• Definitions
• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Standard study periods and times
• Timetable development process
• Draft timetable
•  Timetable publication
• Timetable changes post-publication
• Teaching space allocation
• Roles and responsibilities
• Record management 
• Section 5 - Non-Compliance

Definitions

Unit catalogue:

Study plan:

Class activity:

Teaching resources:

Timetable clash:

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) will endeavour to ensure that the timetabling of accredited award and non-award teaching activities supports the success of students and academic staff and the efficient utilisation of University facilities.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This procedure outlines the process for developing and managing the University timetable.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This procedure applies to the timetabling of accredited award and non-award teaching activities.

(4) Non-teaching and ad-hoc use of University venues and spaces is managed in accordance with the Venue Hire Policy and Procedure.

Section 4 - Procedure

(5) The University will strive to create a student-centred timetable that enables informed student enrolment choices and engagement in teaching activities, while providing the resources required for high-quality teaching delivery.

(6) We are committed to ensuring a timely, equitable, intelligent, and stable timetable:

1. Timely publication of timetables to students within outlined timelines.
2. Equitable, taking into consideration identified disability, accessibility, and reasonable adjustment requirements for staff and students.
3. Intelligent, avoiding timetable clashes between core units within study plans and utilising University teaching spaces efficiently.
4. Stable, where only necessary and approved changes are made to the published timetable.

Standard study periods and times

(7) The University's academic calendar outlines the official HE and VET study periods for each year.

1. All HE units and VET courses will be timetabled according to their published offering(s) and within the associated study period dates.
2. Any request to timetable a teaching activity outside of the associated study period will require faculty approval.

(8) Core teaching hours are Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 9:00pm.

1. Faculty approval is required to schedule a teaching activity outside the core hours.

(9) Teaching activities will usually be a minimum length of one (1) hour and can be extended in multiples of 30 minutes only.

(10) On-campus teaching activities should conclude ten (10) minutes before the next scheduled class, to facilitate student transit and classroom handover.

(11) Every effort will be made to ensure that timetables provide for a one (1) hour lunch break (between 11:00am and 2:00pm) for staff and students, where possible.

Timetable development process

(12) Faculties are responsible for providing all required teaching activity data via the online timetable request form:

1. timetable requests must be comprehensive and all data requirements outlined within the online request form provided in full; and
2. where accommodations for teaching delivery, schedules or approved work arrangements must be considered, all relevant details are to be provided within the online request form.

(13) In developing University timetables:

1. teaching activities will take precedence over ad hoc, non-teaching room bookings;
2. timetable clashes between core units within published course study plans will be avoided;
3. where a limited number of specialist elective options for a course are available within a study period, timetable clashes will be avoided where possible;
4. internal, on- campus classes with large student enrolments take precedence over smaller classes; class activities with a longer duration have precedence over those which occupy smaller blocks of time;
5. teaching activities utilising specialist teaching spaces for their designated purpose will be prioritised;
6. identified disability, accessibility and reasonable adjustment accommodations for students and teaching staff  will take precedence over other considerations; and
7. first year units have precedence over later year units.

(14) Requests for block-bookings will not be accepted unless there is an intensive teaching component in the published unit catalogue.

(15) University timetables will be prepared using the corporate timetabling system. 

Draft timetable

(16) A draft HE timetable will be made available for a two (2) week period prior to publication of each semester timetable. During this time, it is a faculty responsibility to review and verify all timetabled teaching activities, identify any scheduling issues and provide feedback before the timetable is published.

(17) During the draft review period, faculties are to ensure that:

1. adequate teaching provision has been made for all unit offerings within the relevant study period;
2. the structure and delivery of teaching activities have been timetabled correctly and appropriately for course delivery and student engagement purposes;
3. cross-campus travel requirements for internal students have been assessed and accommodated at a discipline and/or course level;
4. allocated teaching resources are appropriate and correct;
5. there are no timetable clashes between core units within relevant course study plans; and
6. all required timetable amendments are submitted by the relevant staff via the online timetable request form prior to publishing.

 Timetable publication

(18) Official University class timetables are published in the CDU Portal. 

1. For HE units, the official timetable will be published no later than six (6) weeks prior to the start of each study period.
2. For VET units, the University will aim to publish the official timetable no later than four (4) weeks prior to the commencement of each study period, where practicable.

Timetable changes post-publication

(19) Students plan their unit choices based on recommended study plans and  published timetable information, as such the University endeavours to minimise any timetable changes after the publication date.

(20) Changes to the timetable after publication will require approval from the relevant faculty, as follows:

1. all timetable amendment requests will be submitted via the online timetable request form;
2. existing timetable data relevant to the amendment request will be removed from the published timetable;
3. following timetable review and confirmation of change(s), timetable details will be sent for approval to and managed by the faculty;
4. approval will be provided in writing, and upon receipt, amended timetable data will be published; and
5. where requested changes are not approved, the original timetable will be re-published, where available.

(21) Changes to the published timetable will only be accepted in the following circumstances:

1. to accommodate unexpected teaching staff turnover;
2. to add or remove classes where there is an unexpected surge/decline in student enrolments;
3. where a University venue becomes a health or safety hazard; or
4. to accommodate students and/or staff with identified disability, accessibility, and reasonable adjustment requirements.

(22) The relevant faculty is responsible for notifying students of any changes. 

Teaching space allocation

(23) The primary function of University venues is for the facilitation of accredited award and non-award teaching activities.

(24) University teaching spaces will only be allocated for formal teaching activities via the University timetable process.

(25) University venues serve a secondary function of facilitating other non-teaching activities which are not managed under this procedure. Non-teaching or ad hoc booking requests  are managed under the Venue Hire Policy and Procedure.

1. Teaching activities will take priority during teaching weeks.
2. Non-teaching events will only be considered following the publication of the timetable, unless otherwise approved by the Manager Timetabling and Examinations and Results.

(26) Other scheduling conflicts will be resolved by negotiation between the parties. Where conflicts cannot be resolved they will be referred to the relevant Pro Vice-Chancellor(s) or Associate Vice-Chancellor(s) or (delegate).

(27) Individuals, groups, or organisations external to the University can request hire of the University's facilities by following the Venue Hire Policy and Procedure and completing a Venue Hire Request Form.

Roles and responsibilities

(28) The Timetabling and Examinations and Results team is responsible for:

1. coordinating the timetable process to ensure that timetable development and management aligns with this procedure;
2. maintaining and upgrading the timetabling system(s);
3. overseeing the delivery of each of the scheduling stages in the timetable process; and
4. providing support to faculty and academic staff regarding the timetabling process.

(29) Each faculty and CDU TAFE is responsible for:

1. collecting, preparing, verifying, and entering required teaching activity data, including timetable amendment requests into the online timetable request form;
2. preparing, actioning updates and publishing current course and unit information in accordance with the Higher Education Course and Unit Accreditation Procedure, VET Course Registration Procedure, or ELICOS Registration Procedure, as appropriate.
3. ensuring Course Coordinators, Unit Coordinators, and VET Team Leaders liaise with allocated teaching staff to submit timetable requests in accordance with this procedure;
4. ensuring  that all relevant course and/or unit amendments are published prior to commencing the timetable build process;
5. reviewing and verifying the draft timetable, in collaboration with teaching staff; and
6. reviewing requests for late changes to the published timetable and determining whether they are approved or rejected.

Record management 

(30) The Manager Timetabling and Examinations and Results will maintain a record of all timetable changes following publication, available to faculties on request.

Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(31) Non-compliance with governance documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees or the Code of Conduct - Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2025 and the Code of Conduct - Students.

(32) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students.

(33) All staff members have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.