Public Purposes, Academic Autonomy, Accountability And Governance

1
Public Purposes, Academic Autonomy,
Accountability And Governance

• Colin Walters
• Australia

2
Public Purposes, Academic Autonomy,
Accountability And Governance

• The National Governance Protocols
• The Higher Education Workplace Relations
  Requirements (HEWRRs)
• Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU)
• The National Protocols for Higher Education
  Approval Processes

3
National Governance Protocols

• The Protocols deal with
• responsibilities of governing bodies
• duties of members and sanctions for their breach
• Election and nomination of members
• maximum size and composition of the governing
  body
• induction and professional development for
  members
• codified grievance procedures and annual
  reporting and
• set minimum standards for the oversight of
  controlled and associated entities.

4
Areas for Improvement

• 1. Require governing body members to inform
  themselves fully on matters they are determining
• 2. Require the governing body in approving the
  mission and strategic direction, annual budget
  and business plan to take into account the
  distinctive role of the particular provider
• 3. Require the governing body to approve a
  strategic asset management plan
• 4. Require the governing body to produce an
  annual report which must include reporting on
  performance indicators that have been set by the
  governing body

5
Areas for Improvement

• 5. Require the governing body to consider
  information on the performance and comparative
  performance of the institution produced by DEST
• 6. Prohibit delegation from the governing body of
  responsibility for financial decisions that have
  the potential to affect the financial viability
  of the provider
• 7. Reduce the maximum number of governing body
  members from 22 to 14
• 8. Limit the terms of governing body members to
  12 years and require a majority decision by a
  governing body for any term to exceed 8 years
  (and require explicit consideration of the
  continuing capacity of the proposed appointee to
  discharge their responsibilities)

6
Areas for Improvement

• 9. Require appointment by the governing body of a
  Secretary (who is not the Vice-Chancellor/CEO) to
  provide a direct source of advice on governing
  body responsibilities and legal issues
• 10. Make more explicit the qualifications and
  experience requirements for the minimum number
  of members (2) that must have financial
  expertise
• 11. Strengthen the fiduciary responsibilities of
  governing body members to include a prohibition
  on improper use of information and disclosure of
  confidential information
• 12. Require grievance procedures to be easily
  located on a providers web site and
• 13. Require further improvement in the oversight
  of controlled entities.

7
Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements
(HEWRRs)

• HEWRR 1 Choice in agreement making
• HEWRR 2 Direct relationships with employees
• HEWRR 3 Workplace flexibility
• HEWRR 4 Productivity and performance
• HEWRR 5 Freedom of association

8
Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU)

• No compulsory student union membership for
  students
• No compulsory fees for non academic services

9
National Protocols for Higher Education Approval
Processes

• Protocols served as effective gatekeeper and
  protected quality in the sector
• May also have shaped characteristics of providers
  
• Need for greater diversity
• Increased interest from overseas providers
• Dramatic growth of private higher education market

10
Drivers for change

• Protocols served as effective gatekeeper and
  protected quality in the sector
• May also have shaped characteristics of providers
  
• Need for greater diversity
• Increased interest from overseas providers
• Dramatic growth of private higher education market

11
Key changes to National Protocols

• New specialist universities
• New University Colleges
• New pathways for self-accrediting status for
  institutions other than universities
• Clearer rules for overseas institutions
• Apply to all new and existing institutions
• Compliance assessed through AUQA audits
• Current and new Protocols available on MCEETYA
  website at www.mceetya.edu.au/mceetya