Academic Board news – Meeting: 1/2022 – 15 March 2022

The ANU Academic Board had its first meeting of the year on Tuesday 15 March 2022.

Academic Board welcomed the new ANUSA Representative, Mr Christian Flynn and the new PARSA Representative, Miss Delephene Fraser.

Due to the continuing impact of COVID-19 the Academic Board once again met online to consider several significant matters, as follows:

Vice-Chancellor’s report

Academic Board considered a report prepared by the Vice-Chancellor focusing on the University's management of COVID-19 and the safe return to campus life in semester one 2022. The discussion also included a financial update and a status report about the University's work with government and Australian Public Service (APS) agencies.

Graduate Outcomes Survey and Graduate Outcomes Survey – Longitudinal 2021 Report

Academic Board discussed the Graduate Outcomes Survey and Graduate Outcomes Survey – Longitudinal 2021 Report. Response rates to the survey are low for certain populations, however, Board discussed potential for improvement.

Academic Board strategic report card

Academic Board discussed and agreed that a strategic report card template would be designed to measure performance against key strategic objectives outlined in the ANU Strategic Plan “ANU by 2025”. The report card would be generated by the Board at the end of each year taking into account activities of the Board over the course of the year (including measures, reports received and responsibilities) that are linked to key values and pillars of the Strategic Plan.

ANU undergraduate curriculum reform

Academic Board approved that ANU undertake a process of curriculum reform aligned with the Strategic Plan ANU 2025 and that a curriculum framework be established to enable this. Board heard that the curriculum framework would be designed with a whole-of-university approach to implementing the ANU Graduate Attributes and creating a distinctive model of undergraduate education that would address unnecessary complexity, inconsistency, and lack of flexibility.

ANU Graduate Attributes

Academic Board approved the proposed ANU Graduate Attributes. Board heard of the additional consultation and amendments that had been made following recent feedback, including from the ANU Council at its first meeting of the year on 10 February 2022.

Report on Academic Freedom Consultation Sessions

Academic Board heard about the academic freedom concerns following consultation sessions with college deans and executives, and the deans of students and staff. Board agreed that it would actively monitor academic freedom issues, resources and improvements to policy and procedure, via an annual report. Board also heard that a seminar/conference on ANU academic freedom would be held later in 2022 to facilitate information exchange and encourage academic discussion on academic freedom issues.

Policy

Academic Board approved the following policy documents:

• University Medal and Postgraduate Medal for Academic Excellence Policy -  revised
• University Medal and Postgraduate Medal for Academic Excellence  Procedure -  revised
• Student Assessment (Coursework) policy -  revised
• Admissions Procedure -  revised
• Code of practice for teaching and learning Guideline – revised
• Higher Degree Research Conveners Guideline - revised
• Associate Dean Higher Degree Research Guideline -  revised

Other matters

Academic Board also considered other significant matters, including: ANU Education Policy Review Schedule, ARC, NHMRC and MRFF Outcomes Summary Report, NHMRC Audit Report Ethics Committees’ 2021 Annual Reports, ANAO Performance Audit of the ANU – Final Report and Implementation Plan, ANU Attestation Statement of Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech, Executive Reports from the Sub-committees, Annual Reports from the Sub-committees, URC - Forward Meeting Plan 2022 Accreditation, Academic Calendar 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, ANU 2021 Visa cancellations and refusals report.

Next meeting

Academic Board next meets on Tuesday 3 May 2022.

Professor Joan Leach
Chair, Academic Board