Academic Board

2024 meeting dates

Time: 9am to 11am
Venue: HR training rooms 1 and 2, level 22, building 1, City campus (CB01.22.10 and CB01.22.18), or via Zoom.

Visit Past Academic Board meetings for agendas, papers, minutes and newsletters from previous years.

Attend as an observer

UTS staff and students are welcome to attend an Academic Board meeting as an observer. Registration is essential as seats are limited. Contact the Executive Officer to express your interest in attending a meeting. Observers will not have speaking or voting rights.

2024 submission dates

Reports intended for Academic Board meetings will not be accepted after 10am on final submission dates.

2024 Chair’s briefing of student members of Academic Board

Monday 25 March  
Monday 27 May  
Monday 22 July  
Monday 23 September  
Monday 21 October (reserve)  
Monday 11 November

Time: 12pm to 1pm
Venue: GSU conference room, level 26, Building 1, City campus (CB01.26.24), or via Zoom.

Quorum

The quorum at any meeting of Academic Board, shall be in accordance with the Standing Orders for Academic Board.

Academic Board’s composition is constituted under Rule G3, Division 1. In accordance with Rule G3-2(1), student members are elected for one year and all staff members are elected for two years. In order to promote continuity on Academic Board, elected staff member terms are staggered.

Chair, Deputy Chair and Vice-Chancellor

Ex officio members

The ex officio members of the Academic Board are to be the person(s) holding the following positions (Rule G3-1(2)).

Elected academic staff members

One member elected by and from the academic staff of each faculty (Rule G3-1(3)(a)).

Eight members elected by and from the professoriate and associate professoriate (levels D and E), with no more than two from any one faculty or unit (Rule G3-1(3)(b)).

Four members elected by and from the academic staff (levels A, B, C), with no more than two from any one faculty or unit (Rule G3-1(3)(c)).

Two members elected by and from the deputy deans or associate deans, or heads of schools (or equivalent) (Rule G3-1(3)(d)).

Elected student members

One student elected by and from each faculty (Rule G3-1(3)(e)), and an alternate from each faculty appointed as per Rule G3-1(4). (Note: The provision for alternates would be exercised as required after the elections, and does not affect the total number of eight in the category.)

Elected postgraduate research student member

One postgraduate research student elected by and from the postgraduate research students of the university (Rule G3-1(3)(f)), and an alternate appointed as per Rule G3-1(4). (Note: The provision for alternates would be exercised as required after the elections, and does not affect the total number in the category.)

Elected Indigenous student member

One Indigenous undergraduate or postgraduate student, elected by and from the UTS Indigenous student body (Rule G3-1(4)).

The Academic Board Charter (PDF) outlines the board's roles, responsibilities, composition and the manner in which it discharges its responsibilities for UTS. 

Responsibilities 

Without limiting the effect of the above purpose (Rule G3-11), Academic Board to: 

Advisory and reporting functions 

a. report to, or advise Council or the Vice-Chancellor on, any aspect of: 

    i. the goals, strategies, objectives, outcomes, principles, directions, priorities, policies, practices, profile and risk management for academic matters of the university

    ii. the quality, standards and benchmarks appropriate to all aspects of the academic work of the university (including teaching, learning, scholarship, research training and research), which are underpinned by the Academic Standards Framework (PDF) approved by Academic Board

b. confirm to Council that delegations of academic authority are implemented based on the University Secretary’s review of the delegations

Approval and monitoring functions 

c. approve those students who are considered eligible to graduate, having satisfactorily completed approved course requirements

d. determine the accreditation of proposed or existing award courses on their academic merit, and the removal of the accreditation of award courses

e. develop, monitor and review academic policies and their effectiveness

f. determine the standards and benchmarks for governing all aspects of academic administration, including, but not limited to, the admission of students and the examination and assessment of students’ work

g. determine the structures and functions of faculty boards, and any subsequent amendments to these, noting that a faculty board’s authority to act on specific matters will continue to require Council’s delegated authority

h. undertake initiatives to oversee academic and research integrity and its breaches thereof, including identification, management, mitigation and monitoring of its potential risks

Collaboration and communication functions 

i. undertake initiatives to critically evaluate and institute measures to promote the communication of, and innovation in, academic matters and the coordination of academic work and activities across the whole University

j. work in conjunction with the Vice-Chancellor, senior UTS staff and University committees on any matters related to Academic Board and its functions, powers and responsibilities, to ensure that the academic goals of the University are achieved.

Performance 

The board will review its performance annually against the charter. 

The board will review the charter annually.

Visit Standing Orders for Academic Board.

From time to time, Academic Board makes approved documents available to clarify significant academic matters with university-wide impact.

Academic Standards Framework

The Academic Standards Framework  (PDF 83KB) is a high-level framework providing a holistic approach to quality management of UTS's academic activities. The framework documents and guides the standards for UTS's academic activities and alignment to the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021. The framework is reviewed annually as per the Procedures for review of the Academic Standards Framework (PDF 136KB).

Statement of Assurance — Conferral of Awards

The Statement of Assurance — Conferral of Awards  (PDF 133KB) is part of the university’s quality management process for the conferral of awards. It outlines the governance framework (including standards of quality and processes) in place to ensure that UTS meets the requirements of the HESF 2021. It sets out UTS's approach to quality assurance for conferral of awards with relevant links to the governance framework.

Statement of Principles for Setting the Learning Calendar

The Statement of Principles for Setting the Learning Calendar (PDF 128KB) outlines the principles for setting the academic year calendar and associated academic year dates.

Strategic Risk Assessment for Academic Board

The Strategic Risk Assessment for Academic Board (PDF 349KB) (SharePoint) presents UTS-wide academic risks as they relate to the terms of reference of Academic Board and its committees, and their risk ratings and mitigations.

Visit Academic Board forums for information on the past forums. 

Academic Board newsletters are available to members and staff and are published at Corporate governance (SharePoint).

Academic Board guide (PDF 90kb) provides a brief overview of Academic Board (and its committees), including role, functions and responsibilities of the board, its committees and its members.

Academic Board manual (PDF 846kb) (SharePoint) provides detailed information about board procedures and background.