• Section 1 - Establishment
• Background
• Purpose
• Authority
• Section 2 - Membership
• Section 3 - Functions and Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Meetings
• Section 5 - Variations
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Establishment

Background

(1) The Academic Senate has established the Research and Research Training Committee (the Committee). These Terms of Reference set out the Committee’s purpose, authority, membership and functions and responsibilities.

(2) The procedures for the Committee are set out in the Academic Senate and Academic Senate Committees Procedure.

Purpose

(3) The purpose of the Committee is to discharge its role and responsibilities in accordance with these Terms of Reference, including engaging broadly with the University community, to ensure the academic governance of research and research training activities of the University.

Authority

(4) The Academic Senate may, from time to time, resolve to grant the Committee specific authorisations to discharge its responsibilities. The Committee may request the granting of such authorisations as it sees fit. All authorisations will be documented in Section 3, Functions and Responsibilities.

Section 2 - Membership

(5) In accordance with clause 27 of the Academic Senate and Academic Senate Committees Procedure, the Committee will comprise:

1. the Chair of the Committee appointed by the Chair, Academic Senate;
2. the Chair or Deputy Chair of Academic Senate;
3. the Deputy Chair of the Committee (drawn from the membership of the Committee);
4. the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research);
5. the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Performance and Development;
6. the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Enterprise;
7. the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Research;
8. the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Services;
9. the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy);
10. the Executive Dean of each Faculty; and
11. the Deputy Dean, Research and Innovation of each Faculty;

(6) The Committee will also comprise members appointed by the Chair, Academic Senate in consultation with the Academic Senate Standing Committee, including:

1. up to three (3) elected members of Academic Senate who are research active;
2. up to two (2) Early Career Researchers, nominated by Academic Senate; and
3. at least two (2) student members, including the Postgraduate Higher Degree Research student member on Academic Senate and one additional student member nominated by Academic Senate.

(7) The Chair of the Committee may co-opt staff with specialist knowledge and expertise to membership of the Committee and may also invite staff with specialist knowledge and expertise to attend Committee meetings.

(8) The term of office for members in clause 5 is subject to the member continuing in the specified substantive position.

(9) The term of office for members in clause 6 and clause 7 is two years, unless otherwise specified.

(10) The Chair, Academic Senate may renew any member’s term of appointment, in consultation with the Academic Senate Standing Committee.

Section 3 - Functions and Responsibilities

(11) The Committee is directly responsible and accountable to the Academic Senate for the exercise of its responsibilities.

(12) The Committee is responsible for advising Academic Senate on research and research training matters. The Committee will engage broadly with the University community to identify and respond to emerging research challenges and to promote excellence in research and research training.

(13) The Committee will report to the Academic Senate and make recommendations (as appropriate) on:

1. external regulatory compliance and reporting requirements, and the alignment of the University’s policies and procedures with respect to research activities and research training programs;
2. research initiatives and research training programs, such as those that support the implementation of the Strategic Research Framework and achievement of the University’s research aspirations;
3. the implementation and monitoring of the Macquarie University Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the Macquarie University Research Code Complaints, Breaches and Investigation Procedure and other legislative frameworks both internal and external;
4. the quality of research and research training, including associated risks and measures to effectively treat and control those risks; and
5. national and international trends with the potential to impact on research or research training performance, or research or research training reporting;

(14) The Committee will:

1. identify the need for new, and review existing, University policies governing research and research training and recommend required action and/or content amendments to Academic Senate;
2. oversee and monitor the requirements of admission, supervision, academic progress and assessment for higher degrees by research;
3. monitor the quality of research and research training including performance against institutional benchmarks;
4. advise Academic Senate on the establishment, review, revision or termination of higher degree research (HDR) programs and joint programs, and award rules;
5. receive and consider matters referred to it by its Research Degree Subcommittee; and
6. consider and report on any matters referred as required.

(15) Operational and budgetary matters are outside the role and responsibilities of the Committee. This includes the business case of any proposal which must be approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

(16) Academic Senate has granted the Committee the following authorisations:

1. determine that the requirements for a research higher degree have been met on the advice provided by its Research Degree Subcommittee; and.
2. approve the award of Vice-Chancellor Commendation for HDR theses on the advice provided by its Research Degree Subcommittee.

Section 4 - Meetings

(17) The quorum shall be at least half the membership of the Committee plus one.

(18) Vacant positions on the Committee do not count toward the calculation of the number required for a quorum.

(19) Refer to the Academic Senate and Academic Senate Committees Procedure for meeting requirements and protocols.

Section 5 - Variations

(20) Variations to this Terms of Reference must be approved by Academic Senate.

Section 6 - Definitions

(21) For the purpose of this document:

1. Committee – means the Research and Research Training Committee of Academic Senate; and
2. Faculty – a reference to the term “Faculty/Faculties” includes the Macquarie Business School.