Honorary Appointments
About our Honorary Appointments
The University of Melbourne is an internationally recognised teaching and research institution with an outstanding reputation.
Honorary appointments are awarded to recognise individuals who make significant ongoing contributions through world-class, values-based teaching, research, research training, engagement, enterprise, leadership and service.
Honorary appointees are highly valued members of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health. The relationship with our Honorary Staff Member is one of mutual benefit.
Our Department benefits from the expertise and influence of the Honorary Staff Member, who in turn benefits from the opportunities, resources and reputation of the Department, the Melbourne Medical School and The University of Melbourne.
Types of Honorary Appointments
There are two types of Honorary Appointments within the Department of of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health:
- Academic Honorary Appointment
- Clinical Honorary Appointment
You can apply for an Academic Honorary Appointment or Clinical Honorary Appointment.
Academic Honorary Appointments
An Academic (standard) Honorary Appointment is awarded to persons with a predominantly research and/or teaching background. Those with Academic Honorary Appointments will normally have similar/equivalent teaching, research, knowledge transfer and leadership experience and roles as their paid equivalents from the University.
The purpose of an Academic Honorary Appointment is to provide recognition for the major contribution that has been or will be made to the University of Melbourne in terms of teaching in University courses, student supervision, research contribution and advancement of their discipline.
There are four levels of Academic Honorary Appointment:
- Honorary Fellow / Lecturer (Level B)
- Honorary Senior Fellow / Senior Lecturer (Level C)
- Honorary Principal Fellow / Associate Professor (Level D)
- Honorary Professorial Fellow / Professor(Level E)*
- Honorary Enterprise Fellow / Professor (Level E)**
*Note: Level E apppointees must familiarise themselves with the University's Expectations of a Professor.
**Note: If the appointee is a full professor of a Group of Eight, Universitas 21, Asia Pacific Rim Universities, China 9 group institutions, or a full Professor with existing esteemed academic recognition as specified in MPF1299, then Referee Reports are not required.
Clinical Honorary Appointments
The purpose of an Honorary Clinical Fellow Appointment is to provide recognition for the major contribution that has been or will be made to the University of Melbourne by clinicians, particularly in terms of teaching in University courses and in scholarship and advancement of their clinical discipline.
There are five levels of Clinical Honorary Appointment:
- Clinical Tutor (Level A)
- Clinical Lecturer (Level B)
- Clinical Senior Lecturer (Level C)
- Clinical Associate Professor (Level D)
- Clinical Professor (Level E)*
*Note: Level E appointees must familiarise themselves with the University's Expectations of a Professor.
Difference between Clinical and Academic Honorary Appointments
Clinical Honorary Appointments are only offered with the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
Honorary appointments are assessed on the strength of the applicant's contributions in two of the 3 domains of:
- teaching and learning
- research and research training
- leadership, service and engagement.
In general, Clinical Honorary Appointments:
- are most commonly awarded on the basis of the domains of "teaching and learning", and "leadership, service and engagement"
- may not have as strong a research track record as the equivalent Academic Honorary Appointments
- could include a reference from a senior clinician at the level of Head of Hospital Department or professional equivalent
- are not automatically portable and will cease if the clinician leaves their clinical position, unless application is made based on a new clinical appointment or role.
Guidelines on criteria, expected contributions and achievements for each level of appointment
Please refer to the following documents to help determine the type and level of Honorary Appointment that align with you:
- For Academic Honorary Appointments, the Academic Career Benchmarks and Indicators document explains the indicators for each level.
- For Clinical Honorary Appointment, the MMS Honorary Clinical Appointment Guidelines provides requirements for appointment at each level.
- General information on The What, Why and How of Honorific Titles
Site Contact Information
Please contact Department Coordinators for your relevant site if you require any further information or to submit your application:
Mercy Hospital for Women & Northern Health - Sarah Marcola s.marcola@unimelb.edu.au
Royal Women's Hospital & Western Health - Elise Newman elise.newman@unimelb.edu.au
Honorary Benefits and Obligations
To find out more about the benefits, expectations and obligations of an Honorary, please refer to the Benefits and Obligations webpage.