 'register now' for the 2020-2021 round to get the CV template.

We are happy to send you a blank template if you wish to start developing your CV for future years. Please email academic-promotions@york.ac.uk and we will provide a template.

When providing evidence of successful academic citizenship, Nicky mentioned perhaps asking support colleagues you have worked with to provide a supportive statement. Are the panel interested to hear from departmental support staff who have worked closely with the applicant? Or were you refering to support colleagues from central depts eg UTC, SCA etc.

It is recommended that you discuss this matter with your line manager, Head of Department or other colleagues to talk through what may be helpful to include in your application. The important aspect is presenting evidence that aligns to the criteria rather than providing feedback per se.

I am on a research only contract - should I write about my teaching roles under academic citizenship? i.e B1?

It is recommended that you discuss this matter with your Line manager, Head of Department or other colleagues to talk through the specific details. You should read the Academic Citizenship criteria carefully to understand how your experiences could be aligned to these.

In terms of research only staff (e.g grade 6 to 7) are we saying that teaching carries weight in a promotion application? In most cases research only staff complete the research and citizenship sections. If teaching is to be taken into account where should research only staff add this material? The process of rating the promotion is based on two of three sections for research based staff.

If you are on a research only contract then you should only complete the Research and Academic Citizenship sections. This is all that will be used to assess your application. We do find that some research only contract staff may undertake certain teaching related activity - there may be circumstances where this can be incorporated within the Academic Citizenship section as relevant evidence.

Is the 'individual circumstances' section of the form shared with external referees?

No. Your CV document which includes details of your individual circumstances will be shared with your Head of Department, relevant Faculty Advisory Panel, the University Academic Promotions Committee, your referees (if applicable) and staff in Human Resources involved in the management and administration of the process.

Individual circumstances

Thank you for all the new guidance and resources (the example CV is especially helpful). I have a question about completing the individual circumstances section - can this be slightly more long-form than the other CV content (where there is strong emphasis on succinctness/bullet points), to take complicated circumstances into account? Or is brevity also advised here?

It is important that you feel able to share the information that fully presents the circumstances that you feel are pertinent to your application. There is no word limit or required format so long-form is not a problem however do bear in mind that it is still important to present information as clearly as possible.

If you've been on a part-time contract (and had periods of maternity leave) does it make sense to look longer back than just the last three years? Also, is it something the panel take into account through the individual circumstances form (eg if you're part-time you simply don't have the time to hit as many of the activities on the criteria (then potentiallly disadvantaging women and those with caring responsibilities)?

You should provide the evidence that you feel supports your application and meets the criteria rather than necessariy being concerned about the timescale, particularly if you feel there is a clear rationale. Provision of an individual circumstances form is an important aspect of your application and would enable you to highlight the circumstances you describe.

Who sees the individual circumstances form? and what questions does it contain/ what evidence is required?

Your CV template, which includes details of your individual circumstances, will be shared with your Head of Department, relevant Faculty Advisory Panel, the University Academic Promotions Committee, your referees (if applicable) and staff in Human Resources involved in the management and administration of the process.

Two impacts of Covid: 1) publications have been trapped in peer review since March; 2) the focus on teaching has made it impossible to rework papers accepted pending revisions or R&Rs. Can we put these things on the exceptional circumstances part of the template?

You should use the individual circumstances section of the form to explain any impact you feel COVID has had on your work and contribution

If you are at grade 3 in Acadmic Citizenship but due to Covid interuptions feel that teaching is just below 3, is there any point of going for promotuion to reader? It seems Academic citizenship offers no prospect of reward on its own.

You should use the individual circumstances section of the form to explain any impact you feel COVID has had on your work and contribution

What is the role of department promotion committees? If you have concerns about that committee seeing the individual circumstances form or other confidential information on the CV what should you do?

We appreciate that colleaugues may be sharing information that is by its nature personal, however this is a really critical aspect that anyone reviewing an application should be taking into consideration so it wouldn't be fair or appropriate to review without this information.

With regard to individual circumstances form. In our dept we have an internal panel to review the CVs and therefore the individual circumstances form. I feel slightly mortfified that the information is so widely circulated.

We appreciate that colleaugues may be sharing information that is by its nature personal. However this is a really critical aspect that anyone reviewing an application should be taking into consideration so it wouldn't be fair or appropriate to review without this information.

The answer to the question 'who sees the individual circumstances form?' did not list the department promotion committee. is that accurate?

Your CV Template which includes details of your Individual circumstances form will be shared with your Head of Department, relevant Faculty Advisory Panel, the University Academic Promotions Committee, your referees (if applicable) and staff in Human Resources involved in the management and administration of the process. If your department operates a further initial assessment (ie outside the University's main process) then it is suggested you clarify your permission on what is shared with the individuals responsible for this process within your department.

Referees

Please can you give more details and advice on chosing the referees for the reader/prof level. Are they sent your application to be able to judge your promotion request?

If the University Academic Promotions Committee believe a prima facie case is evidenced from their first review of your CV, they will request that references are sought. The referees will receive your application along with your HoD report and any individual circumstances provided. They are asked to assess whether in their view the application meets the level applied for.

Could you clarify if the referees need to be academics? Could they be academics outside the UK?

Referees are usually academics but may also be from outside academia where that is pertinent to a particular individual's case. Referees may be from outside the UK.

With regard to referees, 'who you have not worked closely with in the last five years' what's counts as 'worked closely'? (Taken strictly, this could rule out all the people best able to comment on my achievements.)

There is no specific definition of what counts as working closely. The role of referees is to provide an objective view on an application and this may be more challenging where there has been close collaboration or working relationship in recent years. You are recommended to discuss possible referees with colleagues within your department to explore suitable referees.

Is it good practice to contact referees before putting their name down?
Should we forewarn referees that we have suggested them?
Are we to inform referees that we have put them down as referees?

The practice of requesting references in relation to academic promotion is prevalent throughout the sector and generally Academic colleagues are happy to support others in this aspect so there is no specific requirement to contact them yourself. The University will not approach referees until the Academic Promotions Committee are satisfied that a prima facie case has been evidenced.

Individual specific questions

I am in a joint department position and I'm concerned that, unlike single appointments, I need to get a support letter from both of my HoDs. Given that different departments have very different cultures (eg even publishing differences), and different HoDs different priorities, does this put me at a disadvantage?

The Academic Promotions Committee receive a good number of applications from staff who have joint appointments and there is no evidence that this in any way puts those staff at a disadvantage. You are strongly recommended to speak to both your Heads of Department and discuss this matter with them.

I was wondering if (1) a grade 7 fellow allows to apply for funding as a PI a grade 7 fellowship (with project funding) is different from a grade 7 fellowship (having obtained an 'independent fellowship' from a funder). Sorry hit the enter button by mistake so my questions are: (1) is a grade 7 fellow allowed to apply for funding as a PI (2) a grade 7 fellow (with project funding) different from a grade 7 fellow having obtained an independent fellowship

Apologies - we are unclear on the questions raised - please could we ask you to provide further clarification through academic-promotions@york.ac.uk

I am on a teaching and scholarship contract and my experience and areas of work seem not to fit your criteria well. I run a Professional programme which is an apprenticeship. How can I be assured you understand my experience and are able to interpret that experience given that there are no other apprenticeship programmes at this current time in the university?

The Academic Promotions Committee receive applications that reflect real diversity of discipline and experience and this is very much welcomed. They will consider evidence is a holistic way against the criteria so you are advised to present how you feel your experience is commensurate with the level and quality required by the criteria.

For D2 Research funding, can we include instances where we were included in proposals as named researchers but not as co-applicants?

Normal custom and practice would be to only include applications where the promotion applicant is either a PI or CI.

Can we cite pre-prints? They have a doi but have not been peer reviewed or accepted for publication.

If the pre-print has a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) it can be included. It would be helpful to be clear of the state of the pre-print.

Does a committee membership of ~1 years have any weight towards a promotion application, when the guidance says they must be undertaken for a minimum 2-3 years?

The Academic Promotions Committee are looking for evidence of the impact and contribution of your membership rather than simply time served so the timescales are provided to indicate that perhaps it may take time to develop contribution. If however you feel that that although you have relatively short membership you are able to evidence meaningful impact and contribution then it may be appropriate to include. It is recommended that you discuss this further with your line manager/Head of Department or other colleagues.

What is expected for the section on interdisciplinary committees? This seems a bit unclear.

This section provides an opportunity to highlight interdisciplinary committee work, such as International Development etc.

If for ART things like Publications, PhD completions and Grants count, then what are the equivalent for T&S?

Similar elements of scholarship and learning related to T&S.

Is it the requirement to have at least one grant award irrespective of the number of grant applications (not funded) for G7 research only promotion application?

All cases are evaluated against the published criteria. We do not have target prerequisites.

Is it possible to be promoted to Prof without a large grant?

All cases are evaluated against the published criteria. We do not have target prerequisites.

Thank you Nicky for that detailed and very helpful information. I am on two contracts T&S and Research. Does this mean i would need to make two applications?

It is recommended that you discuss this with your line manager/Head of Department who can look at your specific circumstances and advise on the best course of action.

Is there a way to refer in the CV to confidential evidence outside the CV eg on PURE? I'm thinking of a research collaboration with an external partner which is subject to an NDA and dept promotion committee should not see eg name of partner/end-use case

It is recommended that you discuss this with your line manager/Head of Department who can look at your specific circumstances and advise on the best course of action.