On this page:
Information about the staff data collection
The Higher Education staff data collection includes information on the number (headcount) and full-time equivalence (FTE) of staff engaged in the provision of higher education courses at Table A and Table B providers. Data for full-time and fractional full-time (part-time) staff are reported differently from those employed on a casual work basis.
Data for full-time and fractional full-time staff represent a snapshot on 31 March of each year. For casual staff, data for the most recent year are estimates provided by higher education providers (Estimated casual) whereas data for prior years represent the actual FTE worked by casual staff (Actual casual). Both are measured in FTE.
Glossary of terms
Academic Organisational Units are units within a higher education provider which have as their primary objective the undertaking of teaching only functions, teaching‑and‑research functions or research only functions.
Casual staff are those who are engaged and paid on an hourly or sessional basis.
Classification level refers to the level within an academic classification to which a member of staff is assigned, such as Above Senior Lecturer, Senior Lecturer (Level C), Lecturer (Level B), or Below Lecturer (Level A).
Classification type refers to the classification of a member of staff in terms of whether they are academic staff or professional staff.
- Academic staff are those principally engaged to undertake a teaching only, research-only, or combined teaching and research function. This category also includes those responsible for staff and senior roles such as Vice-Chancellors and Deputy Vice-Chancellors.
- Professional staff are those engaged to provide administrative, technical, and professional services that support the operations, research, and teaching activities of the provider. These staff were previously referred to as Non-Academic staff.
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) based on length.
- Limited term: The substantive appointment or current duties are for a fixed period of time.
- Tenurial term: The substantive appointment or current duties are ongoing and will normally continue until retirement age. Staff with an academic classification and also staff with a professional classification who are employed on a permanent basis may be classified as having a tenurable term.
- Other term: The term is neither limited term nor tenurable in type. It includes temporary or permanent appointments that are for an unspecified period of time or 'until further notice'.
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 full‑time work contract for the job or position and with the same classification type and level.
Full-time staff are those engaged on a full-time contract under the relevant award (no less than 35 hours per week).
Full-time Equivalent (FTE) is a standardised method used 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.
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.
Headcount is the number of actual persons working in the higher education sector.
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.
More information can be found in the TCSI Glossary | TCSI Support.