• Section 1 - Establishment
• Section 2 - Functions and Responsibilities
• Section 3 - Membership
• Section 4 - Chair
• Section 5 - Secretary
• Section 6 - Term of Office
• Section 7 - Quorum
• Section 8 - Meetings
• Section 9 - Agenda
• Section 10 - Resolutions of the Committee
• Section 11 - Minutes
• Section 12 - Reporting
• Section 13 - Conflicts of Interest
• Section 14 - Amendment of These Terms of Reference
• Section 15 - Non-compliance

Section 1 - Establishment

(1) The Northern Institute Advisory Committee is established under Part 3 Section 15 of the Charles Darwin University Act 2003.

Section 2 - Functions and Responsibilities

(2) The Northern Institute acts as a catalyst to build capacity in social and policy research that impacts on people’s lives and aspires to an inclusive, sustainable future for people in Northern Australia and the neighbouring region.

(3) The Northern Institute Advisory Committee acts to assist the Northern Institute’s mission to undertake significant and high quality interdisciplinary research, encourage and support local, national and international partnerships, enable public intellectual commentary, expand regional capacity that leads to research of significance and realise the potential of the region.

(4) The role of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee is to provide overarching advice to the Director, related to the Northern Institute’s strategic research directions and connections. This advice will inform the Northern Institute’s research planning and development activities, which will be monitored by the Advisory Committee.

(5) The Northern Institute Advisory Committee will:

1. Support the Northern Institute’s aim to increase research impact and output;
2. Advocate on behalf of the Northern Institute to external agencies; and
3. Promote the development of the Northern Institute’s research capacity.

Section 3 - Membership

(6) Membership of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee will comprise:

1. Director, Northern Institute (ex-officio);
2. Provost (ex-officio); and
3. Up to five (5) external members

(7) Members external to the University are invited to participate on the basis of their professional expertise and experience that reflect the research disciplines and directions relevant to the Northern Institute’s vision and agenda while representing stakeholder groups such as Government, Industry, Not-for-Profit sector and the University’s key partnerships.

(8) The Northern Institute Advisory Committee may invite any person, whether from within, or external to, the University to attend specific meetings, or for specific items within a meeting, to assist in its deliberations.

Section 4 - Chair

(9) A Chair for the Northern Institute Advisory Committee will be appointed by the Director and the Provost, from members of the Advisory Committee and will be reviewed annually.

(10) If the Chair of the Advisory Committee is not present at any meeting, a majority of members present will elect a chairperson for that meeting.

Section 5 - Secretary

(11) Administrative support will be provided by a staff member of the Northern Institute and be responsible for the preparation and circulation of meeting documentation, including the agenda, supporting papers, position papers; reports of all meetings; and co-ordinate communications among the Advisory Committee members.

Section 6 - Term of Office

(12) Membership of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee is reviewed every two (2) years by the Provost.

(13) Any nomination for membership must be accepted by the nominee, prior to proposal to the Provost.

Section 7 - Quorum

(14) At a meeting of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee, a quorum is constituted by 50% plus one of the total membership, excluding Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee members.

Section 8 - Meetings

(15) The Northern Institute Advisory Committee will meet bi-annually with a minimum of thirty (30) days’ notice.

(16) Each notice of a meeting will include a draft agenda.

(17) Members are not required to attend meetings in person and meetings may be held in two (2) or more locations using any technology which gives the Advisory Committee members present at those locations a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting.

Section 9 - Agenda

(18) The agenda will be distributed with supporting documentation at least seven (7) days prior to the advertised meeting date.

Section 10 - Resolutions of the Committee

(19) Matters requiring a resolution by the Northern Institute Advisory Committee are to be determined by consensus of the members present.

Section 11 - Minutes

(20) Meeting minutes will be taken and distributed within two weeks of the meeting.

Section 12 - Reporting

(21) This Committee must provide a report in a timely manner to the next meeting of the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee.

Section 13 - Conflicts of Interest

(22) Where a member has a real 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.

(23) A conflict of interest is where the financial or other interests of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee member may reasonably be seen to be, in opposition to duties undertaken as an Advisory Committee member. Each member should be alert to any actual or potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, and disclose these to the Chair of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee. This includes conflicts of interest that may arise between members as per the Conflict of Interest Policy.

(24) The discretion or direction of the Chair of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee may reasonably be required to resolve or otherwise deal with the conflict as per the Conflict of Interest Policy. The Chair of the Northern Institute Advisory Committee may seek advice from the Provost if required.

Section 14 - Amendment of These Terms of Reference

(25) No variation of these Terms of Reference is permitted unless agreed by the Advisory Committee Members and approved by the Vice-Chancellor.

Section 15 - Non-compliance

(26) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct – Staff 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.

(27) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Code of Conduct – Staff and Code of Conduct - Students.

(28) 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.