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Browse the resources your Learning and Organisational Development team has put together to help you navigate the PRD process.

Key Resources

PRD and objective setting

PRD and objectives

Through the PRD scheme, we recognise the need for strategic alignment between staff activities and the DCU strategy. We achieve this by assessing each staff member’s actual performance against previously established performance objectives, and against standards aligned with the strategy. 

To support the objective-setting process, the PRD scheme focuses on career development and progression pathways of three staff groups:

  • academic
  • research
  • professional, support and technical   

Select the tab above for your area. 

Academic staff

In line with the DCU Academic Development & Promotion Framework, objective setting for academic staff is built around three broad domains — with an added focus on leadership as well as learning and development objectives:

  • teaching and learning 
  • research and scholarship
  • service and contribution to university and society
  • leadership
  • learning and development

Learn more about objective setting in our PRD smart objectives guide and sample objectives.

Research staff

In line with the DCU Research Career Framework, objective setting for research staff is built around the outlined competencies, with an added focus on learning and development as well as career objectives:

  • discipline-specific knowledge and research skills
  • communicating research
  • management and leadership skills
  • understanding the research environment
  • learning and development
  • career objectives.
    • work objectives, focusing on key results areas rather than activities or tasks

Learn more about objective setting in our PRD smart objectives guide and sample objectives.

Professional, support and technical staff

In line with the DCU Professional Development Framework, objective setting for this category is built around:

  • leadership/management and/or team objectives, focusing on your contribution as a leader/manager to deliver departmental and/or university goals — or on your contribution as a team member 
  • career objectives, focusing on your short-term and long-term ambitions/aspirations and what you need to do to get there.
  • learning and development objectives,focusing on improving knowledge, skills and/or competencies.

Learn more about objective setting in our PRD smart objectives guide and sample objectives.

Got a question?

If you have questions about reviewer or reviewee training, please contact learning.development@dcu.ie

LinkedIn Learning

Plan for and conduct effective performance reviews with help from these LinkedIn resources. 

Have better conversations: top tips

Ensure you and your reviewee have a good conversation during your PRD meeting — see Eight tips for a better conversation.