Honorary Associations with WMS - Applicant FAQs

An Honorary Associate with WMS is someone who holds an Honorary Title bestowed by the University of Warwick. He or she will be making a useful contribution to the academic business of WMS, usually through research collaboration, clinical teaching or both.

What benefits do I receive as an Honorary Associate?

We hope you enjoy and benefit from your Honorary Association with WMS, and that it will be mutually fulfilling, offering new opportunities for networking and research, teaching or other related activity. You receive an honorary title at a level suitable to recognise your activity in connection with WMS, a University card and a University email address. This will allow you to access the University Library, sports centre and other central facilities. You will not receive any payment and you will not be an employee of the University. As an Honorary Associate, you do not have any employee rights.

What are my responsibilities to the University?

You are responsible for delivering on the commitments made in your application form. WMS expects you to get involved and work collaboratively with WMS colleagues and to inform us if anything causes you problems. We ask you to hold the name of the University and Warwick Medical School in good repute. You should let us know if anything occurs that might materially affect your continuing in the role. For example, if you were under investigation or ceased to be registered by the General Medical Council. Or, if you moved away or were no longer able to undertake the planned collaborations.

What titles are available?

There are several levels of title available, some with clinical and non-clinical variants. The titles described on the website and in the Criteria
are the only honorary titles available. If you have held another honorary title previously, you will be allocated an honorary title that best aligns with what you are doing now.

How do I apply for an Honorary Professorship?

To become an Honorary Professor, you need to meet the same standards of academic achievement as that of a substantive Professor at the university, as well as demonstrate the reason why the University might wish to provide you with an Honorary Professorship. This is challenging, particularly alongside a substantive role elsewhere, and you are advised to seek advice and an informal opinion based upon your up to date CV. You should contact the Dean of Medicine in the first instance, however, given the highly specialist nature of many topics, further opinions may be needed from experts elsewhere in the University or beyond.

The application process for an Honorary Professor appointment is explained on the University internal webpages Honorary and Visiting Associations guidance. This link is not available externally.

After an informal discussion, applicants for Honorary Professorship should complete the online nominee information form, in the same way as other applicants, and work together with their proposer, a senior academic at Warwick Medical School, in order to progress their application.

What is WMS looking for in an application?

Honorary Associates are expected to provide an ongoing, useful and direct contribution to WMS’s goals, which generally focus on teaching or research. WMS has interests in a wide range of diverse areas across the spectrum from basic molecular science, clinical science, translation, clinical trials, public health, mental health, general practice and community health and wellbeing, medical statistics, evidence synthesis, education and training. We have many collaborators on a local, national and international stage. Your contribution may take many forms, for example, teaching medical students, undergraduates, postgraduates, or supervising doctoral students or other research projects, facilitating research, recruiting patients or samples, undertaking measurements or analysis, adding clinical expertise or insight and so on. There are many opportunities available. You should work with your proposer, who will understand WMS’s goals, to construct a good application. The different levels of title available are explained in the Criteria. If you think your area is not represented or you don’t know who to contact, please speak to Samita Bawa, HR Officer (S.A.Bawa@warwick.ac.uk).

How do I apply for an Honorary Title?

A new process was introduced in 2015 for several reasons:

1. To streamline the process for applicants and WMS

2. To promote communication between Honorary Associates and substantive academic staff at WMS

3. To ensure consistency in managing all applications for honorary associations

4. To facilitate the submission of material for website presentation

5. To facilitate updates

The prospective Honorary Associate (the nominee) makes contact with a substantive member of academic staff at WMS who knows of their current or prospective contribution and who agrees to propose him or her.

The nominee completes an online Nominee Form and submits it together with an up to date CV and a photo.

This information then goes to the proposer who completes an internal form explaining what activities the nominee is expected to undertake in the period of the Honorary Association.

The forms and CV will be reviewed and if approved, WMS will ask the University to confer the appropriate title.

Additional steps are required for Honorary Professor which may include taking up of references and assessment by a panel of academics.

Who can nominate me?

Your proposer needs to be a substantive member of academic staff of Warwick Medical School (i.e. they are an employee of the University).

If you are involved in teaching, this is likely to be the lead for the course or module that you contribute to, for example, if you contribute to a block in Phase I medical student teaching, you could ask the block lead or the Phase lead to propose you. If you contribute to teaching of medical students in the clinical setting in Phase II or III, then the appropriate phase lead may be best placed to propose you.

If you are involved in teaching on, for example, postgraduate taught degrees, then the module leader or course director could propose you. If you participate in research in collaboration with WMS, then your research collaborator can propose you, if he or she is employed by the University.

You can identify prospective collaborators by searching the WMS staff list. Most academic staff have linked web pages so you can see their teaching and/or research interests.

Why can’t my proposer be someone with an honorary contract?

Only substantive staff are able to nominate Honorary Associates because the University of Warwick needs to retain ownership and control of the process.

I have submitted my form. How long will it be before I hear the outcome?

We usually expect to have reached a decision within 6 weeks (except for Honorary Professor). You will receive a letter from the University. If you would like to check on progress, please contact: Samita Bawa (S dot A dot Bawa at warwick dot ac dot uk).

If you have not heard anything about your application within 6 weeks, please contact your proposer who will be able to follow up the application internally via our Divisional support staff.

For Honorary Professor applications, a longer time is required because references are taken up and the panel that makes decisions on such applications at WMS meets termly.

When can I use my honorary title?

You are able to use your Honorary title as you wish, in any professional context, for the period of your Honorary Association with WMS, as stated in your award letter. After this period, unless it is renewed, your association automatically lapses and you must not use the title. Please ensure that you are always using the correct title. If you place your details on websites, please ensure that these are updated at the end of your term.

Can I use my honorary title on academic publications?

You are encouraged use your honorary title on academic publications alongside any other affiliations that you may have. This provides evidence of collaboration and is beneficial for both WMS and your other affiliations.

I am leaving the University’s employment and am applying for an Honorary Association so that I can continue in collaboration. Can I just extend my current IT and library/access card?

The University requires a break of at least 1 month between the end of substantive employment and the beginning of an Honorary Association. Substantive employment and Honorary Associations are treated differently on the HR and IT systems and require complete separation. In order to make the transition as smooth as possible, please apply as early as you can. You may experience some disruption to your access to university buildings and IT. We will try to minimize any disruption but continuous access cannot be guaranteed.

I have been given a different title to the one requested?

The title provided will depend upon what you do in the academic context.

In 2014 and 2017, the criteria for Honorary Associations were re-evaluated by the University. Since 2014, all renewals have been assessed in line with the new criteria and sometimes a different title has been awarded, in accordance with the best fit to the individual’s current contribution.

For this reason, it is important to ensure that a clear statement of the relevant activities and achievements in the term is provided in the application or renewal application.

We try to be consistent from one person to the next and to apply standards on a par with the equivalent substantive University titles. If you believe there has been a mistake, please let us know.

I teach medical students as part of my job at a local NHS Trust. Isn’t it automatic for me to have an honorary appointment?

WMS greatly values the contribution of clinical colleagues in teaching medical and other students, however, there are no automatic entitlements to an Honorary Association, or to a specific level of association. If you are teaching medical students, you will be in contact with substantive colleagues at WMS who can confirm your activity and may agree to nominate you for an Honorary Association in the normal way.

I am a consultant at X NHS Trust / I am a Professor at the University of Y / I hold an Honorary Professorship at the University of Z. Why has the University of Warwick awarded me a title at a low level?

The honorary title is decided by the University, dependent upon your current or proposed activity and the nature of your contribution to WMS. It does not depend upon your status in your substantive employment or elsewhere. Your proposer will be able to make a recommendation as to which title is most suitable so you may wish to discuss this with him or her.

Why do I have to send in my photo?

WMS is in the process of setting up a website to document and celebrate Clinical Faculty and Honorary Associates. We would like to place your photograph along with a short summary of your interests from your application form onto the website. This will help enable colleagues to see the expertise available and to make contacts and network for new opportunities and collaborations. It is not yet technically possible to place the photos on the website, but we hope that this may become possible in future.

Why are you asking for my professional website address?

If you already have a professional website, such as a university page of your own, or a Linked-In page, we can provide a link to your page on the Clinical Faculty website that is currently under construction. Please do not provide links to informal, personal websites that are not work-related as this would not be relevant to your external profile at WMS.

Do I need an Honorary Title in order to supervise a PhD/MD student?

At WMS, all doctoral students have at least two supervisors. The first supervisor is always a substantive member of University academic staff, however, the second supervisor can be anyone appropriate for the project. The co-supervisors agree between them how their roles work together. A supervisor does not require to have an Honorary Title.

How can I find out more about WMS and other Honorary Associates?

You are warmly encouraged to join in and make contact with colleagues at WMS. We are building a Clinical Faculty community that encompasses all the external contributors to WMS’s goals. We are working to increase communication and encourage networking amongst Honorary Associates, substantive staff, students and all constituents of WMS. To this end, we would like Honorary Associates to have more information about WMS and the activities, events and opportunities here, such as lectures, ongoing research, social events and relevant news. We are working on improving the website by including a list of all Honorary Associates and their interests. In future we are planning to establish a regular email newsletter.

We will communicate with you personally via your email address provided in the application form, if necessary for any reason associated with your role as an Honorary Associate. However, we cannot send you unsolicited newsletters without your consent. We shall be asking all Honorary Associates for permission in due course and we hope you will opt in to receiving such communications from WMS.

How do I gain access to Moodle which I need for teaching?

If you need Moodle for your teaching, most likely your course coordinator will set this up for you. For MB ChB teaching, this is usually done by Laura Cranshaw (l.cranshaw@warwick.ac.uk), but the University’s IT helpdesk (02476 573737) will be able to direct you to the right person for your course.

How long does the Honorary Association last?

An Honorary Association lasts for up to three years, but it can be shorter, for example, if a person is in the UK for a year only or a contribution is envisaged that will be completed in a shorter period.

What happens when it expires?

After the term of the Honorary Association has completed, the Association will automatically expire. However, it can be renewed for further periods of up to three years if there are reasons to do so. For renewal, the contribution made over the most recent period will be reviewed. You and your original nominator (or a new one if they are no longer available) will be asked to provide details of your activities in this regard. Input may also be sought from relevant others, such as the educational leads at NHS Trusts. The honorary title may be changed (up or down) at renewal to ensure that it reflects the current contribution. We are also working on a system to alert Honorary Associates when their association is approaching its expiry date.

My University IT access has been lost – please help.

Access to your university email account, Moodle and any other University-based IT resources that you use, is controlled automatically by your status on the University’s HR computer system. If your Honorary Association has expired, your IT access will terminate. You will receive an automated warning message about this before it happens. To avoid loss of IT services, please apply well in advance of your term’s end date if you are requesting renewal (at least 3 months). If a problem arises, please contact Samita Bawa (S dot A dot Bawa at warwick dot ac dot uk).

There isn’t a form for renewing my Honorary Association?

To request renewal of your Honorary Association, you should complete the Nominee Form, selecting “Renewal of existing association” from the drop down menu at the top of the form.

Why does my NHS Trust have to sign this off? [Clinical Honorary Titles only]

Historically, lack of close joint working between the NHS and Higher Education Institutions caused a number of problems for individuals and organisations, since their honorary and substantive roles were not integrated in a meaningful way. The Follett report made recommendations to alleviate these problems. As a result, NHS Trusts (usually the Medical Director) need to formally sign off additional activities, such as Honorary Associations, that individuals may undertake in connection with their work. For NHS employees at Honorary Associate Clinical Professor, this needs to incorporate a joint appraisal.

If you currently work in an NHS clinical role, please contact your clinical line manager or Clinical Director to discuss your application. You will be asked to name this person on your nominee form. It would also be courteous to contact the Medical Director to let him or her know that you are applying. Alternatively your line manager or Clinical Director may brief the Medical Director on your behalf.

During the application process, the Medical School will contact the Trust to seek confirmation of support. An email from the Medical Director is sufficient, a ‘wet ink’ signature is not required.

I am not employed by the NHS (or at all). Does this matter?

For the University’s purposes, it does not matter whether you are employed by the NHS, another organisation, are retired or self-employed.

If you are employed, it is appropriate for your employer to be made aware of any application to become an Honorary Associate at WMS because, depending on what you do, it may have some bearing upon your work for them. This is your responsibility.

Why are you asking for my teaching qualifications?

Universities are judged upon their teaching performance by the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). TEF requires Universities to provide details of the teaching qualifications of all people who may teach its students. Since Honorary Associates are sometimes extensively involved in teaching, particularly for MBChB students, it is important that our teachers are properly qualified for the task and that we can document this. For this reason, we are collecting information systematically about teaching qualifications for all honorary associates. Please use the relevant section of the Nominee Information Form to let us know of any relevant teaching qualifications or courses that you have attended.

What can I do if I have any complaints or concerns?

You are welcome to raise any concerns with our HR Officer, Samita Bawa. If you are still unhappy you may contact the Dean of Warwick Medical School (Professor Sudhesh Kumar).