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Executive Gift Exchange Guidelines

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The Executive Gift Exchange Guidelines serve as a necessary component of fostering a culture of transparency and maintaining consistency and quality to uphold Macquarie University’s (the University’s) reputation when engaging with international institutions and government agencies. These Guidelines are designed to provide a structured approach to acknowledging the different functions of the University’s executives and portfolios involved in University international business activities.

(2) The aim of implementing a tiered system of gift selection and exchange is to establish a gift exchange register that clearly documents the events, executive recipients, gifts given and received, to ensure the transparency and accountability of the business process.

(3) The Executive Gift Exchange Guidelines ensure that the University’s business activities, such as outbound international visits and inbound delegations, are supported by appropriate gifting practices. This approach promotes cultural sensitivity, reinforces professional accountability, and ensures that all gifts exchanged reflect the University's values and standards.

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Section 2 - Policy

(4) Refer to the Gifts, Benefits, and Entertainment Policy.

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Section 3 - Procedures

(5) Nil.

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Section 4 - Guidelines

(6) The Executive Gift Exchange Guidelines are intended to adopt a best practice approach and complete the business process by including the register and reporting of gifts received from the executives hosting inbound international delegations and conducting outbound trips.

(7) The Executive Level Gifting Guidelines:

  1. establish and observe a tiered gifting system following prior approval of gift selection and exchange for the following University executives:
    1. Vice-Chancellor and President;
    2. Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents;
    3. Executive Deans; and
    4. Pro Vice-Chancellors (PVC) including PVC (Global), PVC (Graduate Research), PVC (Future Students) and PVC (Education).

(8) Major executive gifts should be thoughtful, representing the University's prestige. They may include symbolic items, high-quality memorabilia, or items of cultural significance. The value of the gift should align with the occasion.

(9) The Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Offices of the Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents are to be consulted for the gift selection and protocol during the briefing process on each occasion.

(10) Ordinary to minor gift items such as professional stationery, University-branded merchandise, or tokens of appreciation with relatively lower values, but in large quantities, are to be sourced and provided by the Global Partnerships and Protocol (GPP) team in consultation with stakeholders.

(11) The list of gift options by executives and suggested recipients is available at the Smartsheet Gifting Dashboard.

(12) Executive gifts are centrally planned, consulted, and sourced before Session 1 commencement each year. Each portfolio is responsible for any costs occurred during purchase process.

(13) Applicable to both outbound trips and inbound delegations:

  1. Outbound International Visits: Pre trip briefing should include consultation with the relationship carers, such as Future Students, Graduate Research Academy (GRA), Philanthropy and Alumni, to ensure appropriate gifts are selected, aligned with cultural sensitivities and the nature of the visit. The offices of the executives are responsible for the inclusion of gift exchange in the pre-trip briefing and post trip debriefing sessions.
  2. Inbound Delegations: The GPP and GRA teams, as the hosting organiser based on the nature of the delegations (research or non-research), are responsible for selecting gifts that reflect the University's values and hospitality.

Gift Register, Storage, Disposal, and Reporting

(14) In alignment with the Gift, Benefits and Entertainment Policy (the Policy), the GPP team holds responsibility for maintaining accurate records and reporting on all gifts exchanged during executive-level international visits, whether outbound or inbound. While it is uncommon for gifts to exceed the $250 reporting threshold, the principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity require a consistently high standard of practice, ensuring that all gift-related activities associated with international engagement are appropriate, documented, and compliant with the Policy and broader community expectations.

Process for Giving Gifts during International Engagement

(15) Prior to the event, contact GPP to choose gifts available at the Smartsheet Gifting Dashboard, or review and approve the gifts suggested by GPP in the event/meeting/trip briefing document, including which gifts were given and to whom.

(16) GPP or support staff take pictures of the University executive presenting the gift.

(17) Following the event, the executive (or support staff) advises the GPP team to update the Gift Register accordingly.

Process for Receiving Gifts from International Stakeholders

(18) GPP or support staff take pictures of the University executive receiving the gift.

(19) The executive(or support staff) provides the gift details to GPP within 10 working days of return or receipt:

  1. if the estimated value is below $250, record it for transparency;
  2. if $250 or above, the executive completes the Registering Gifts, Benefits and Entertainment Form in line with the Gift, Benefits and Entertainment Policy; and
  3. if the gift is perishable or non-retained (e.g., food, flowers), note this in the Gift Register.

(20) GPP records the gift in the Gift Register and advises next steps.

Storage and Custodianship of Gifts

(21) Gifts intended for outbound trips and inbound delegation visits are stored securely per the Smartsheet Gifting Dashboard.

(22) Received gifts that are retained by the University are stored according to their nature by the following University executives:

  1. Vice-Chancellor and President;
  2. Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents;
  3. Executive Deans; and
  4. Pro Vice-Chancellors (PVC) including PVC (Global), PVC (Graduate Research), PVC (Future Students) and PVC (Education)

(23) The GPP maintains a tracking record (Gift Register) for all stored items.

Disposal and Allocation of Received Gifts

(24) Disposal or allocation must comply with the Gift, Benefits and Entertainment Policy and may include:

  1. official retention (e.g., display in office, library, or public area);
  2. use for future re-gifting (internally and externally) only where appropriate and culturally acceptable, and only after clearance by GPP; or
  3. disposal of gifts that cannot be retained (perishable, damaged, or those stored for more than 2 years).

(25) GPP coordinates all disposal decisions and ensures the process is documented.

Reporting

(26) GPP prepares biannual reports that include gift-related activities for the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and provides updates to the Chief Procurement Officer as required under the Gift, Benefits and Entertainment Policy.