Jump to Content

< back


Advisory structures

Print version: PDF 245KB - download Adobe Acrobat

POLICY NO: A-38.7

DATE OF APPROVAL:  AB Resolution 2004/3/69

AMENDMENTS:

REFERENCE AUTHORITY: Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice President: Academic

CROSS-REFERENCES:

EFFECTIVE DATE: 15 June 2004

Preamble

The University of South Australia's core business is educating professionals, creating and applying knowledge, and engaging our communities. Strong external relationships enable the University to receive current advice in order to maintain and improve the quality of its teaching, research, professional practice and service to the community.

This policy provides a framework for establishing division and institute structures that provide advice from representatives of business, the professions, the not-for-profit sector, and the general community. It recognises that advisory structures may vary across the divisions and institutes because of differences in the nature of core business across the University, and the appropriate consultation processes with relevant external organisations.

Policy

1. Division Pro Vice Chancellors, the Director for Regional Engagement, and Directors of supported Research Institutes and supported Research Centres will establish and maintain a coherent, efficient and effective approach to obtaining regular, reliable and timely advice about their core business from external stakeholders, through the establishment of advisory structures.

2. The activity undertaken by the University's advisory structures will be reported annually to Academic Board in accordance with the procedures set out in this document.

3. Advisory structures, as described in this policy, include established advisory groups and occasional advisory meetings with stakeholders about particular issues

4. Advisory structures provide:

4.1 independent expert external advice to individuals and groups responsible for decisions about educational and research programs
4.2 advice about relevant trends in the demand for graduates and the graduate qualities required by employers and the community
4.3 comment on the structure and content of existing programs under review, and on proposed new programs (in accordance with the Coursework Program Approval Manual templates), and
4.4 advice on research trends and strategic opportunities for research.

  1. Advisory structures will take account of the particular requirements and business of the Division or Institute and will ensure that participation in advisory groups by external representatives is not unduly onerous

1 Supported Research Institutes includes supported Flagship Research Institutes.
2 Supported Research Centres includes supported International Research Centres.

Procedures

Establishment of advisory groups

  1. Advisory groups will be established under written terms of reference, which are to be reviewed regularly.

  2. The terms of reference for an advisory group will outline the following -

(a)

the purpose, overall role and responsibility of the advisory group;

(b)

a clear statement of the responsibilities of the members and the University's expectations of them;

(c)

the reporting requirements for the advisory group (see clause 8);

(d)

that the advisory group will meet at least twice per year;

(e)

that there will be no more than 15 members;

(f)

the membership of the advisory group (by position title not name of incumbent);

(g)

that the members will be appointed for an initial term of three years, and a for a total of four consecutive terms. The terms of membership should include staggered terms of office to ensure continuity of membership;

(h)

that a member's term ends after non-attendance of two consecutive meetings, where the member has not obtained leave of absence;

(i)

that the quorum of the advisory group will be one half of the full membership plus the chair (or nominee).. When a quorum is not present no resolution is to be made, but the members present may discuss matters and make recommendations, which will then be reported to, and ratified by, the next full meeting of the advisory group;

(j)

that the chair will determine who, in addition to the members and executive officer, may/or will be expected to be in attendance at a meeting and issue invitations accordingly;

(k)

that the chair will be an external member.

 

  1. Advisory groups will report annually to Academic Board through the relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/Deputy Vice Chancellor. Reports will include:

8.1    an outline of the advisory activities of the previous year, and

8.2    current memberships of all established advisory groups.

Specific reporting requirements are outlined in clauses 18, 19, 23 and 27.

  1. The Pro Vice Chancellor or Director of each Research Institute and Recognised University Research Centre, responsible for the establishment of an advisory group, will designate one or more staff to support the work of the advisory group (including attending meetings and undertaking the role of executive officer).

  2. The executive officer of the advisory group is responsible for ensuring that membership of the advisory group is listed on the website.

  3. With the exception of matters covered in this policy, advisory groups may determine their own procedures.

  4.  All costs associated with the administration of advisory groups or the convening of advisory meetings will be borne by the Divisions, Schools and Institutes, as determined by the Division.

Establishment of advisory meetings

  1.  In addition to advisory groups established in accordance with this policy, Divisions, Schools, Research Institutes or Recognised Research Centres may convene specific meetings with stakeholders to seek advice about particular matters, such as existing or proposed programs or research areas.

  2. Advisory meetings will be convened by an appropriate member of University staff. Invitations will be extended to a representative range of stakeholders who will be provided with relevant documentation about the issue under consideration. Outcomes of the meetings will be formally documented and reported to the Division Pro Vice Chancellor or the Director of the Institute, or Director of the Recognised Research Centre, or relevant organisational unit.

Procedures for Division advisory groups

  1. The Pro Vice Chancellor responsible for each Division / the Centre for Regional Engagement will establish one or more advisory groups under written terms of reference outlined in clauses 6 and 7 and determine its composition and membership after consultation with the relevant Head of School or nominee.

  2. In addition to the requirements for terms of reference outlined in clauses 6 and 7, the advisory groups established for a Division may, reflecting the range of disciplines involved and the external stakeholders engaged, include -

    (a)

    a Division advisory group

    (b)

    one or more School advisory groups

    (c)

    one or more program advisory groups

    (d)

    one or more campus or Centre for Regional Engagement advisory groups

    (e)

    one or more Research Centre advisory groups;

    (f)

    one or more advisory groups for particular purposes.

  3. In addition to the requirements for terms of reference outlined in clauses 6 and 7, and clause 16 above, the terms of reference for Division advisory groups will provide for the membership to include -

(a)

senior representation from the relevant professions, industry bodies, community organisations and government organisations and from research partners;

(b)

alumni, and

(c)

the Pro-Vice Chancellor and/or Head of School and/or Associate Head of School and/or Program Director and/or nominee of the Head of School as the advisory group's ex officio members.
  1. At least once each year, the chair of each advisory group established for a Division / the Centre for Regional Engagement will report to the relevant Pro Vice Chancellor on its advisory activities since the last report. (See clause 8.)

  2. The Pro Vice Chancellor responsible for each Division / the Centre for Regional Engagement will then report to the Academic Board on the Division's advisory groups and their membership. (See clause 8.)

Procedures for Supported Research Institute3 advisory groups

  1. The Director of each supported Research Institute will, in consultation with the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation, establish an advisory group under written terms of reference, as outlined in clauses 6 and 7.

  2. In addition to the requirements for terms of reference outlined in clauses 6 and 7, the terms of reference for supported Research Institute advisory groups will provide for the membership to include -

(a)

senior representation from the relevant professions, industry bodies, community organisations and government organisations and from research partners;

(b)

athe Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation or nominee (ex officio);

(c)

the Director of the relevant Research Institute (ex officio);

(d)

 a distinguished academic from an external research centre or research institute in a related field.
  1. The composition and membership of supported Research Institute advisory groups will be approved by the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation.

  2. At least once each year, the chair of each supported Research Institute advisory group will report through the Research Policy Committee and the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation to the Academic Board on the composition and membership and its advisory activities. (See clause 8.)

3 Supported Research Institutes includes supported Flagship Research Institutes.

Procedures for Supported Research Centre4 advisory groups

  1. The Director of each supported University Research Centre will, in consultation with the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation and the Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant Division, establish an advisory group under written terms of reference, as outlined in clauses 6 to 7.

  2. In addition to the requirements for terms of reference outlined in clauses 6 and 7, the terms of reference for supported Research Centre advisory groups will provide for the membership to include -

(a)

senior representation from the relevant professions, industry bodies, community organisations and government organisations and from research partners (by identifying the professions, organisations and partners);

(b)

the Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant Division (ex officio);

(c)

the Dean: Research of the relevant Division (ex officio);

(d)

 the Director of the relevant Recognised University Research Centre (ex officio);

(e)

 a distinguished academic from a Research Institute, Research Centre, or a Research Group in a related field; and

(f)

 a representative from the Research Policy Committee.

  1. The composition and membership of supported Research Centre advisory groups will be approved by the Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant Division.

  2. At least once each year, the chair of each supported Research Centre advisory group will report to the Research Policy Committee and the Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant Division on the composition and membership and the advisory activities for that year. (See clause 8.)

4 Supported Research Centres includes and Supported International Research Centres.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF ADVISORY GROUPS

RESPONSIBILITY FOR... DIVISION SUPPORTED RESEARCH INSTITUTE SUPPORTED RESEARCH CENTRE

Establishment of advisory group

The Pro Vice Chancellor establishes advisory groups within a division (cl 15).

The Director of each Research Institute in consultation with the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and International (cl 20)

The Director of each supported Research Centre in consultation with the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation and the Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant Division (cl 24).

Approval of composition and m/ship

The Pro Vice Chancellor determines composition and membership, in consultation with the relevant head of school (cl 15).

Approved by the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and International (cl 22).

The Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant division approves the composition and membership (cl 26).

Reporting requirements -


Requirement to report on:

  • the advisory activities of the previous year, and

  • current memberships of all established advisory groups
          

Chairs of advisory groups report to relevant Pro Vice Chancellor (cl 18).

The Chair of each Research Institute advisory group reports to Academic Board through the Research Policy Committee and Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation (cl 23).

The Chair of each Research Centre advisory group reports to the Research Policy Committee and Pro Vice Chancellor of the relevant Division (cl 27).

Relevant Pro Vice Chancellor then reports to Academic Board (cl 19).

The relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor then reports annually to Academic Board (cl 8).

The relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/relevant Deputy Vice Chancellor then reports annually to Academic Board (cl 8).

 

top^