• Section 1 - Establishment
• Section 2 - Functions and Responsibilities
• Section 3 - Membership
• Permanent observers
• Members’ attendance
• Section 4 - Chair
• Section 5 - Secretary
• Section 6 - Terms of Office
• Section 7 - Quorum
• Section 8 - Meetings
• Member conduct
• Section 9 - Agenda
• Section 10 - Out of session approval
• Section 11 - Minutes
• Section 12 - Reporting
• Section 13 - Conflicts of Interest
• Section 14 - Non-compliance

Section 1 - Establishment

(1) The Learning and Teaching Committee (LTC) is a sub-committee of the Academic Board established under the Academic Board Terms of Reference.

Section 2 - Functions and Responsibilities

(2) The Learning and Teaching Committee will:

1. develop, implement and monitor plans to support the University’s strategies for learning and teaching in line with the University’s Strategic Plan;
2. provide reports, as required, to Academic Board on the implementation of the University’s strategies for learning and teaching;
3. provide advice to Academic Board on the achievement of best practice interaction, including pathways, between Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education activities;
4. provide advice to Academic Board and the University community on developments and innovations in learning and teaching, including the implications of changes in technology for the University’s learning and teaching enterprise;
5. provide advice and recommend actions to the Academic Board on assessment strategies and types, and the reduction and detection of academic misconduct in assessment and examinations;
6. monitor, review and make recommendations to Academic Board in regard to all governance documents relating to learning and teaching;
7. liaise with the Academic Programs Committee (APC) as required on governance documents relating to course development, approval, amendment and review (For the absence of doubt, the LTC recommends all policy changes related to matters other than course and unit development, approval, amendment and review to the Academic Board, after appropriate consultation with APC);
8. provide advice and guidance to the Higher Education Faculty Assessment Review Panels and Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees;
9. Quality Assurance:
   1. advise and make recommendations to Academic Board on the University’s approach to, and processes for, quality assurance of learning and teaching including the articulation, implementation and monitoring of academic standards in accordance with the requirements of external regulatory and professional bodies;
   2. establish institutional benchmarks for quality, outcomes and satisfaction in relation to learning and teaching and initiate action to improve performance;
   3. monitor regular reports of quality and outcomes for students by cohort, including but not limited to: domestic students, international students, vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students, pathway students and students at risk, and report on these to Academic Board;
   4. monitor regular reports of students by cohort in relation to participation, progress and completion by identified sub-groups, including First Nations peoples;
   5. receive and consider regular reports on academic risks and provide advice on risks relating to learning and teaching and student cohorts to the Academic Board for integration with the University’s overarching Risk Register;
   6. consider and report on feedback from students and staff;
   7. receive, consider and report on instances of academic misconduct, grievances, complaints and appeals and initiate action to address systemic issues;
10. Monitor:
    1. review and report to Academic Board on trends indicated by survey instruments and identify strategies to improve outcomes, and overall student and stakeholder satisfaction;
    2. consider the learning and teaching aspects of external reviews of academic units and courses and report to Academic Board on the adoption of recommendations deriving from such reviews;
11. Communication and Interface:
    1. provide minutes and reports from the LTC meetings to Academic Board and the broader University;
    2. plan, implement and report on professional development activities related to learning and teaching, including blended learning and use of technologies;
12. Operations:
    1. develop an annual plan;
    2. establish working parties and advisory groups, receive their reports, and determine and/or recommend actions within the functions of the LTC in response to such reports;
    3. disestablish working parties and advisory groups when they are no longer required;
    4. review its own performance against its Terms of Reference at least annually; and
    5. consider and report on any matter referred by Academic Board or the Vice-Chancellor.

Section 3 - Membership

(3) Membership of the LTC will comprise:

1. Chair: Provost;
2. Deputy Chair: Associate Director Academic Quality and Integrity;
3. Deputy Chair: Associate Director Learning Experience;
4. Deputy Vice-Chancellor First Nations Leadership;
5. Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive CDU TAFE;
6. Deputy Provost;
7. Director Student Engagement;
8. Chief Information and Digital Officer;
9. Director Library Services;
10. Director Student and Academic Services;
11. Associate Deans Learning and Teaching;
12. Teacher Development and Recognition Specialist;
13. Manager VET Workforce Capability;
14. Chair Academic Integrity Advisory Group;
15. Chair Technology Enhanced Learning Advisory Group;
16. Head of CDU International College;
17. One academic from the Faculty of Health (appointed);
18. One academic from the Faculty of Arts and Society (appointed);
19. One VET Team Leader (appointed);
20. One VET academic (appointed); and
21. One coursework student (appointed).

(4) Ex officio members may nominate a standing nominee.

(5) Appointed members will be appointed by the Chair after calling for nominees from Faculties and/or CDU TAFE.

(6) The student member will be appointed after calling for expressions of interest from the CDU Student Council (CDUSC).

(7) The Chair may invite additional non-voting observers but may not co-opt additional members. Observers attend meetings or parts of meetings, may request access to meeting documentation, and participate in discussion.

Permanent observers

(8) The following are permanent observers and will be invited to each meeting of the Learning and Teaching Committee:

1. Associate Deans Work Integrated Learning.

Members’ attendance

(9) Attendance by members will be monitored by the Secretary. If a member has three consecutive unexplained absences from Learning and Teaching Committee meetings the Chair will discuss with the Vice-President Governance and University Secretary their future participation as a member of the committee.

Section 4 - Chair

(10) The Provost will be Chair of the LTC.

(11) The Associate Director Academic Quality and Integrity and the Associate Director Learning Experience will be the Deputy Chairs of LTC.

(12) A Deputy Chair shall chair the meeting if the Chair is unable to attend. If the Chair and both Deputy Chairs are unable to attend a meeting, the Chair shall nominate an alternative Chair.

Section 5 - Secretary

(13) The Provost (or nominee) will act as secretary to LTC.

Section 6 - Terms of Office

(14) Staff members will hold office for the term of their appointment in their designated role.

(15) Appointed staff members will serve for a period of two (2) years from the date of their appointment and are eligible for re-appointment.

(16) Appointed student members will serve for a period of one (1) year from the date of their appointment.

(17) An appointed member may resign from their position on the Committee by notifying the Chair in writing.

Section 7 - Quorum

(18) At a meeting of the LTC a quorum is constituted as 50% plus one member of the LTC.

Section 8 - Meetings

(19) The LTC will meet on at least four (4) occasions in a year with provision for in-person and technology mediated meetings. The Chair may call additional meetings if necessary.

(20) Matters requiring a resolution or recommendation by the Committee are to be determined by simple majority. In the event of a tied vote the Chair will have a casting vote.

Member conduct

(21) Professional conduct of members is expected at all times. The Chair may call members to order as required.

(22) Items of discussion must be treated with confidentiality as appropriate by members.

Section 9 - Agenda

(23) The agenda is to be distributed with supporting documentation normally at least five (5) working days prior to the meeting date.

Section 10 - Out of session approval

(24) Urgent matters requiring a resolution prior to the next scheduled meeting, or before an additional meeting can be called, may be addressed by a circular resolution sent to members via email out of session, on request from the Chair.

(25) Any circular resolutions will be reported in the next meeting’s minutes and reported to Academic Board.

(26) Circular resolutions should be used infrequently and only for matters that are urgent and do not require lengthy discussion by board members. If a lengthy discussion is required to support the decision, a Learning and Teaching Committee meeting should be convened.

Section 11 - Minutes

(27) Meeting minutes and action items will be made available within two weeks of the meeting.

(28) The minutes will detail the items under discussion, the main points of the discussion, the resolution reached and the primary reasons for reaching that determination.

Section 12 - Reporting

(29) The minutes and action items from the meeting of the LTC will be provided to the next meeting of the Academic Board.

(30) Information relating to matters under consideration and issues resolved will be disseminated to the University.

Section 13 - Conflicts of Interest

(31) Where a member has an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest regarding an agenda item, they must declare this to the Chair at the commencement of discussion of the item, and be prepared to excuse themselves from the discussion, or the room, if required, as per the terms of the Conflicts of Interest Policy.

Section 14 - Non-compliance

(32) 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 2022 and the Code of Conduct - Students.

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

(34) 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.