Academic Board - Terms of Reference

Overview

The Academic Board is an independent and collegiate body composed of academic experts, (internal to Whitehouse and independent of Whitehouse), as well as staff and student representatives, established under the authority of the Board of Governors. It is empowered to report directly to the Board on all matters relating to, and affecting, the quality of educational programs offered by Whitehouse whether in Higher or Vocational Education, including any new or emerging issues that may arise.

The primary role of the Academic Board is to ensure that the way Whitehouse conducts its educational activities, together with the courses it delivers and the outcomes it achieves are of high and comparable standards to equivalent qualifications of other Higher Education or Vocational providers. A complementary role of the Academic Board is to monitor the development and delivery of the Institute’s courses and their outcomes so that graduates:

  • Possess the requisite graduate attributes, knowledge and skills for employment in their respective professional fields;
  • Are prepared for further and lifelong learning; and
  • Can, through their engagement in their practices, contribute to an equitable and civilised society as socially responsible citizens.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference of the Academic Board relating to quality of teaching and learning are to:

  • Determine the processes for the development of new courses and the revision of existing courses, particularly to ensure currency and relevancy.
  • Approve new course/s developments and authorise changes to existing courses.
  • Set and monitor academic standards in terms of the quality of teaching, level of qualifications, educational pathways, admissions, and assessment processes.
  • Monitor the graduate outcomes and quality of the learning environment experienced by students to ensure that it is appropriate for the level and nature of the awards offered by Whitehouse.
  • Approve assessment results leading to Whitehouse qualifications, consider any unresolved student appeals, and recommend to the Board of Governors the conferring of awards.
  • Establish Standing Committees, with delegated functions, for Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Quality, and to set up any other Committees or Task Groups as deemed necessary to assist it in its deliberations.

The Terms of Reference of the Academic Board relating to academic activities and governance are to:

  • Undertake forward planning in relation to the academic profile and provide advice regarding any staffing implications, including supervision capacity, qualifications, knowledge and expertise.
  • Recommend and approve the introduction of or amendment to academic policies.
  • Regularly review the academic policies and procedures of the Whitehouse Institute, including their deployment in practice.
  • Ensure that there are adequate quality assurance systems in place for each academic program.
  • Approve articulation agreements.
  • Approve academic Memorandums of Understanding with other Institutions.

Major Responsibilities

In fulfilling these Terms of Reference, the Academic Board has the following specific responsibilities to:

  • Review any applications for registration (or re-registration) as it relates to the functions of the Academic Board and accreditation (or reaccreditation) that are to be externally assessed by the relevant approval body (TEQSA, ASQA or equivalent bodies).
  • Review performance indicators including attendance patterns, assessment moderation procedures, examination results, student satisfaction and graduate destination surveys.
  • Encourage the development and maintenance of high standards of teaching and scholarship.
  • Establish mechanisms for the formal and regular review of the academic activities of each campus.
  • Provide advice on the academic aspects of Whitehouse’s Strategic Plan.
  • Monitor policies and practices relating to students enrolled in Whitehouse courses and recommend corrective action as necessary.
  • Receive reports from and review the activities and decisions of all Standing Committees established under its delegated authority.
  • Encourage participation of Whitehouse alumni in ongoing education and related activities of Whitehouse.
  • Approve benchmarking activities to ensure best practice in teaching and learning delivery and student outcomes and graduate capabilities.

Meeting Schedule

The Academic Board will meet not less than three meetings as per the meetings schedule.