• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Scheduling
• Review Components
• Terms of Reference
• Review Portfolio
• Review Panel
• Membership
• Written Submissions
• Review Panel Visit
• Review Report
• Implementation Plan
• Section 5 - Non-Compliance

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) reviews and evaluates faculties regularly and systematically as part of its commitment to quality enhancement and a continuous quality improvement cycle. 

(2) Through reviews, the University seeks to engender a culture of critical self-reflection, benchmarking and external assessment, and the development and implementation of strategies that will improve performance.

Section 2 - Purpose

(3) This procedure provides the process to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of core activities (teaching and learning, research and scholarship, engagement) via self-assessment and the provision of feedback on performance, resourcing, capability, capacity and impact of the academic organisational unit. 

Section 3 - Scope

(4) This procedure applies to Faculties and research units of the University.

Section 4 - Procedure

Scheduling

(5) Each Faculty will be reviewed once every five years. The Vice-Chancellor with the Provost will establish and disseminate a schedule for reviews. Reviews may be initiated by the Vice-Chancellor outside the normal schedule.

(6) Reviews will consider past and present performance of the Faculty as it relates to the University Strategic Plan, sub-plans, Faculty plans and any previous reviews.

Review Components

(7) Key elements of the Faculty Review process include:

1. Terms of Reference;
2. Review Portfolio;
3. Review Panel;
4. Written Submissions;
5. Review Panel Visit;
6. Review Report; and
7. Implementation Plan.

Terms of Reference

(8) Terms of Reference will guide the Faculty Review Portfolio and the Review Panel in:

1. appraising the Faculty's performance and plans in relation to appropriate and attainable future objectives; and
2. providing recommendations for improvement.

(9) As a tool for continuous quality improvement, the Review Portfolio should give consideration to:

1. national and international contexts and trends;
2. recognised best practice and other relevant benchmarking; and
3. the operation and impact of relationships between the Faculty and other areas within the University.

(10) The Model Terms of Reference may be adapted or modified by consultation with Academic Board, the Provost and/or the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty, to direct the attention of the Faculty and/or the Review Panel to matters of importance to the Faculty's performance or its future. The Model Terms of Reference incorporate the following categories:

1. Strategy and Planning;
2. Leadership and Governance;
3. Teaching and Learning;
4. Research and Scholarship;
5. First Nations Leadership;
6. Engagement; and
7. Internationalisation.

Review Portfolio

(11) A Review Portfolio will be prepared for consideration of the Review Panel by the Faculty under review, with assistance from the Director Planning and Performance and other relevant areas of the University. The Review Portfolio will address the Terms of Reference and provide a self-assessment of performance including relevant data, and identify areas of excellence, potential, initiatives in progress and opportunities for improvement.

(12) The Review Portfolio should be a maximum of 30 pages (plus any supporting documentation, excluding data in appendices).

(13) The Review Portfolio will be made available to relevant University staff and students and key stakeholders at least four weeks before the Review Panel convenes.

Review Panel

(14) The Provost will establish a Review Panel for each Faculty Review. The Panel’s purpose is to review and make commendations or recommendations regarding the Faculty under review with reference to the Review Portfolio, written submissions, interviews with stakeholders, benchmarking and practice at other Australian universities.

(15) The Faculty Review Panel shall:

1. provide independent advice and recommendations on the performance, future directions, resourcing, capability, capacity and impact of the Faculty under review;
2. be briefed on the Faculty Review by the Provost and/or the Vice-Chancellor, and identify and agree any modifications to the Model Terms of Reference for the Review;
3. receive and consider the Review Portfolio prepared by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty;
4. liaise with the Provost Office on issuing a call for written submissions and developing a Review Panel itinerary and list of interested parties and stakeholders to be involved in the onsite visit;
5. consider written submissions from interested parties and stakeholders, and make initial judgements on confidentiality of submissions;
6. conduct onsite review / interviews with:
   1. Faculty staff members selected by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty;
   2. Faculty students selected by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty;
   3. relevant members of the Senior Executive Team, Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee and Academic Board; and
   4. other people at the discretion of the Review Panel, including internal and external stakeholders, interested parties who have provided written submissions.
7. at conclusion of scheduled interviews, prepare a verbal brief for the Provost /Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty on high level findings, commendations and recommendations, and advise the Pro Vice-Chancellor to speak to staff who may be significantly impacted by the review;
8. prepare a draft written report and recommendations for the Vice-Chancellor in accordance with the Terms of Reference provided for Review Portfolio / Faculty Review within two weeks of completing the onsite visit.

Membership

(16) The membership of a Faculty Review Panel will normally comprise the following:

1. Review Chair – external to the Faculty and usually external to the University, chosen following consultation with the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty under review, who will be a senior academic or professional with nationally/internationally recognised expertise from relevant fields, and experience in conducting organisational reviews;
2. At least one other external member – a senior academic or professional with nationally/internationally recognised expertise from relevant fields;
3. A senior member of staff from the University, external to the Faculty being reviewed, and usually a member of Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee; and
4. Additional members as necessary.

(17) The Provost will approve the membership of the Faculty Review Panel, with advice from the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty under review. The Panel will seek gender balance and diversity in its membership. Administrative support will be provided by the Provost office.

(18) Panel members are required to declare to the Chair any potential conflicts of interest with any item on the Panel’s agenda. The Panel will declare any potential conflicts of interest in their published report.

Written Submissions

(19) University staff and relevant students and key stakeholders who receive the Review Portfolio will be invited to provide written submissions to the Review Panel at least four weeks before the Panel meets. Unless otherwise stated, written submissions will be treated as confidential.

(20) The secretary of the panel will provide written submissions to the Review Panel at least two weeks before the Panel meets.

Review Panel Visit

(21) A program of Review Panel meetings will be prepared in consultation with the Panel Chair and relevant senior staff members.

(22) The Panel meetings and verbal brief to Provost /Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty may be conducted in person, by telephone, videoconference or other electronic means.

Review Report

(23) At minimum, the Review Report will include the following sections:

1. Executive Summary
2. Membership
3. Body of the report, organised according to the sections of the Review Portfolio:
   1. Strategy and Planning;
   2. Leadership and Governance;
   3. Teaching and Learning;
   4. Research and Scholarship;
   5. First Nations Leadership;
   6. Engagement; and
   7. Internationalisation.
4. Appendices

(24) The Review Report will reference the evidence and conclusions contained in the Review Portfolio and may benchmark or comment on how these compare to practice at other Australian universities, as well as perceptions and information supplied in written submission and interview.

(25) The Draft Review Report will be checked with the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty and other stakeholders for any errors of fact or misrepresentation, and any inclusions considered to potentially pose a serious risk to the University if made public, prior to approval. 

(26) The Review Report will be presented at Academic Board with a request for the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty to present on the key findings of the review.

Implementation Plan

(27) The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty, Academic Board and other relevant stakeholders will provide a response to the Review Report including follow-up actions within six weeks of receiving the approved Review Report. The Provost/Vice-Chancellor will consider the responses and approve an Implementation Plan that includes near-term (up to six months) and medium to long-term actions (up to 18 months).

(28) The Review Report and approved Implementation Plan will be tabled at Academic Board and published.

(29) The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty will report annually to Academic Board and Provost on the status of Faculty reviews and progress against implementation plans. Academic Board will report on Review Reports and Implementation Plans to the Senior Executive Team and University Council as required.

Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(30) 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.

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

(32) 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.