Academic Board

Reporting to RMIT Council, the Academic Board is the governing body responsible for oversight of RMIT's academic affairs.

Role of the Academic Board

The Academic Board is responsible for governance of all aspects of the University's academic mission inclusive of learning and teaching, scholarship, research and research training. The Board fulfils its responsibilities by monitoring and providing oversight of academic quality, standards and outcomes, academic and research integrity, innovation and risk, and academic freedom.

The functions of the Board are established pursuant to the RMIT Statute No. 1 (Amendment No. 2) and the Academic Board Regulations.

Key functions of the Board include:

Approving the requirements for all Higher Education, Vocational Education and Higher Education Degrees by Research awards conferred by the University;
Developing, reviewing and approving academic and research policies;
providing advice and reporting to Council on academic matters.

Questions on notice

Academic Board is keen to hear from the wider University Community. What are the big issues regarding academic governance that you would like the Board to consider?

Submit a Question on Notice

Academic Board Membership

The Board is chaired by Dr Sharon Andrews.

The composition of Academic Board is outlined in the Academic Board Regulations.

The Board’s membership and is designed to represent the interests and voice of the academic community and students and includes:

Ex-officio members: appointed on the basis of their substantive position
Elected staff: academic, teaching and professional (2-year term)
Elected students: higher degree by research, postgraduate, undergraduate higher education and vocational education (1-year term)

To view the Board’s current membership, forward planner, meeting papers and minutes, and Handbook please click this link (staff login required).

Standing Committees of Academic Board

The Academic Board has established four standing committees that provide advice and support to the Board. These Committees work under the guidance of the Academic Board to consider matters set out in their respective Terms of Reference.

As a central component of the University's academic governance framework, the Committees provide independent, academically informed advice enabling the Board to act on the basis of rigorous scrutiny and review at the standing committee level.

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Programs Committee

The Programs Committee has been established to provide recommendations to the Board on course and program proposals, and oversight, monitoring and advice on the academic governance aspects of related policies, procedures and quality assurance arrangements.

The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Board on:

Policies, procedures related to program and course design
The accreditation, re- accreditation or discontinuation of Higher Education awards.
The University’s strategy for the program and course design
Admissions standards and English Language entrance requirements
The governance of shorter form credentials and non-formal learning
The external environment including policy, strategy, trends and innovations
Ongoing compliance with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements

The Committee is Chaired by Professor Penelope June Weller.

View Terms of Reference
To view the Committee’s current membership, forward planner, meeting papers and minutes please click this link (staff login required).

Higher Education Committee

The Higher Education Committee has been established to provide advice to the Board on academic quality and excellence in all aspects of teaching and learning for Higher Education Programs.

The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Board on:

Policies, procedures and quality assurance
Internal and external academic quality standards
Student progression, academic conduct and academic integrity
The University’s Learning and Teaching strategy
The external environment including policy, strategy, trends and innovations
Academic risk, including relevant findings and recommendations arising from internal and external audits
Ongoing compliance with Higher Education legislative and regulatory requirements.

The Committee is Chaired by Associate Professor Ehsan Gharaie, who also serves as the current Deputy Chair of Academic Board.

View Terms of Reference
To view the Committee’s current membership, forward planner, meeting papers and minutes please click this link.

Vocational Education Committee

The Vocational Education Committee has been established to provide advice to Academic Board on academic quality and excellence in all areas of teaching and learning for Vocational Education Programs.

The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Board on:

Policies, procedures and quality assurance
Internal and external academic quality standards
Student progression, academic conduct and academic integrity
The University’s Learning and Teaching strategy
The external environment including policy, strategy, trends and innovations
Academic risk, including relevant findings and recommendations arising from internal and external audits
Ongoing compliance with Vocational Education legislative and regulatory requirements.
Oversight of the ASQA Delegations Panel.

The Committee is Chaired by Mrs Theresa Lyford.

View Terms of Reference
To view the Committee’s current membership, forward planner, meeting papers and minutes please click this link.

Research Committee

The Research Committee has been established to provide advice to Academic Board on quality and excellence across all aspects of research and research training. The Committee is supported by the Graduate Research Sub-Committee.

The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Board on:

Policies, procedures and quality assurance
Internal and external academic quality standards
Research ethics and integrity, and the responsible conduct of research
The University’s Research strategy
The external environment including policy, strategy, trends and innovations
Academic risk, including relevant findings and recommendations arising from internal and external audits
Ongoing compliance with research and research training legislative and regulatory requirements

The Committee is Chaired by Professor Lauren Rickards.

View Terms of Reference
To view the Committee’s current membership, forward planner, meeting papers and minutes please click this link.

Meeting dates

2022 Academic Board and Committee paper submission schedule

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Academic Board

1pm – 4pm

Meeting Number	Meeting Date	Agenda & papers to Members	Papers due to Secretariat
1/2022	Mon, 14 February	Mon, 7 February	Mon, 31 January
2/2022	Mon, 28 March	Mon, 21 March	Mon, 14 March
3/2022	Mon, 9 May	Mon, 2 May	Mon, 25 April
4/2022	Mon, 20 June	Mon, 13 June	Mon, 6 June
5/2022	Mon, 1 August	Mon, 25 July	Mon, 18 July
6/2022	Mon, 12 September	Mon, 5 September	Mon, 29 August
7/2022	Mon, 24 October	Mon, 17 October	Mon, 10 October
8/2022	Mon, 5 December	Mon, 28 November	Mon, 21 November

Programs Committee

1pm – 3pm

Meeting Number	Meeting Date	Agenda & papers to Members	Papers due to Secretariat
1/2022	Mon, 31 January	Mon, 24 January	Mon, 17 January
2/2022	Tues, 15 March	Tues, 8 March	Tues, 1 March
3/2022	Tues, 26 April	Tues, 19 April	Tues, 12 April
4/2022	Mon, 6 June	Mon, 30 May	Mon, 23 May
5/2022	Mon, 18 July	Mon, 11 July	Mon, 4 July
6/2022	Mon, 29 August	Mon, 22 August	Mon, 15 August
7/2022	Mon, 10 October	Mon, 3 October	Mon, 26 September
8/2022	Mon, 21 November	Mon, 14 November	Mon, 7 November

Higher Education Committee

1pm – 3pm

Meeting Number	Meeting Date	Agenda & papers to Members	Papers due to Secretariat
1/2022	Wed, 9 March	Wed, 2 March	Wed, 23 February
2/2022	Wed, 20 April	Wed, 13 April	Wed, 6 April
3/2022	Wed, 1 June	Wed, 25 May	Wed, 18 May
4/2022	Wed, 24 August	Wed, 17 August	Wed, 10 August
5/2022	Wed, 5 October	Wed, 28 September	Wed, 21 September
6/2022	Wed, 16 November	Wed, 9 November	Wed, 2 November

Vocational Education Committee

10:30am – 12:30pm

Meeting Number	Meeting Date	Agenda & papers to Members	Papers due to Secretariat
1/2022	Wed, 9 March	Wed, 2 March	Wed, 23 February
2/2022	Wed, 20 April	Wed, 13 April	Wed, 6 April
3/2022	Wed, 1 June	Wed, 25 May	Wed, 18 May
4/2022	Wed, 24 August	Wed, 17 August	Wed, 10 August
5/2022	Wed, 5 October	Wed, 28 September	Wed, 21 September
6/2022	Wed, 16 November	Wed, 9 November	Wed, 2 November

Research Committee

1pm – 2:30pm

Meeting Number	Meeting Date	Agenda & papers to Members	Papers due to Secretariat
1/2022	Wed, 16 March	Wed, 9 March	Wed, 2 March
2/2022	Wed, 27 April	Wed, 20 April	Wed, 13 April
3/2022	Tues, 7 June	Tues, 31 May	Tues, 24 May
4/2022	Tues, 30 August	Tues, 23 August	Tues, 16 August
5/2022	Tues, 11 October	Tues, 4 October	Tues, 27 September
6/2022	Tues, 22 November	Tues, 15 November	Tues, 8 November

Further information

Executive support for the Academic Board is provided by the University Secretariat. Any questions concerning the Academic Board or the information on this site should be directed to ab.secretariat@rmit.edu.au.