• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Accountability
• Section 3 - Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Delegations
• Section 5 - Membership
• Chair
• Deputy Chair
• Other Members
• Advisory Group
• Section 6 - Meeting Frequency
• Section 7 - Reporting and Communication
• Section 8 - Procedures
• Section 9 - Secretariat

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) University Academic Board is responsible for oversight of academic governance at the University, in particular, for ensuring the effective development, implementation and review of academic programs and policies and the maintenance of academic standards.

Section 2 - Accountability

(2) University Academic Board is the University’s academic governance committee accountable to Council.

(3) This charter assists the University by providing an overarching framework related to academic governance as required in the TEQSA Threshold Standards mandated in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 made under section 58(1) of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011.  Specifically, it assists satisfy the provision of Standards within Domain 6 - Governance and Accountability, specifically Standards under 6.3 – Academic Governance.  It is also related to other Standards that support to fulfill the academic governance responsibilities such as Standards 6.1 - Corporate Governance and 6.2 – Corporate Monitoring and Accountability,  Standards under Domain 3 - Teaching, Domain 4 – Research and Research Training and Domain 5 - Institutional Quality Assurance, and Standards 2.1 – Facilities and Infrastructure, 2.2 – Diversity and Equity, 2.3 - Wellbeing and Safety, 7.2 – Information for Prospective and Current Students and 7.3 – Information Management.

Section 3 - Responsibilities

(4) University Academic Board undertakes the following responsibilities:

1. advises Council and recommends where appropriate on the academic strategic directions and plans of the University as they relate to education and research;
2. approves, accredits and re-accredits, on delegated authority of Council, all new course developments and significant changes to existing courses;
3. monitors academic integrity and academic standards, and oversees the quality assurance arrangements for all academic activities, and reports to Council on these matters at least annually;
4. approves, on delegated authority of Council, academic and research policy and procedures;
5. confers academic awards, on delegated authority of Council.

Section 4 - Delegations

(5) The University Academic Board has delegated responsibility from Council to approve academic and research policy, matters relating to courses and course requirements, determining graduation and the conferral of awards and  the QUT Code for Responsible Conduct of Research. The Register of Authorities and Delegations details these delegations.

(6) The Board may delegate any of its functions, other than those delegated to it by Council, to its standing committees , particularly matters of an operational nature.

Section 5 - Membership

(7) Chair:

1. Member of the professoriate appointed by Council as Chair;

(8) Ex officio membership categories:

1. Vice-Chancellor and President;
2. Provost/Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor;
3. Such Deputy Vice-Chancellors as determined by the Vice-Chancellor and President;
4. Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar;
5. Chairs of University Academic Board committees, if not already included in another membership category:
   1. Appeals Committee;
   2. Curriculum Standards Committee (Director, Curriculum Quality and Academic Integrity ex officio);
   3. Faculty Academic Boards, with the exception of Faculty of Indigenous Knowledges and Culture (Executive Deans of faculty/Executive Director, QUT College ex officio);
   4. University Learning and Teaching Committee (Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President Academic ex officio); and
   5. University Research Committee (Head of Research Portfolio ex officio).
6. Such Pro Vice-Chancellors as determined by the Head of Academic Division;
7. University Librarian.

(9) Nominated membership categories:

1. One Head of School from each faculty (with the exception of Faculty of Indigenous Knowledges and Culture), nominated by the Executive Dean of that faculty;
2. Two Council members nominated by the Chancellor;
3. Two academic staff members from the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledges and Culture, one of which may be the Chair of the Faculty Academic Board, nominated by Executive Dean of that faculty;
4. One academic staff member engaged in learning and teaching and/or research activities in a division, nominated by Head of relevant division;
5. Five students, nominated by the Chair, following consultation with any other officer as required and after receiving expressions of interest, consisting of the following:
   1. Two postgraduate students; and
   2. Three undergraduate students, including at least one international student.
6. Three students, including two undergraduate students, nominated by QUT Student Guild Council.

(10) Elected membership categories:

1. Five academic staff members from each faculty (with the exception of Faculty of Indigenous Knowledges and Culture), elected by and from the academic staff of that faculty, consisting of the following:
   1. Two members from the professoriate (Levels D and E);
   2. Two members from the non-professoriate (Levels A – C), one of which is expected to be an early career academic (<7 years post-PhD); and
   3. One additional member.
2. Two professional staff engaged in learning and teaching, research activities, elected by and from professional staff across all divisions and faculties;
3. One QUT College educator, elected by and from the educators of that College;
4. One Indigenous Australian academic staff member elected by Indigenous Australian academic staff members.

Chair

(11) The Chair is appointed via the process outlined in Council Procedure 5 - Appointment of the Chair of University Academic Board. The term of office for the Chair is four years.

Deputy Chair

(12) The Deputy Chair will be elected from current elected faculty academic staff who are members of both the professoriate and the University Academic Board. The Deputy Chair is elected in accordance with Council Procedure 7 - Conduct of Elections. The term of office for the Deputy Chair is up to three years.

Other Members

(13) Elected members term of office is determined by Council Procedure 1 - Committee Operations, clause (25).

(14) Nominated members of the Committee serve a term of office of up to two years. The length of a nominated member’s term of office is recommended to the nominator by the Chair, on advice from the Secretariat.

(15) Consistent with Council Procedure 1 - Committee Operations, clause (41), Heads of School nominated by Executive Deans must take account of the expertise of particular members, gender balance, and diversity of the membership of the committee. Executive Deans are required to collectively discuss the proposed nominations with the Provost/Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

(16) Student members, including those nominated by the QUT Student Guild, must also take account of the expertise, gender balance, and diversity of the membership of the committee.

Advisory Group

(17) The University Academic Board Advisory Group provides oversight and strategic advice regarding agenda items and the annual work plan of the Committee and assists by providing support to the Chair as required with other functions.

Section 6 - Meeting Frequency

(18) University Academic Board meets at least five times per year, in each committee meeting cycle leading up to QUT Council.

Section 7 - Reporting and Communication

(19) Following each meeting, University Academic Board reports to the next meeting of Council.

(20) Faculty academic boards report to University Academic Board, which also has standing committees addressing appeals, learning and teaching, curriculum, and research.

Section 8 - Procedures

(21) University Academic Board is established in accordance with the Committee Governance Policy (Section 5) and operates in accordance with Council Procedure 1 - Committee Operations.

Section 9 - Secretariat

(22) A nominee of the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar is secretary.