• Section 1 - Establishment
• Section 2 - Functions and Responsibilities
• Operations
• Referral of Matters
• Section 3 - Membership
• Members’ attendance
• Section 4 - Chair
• Section 5 - Secretary
• Section 6 - Terms of Office
• Section 7 - Leave of Absence
• Section 8 - Rights of Audience and Debate
• Section 9 - Quorum
• Section 10 - Executive Committee
• Section 11 - Meetings
• Member Conduct
• Section 12 - Agenda
• Section 13 - Minutes
• Section 14 - Reporting
• Section 15 - Conflicts of Interest
• Section 16 - Non-compliance

Section 1 - Establishment

(1) The Academic Programs Committee (APC) is established under the Academic Board Terms of Reference.

Section 2 - Functions and Responsibilities

(2) The APC will:

1. approve and report to Academic Board on the accreditation, review, registration, re-registration, amendment and discontinuation of VET products;
2. approve and report to Academic Board on the development, accreditation, amendment, review, re-accreditation and discontinuation of higher education coursework offerings (courses and units);
3. approve major changes to Higher Education coursework courses, and report these to the Academic Board;
4. approve accredited non-award courses and units, including credit-bearing microcredentials;
5. approve international pathways courses and units;
6. monitor a review schedule for the comprehensive review of Higher Education coursework courses;
7. monitor Professional Accreditation Schedules and receive reports on Professional Accreditation outcomes and management of conditions/provisional status;
8. initiate course reviews, if required;
9. receive review reports for Higher Education coursework courses and provide annual recommendations to Academic Board on proposed actions to mitigate systemic risks to quality; and
10. provide advice and recommendations to the Academic Board on policies and procedures relating to course development, approval, amendment and review, consulting with the Learning and Teaching Committee (LTC) as required (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 the APC).

Operations

(3) The APC will:

1. develop an annual reporting schedule;
2. establish working parties, receive their reports, and determine or recommend actions within the functions of the APC in response to such reports;
3. provide minutes and reports from APC meetings to the Academic Board; and
4. consider and report on any matter referred by the Academic Board or the Vice-Chancellor.

(4) The Chair must ensure that the Academic Programs Committee reviews its terms of reference, performance, and membership at least annually. The results of this review must be captured in committee minutes.

Referral of Matters

(5) The APC may refer any item to LTC or Academic Board for discussion, consideration and/or action, and may refer relevant matters for action or noting to other committees or officers as appropriate.

Section 3 - Membership

(6) Membership of the APC will comprise:

1. Chair: Provost;
2. Deputy Chair: Associate Director Curriculum Assessment and Teaching Development;
3. Deputy Chair: Associate Director Course Accreditation and Registration;
4. Deputy Provost;
5. Pro Vice-Chancellor CDU TAFE;
6. Deputy Vice-Chancellor First Nations Leadership;
7. Director CDU Global;
8. Associate Deans Learning and Teaching;
9. Director Student and Academic Services;
10. Senior VET Quality Manager;
11. One VET Team Leader (appointed);
12. One VET Academic (appointed);
13. One academic from Faculty of Health (appointed);
14. One academic from Faculty of Arts and Society (appointed); and
15. One academic from the Faculty of Science and Technology (appointed).

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

(8) Appointed members will be appointed by the Chair after calling for nominations from the relevant Faculty and/or CDU TAFE.

(9) The Chair may invite additional non-voting attendees but may not co-opt additional members.

(10) All members are expected to represent and maintain effective communications between their organisational area and the APC, as appropriate.

(11) New members will, on their appointment, receive relevant induction information and briefings to assist them to meet their APC responsibilities.

Members’ attendance

(12) Attendance by members will be monitored by the Secretary. If a member has three consecutive, unexplained absences from the APC meetings, the Chair will discuss with the VPGUS their future participation as a member of the APC.

Section 4 - Chair

(13) The Provost will be the Chair of the APC.

(14) The Associate Director Curriculum Assessment and Teaching Development and the Associate Director Course Accreditation and Registration will be the Deputy Chairs of the APC.

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

Section 5 - Secretary

(16) The Provost will provide a secretary to the APC.

Section 6 - Terms of Office

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

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

(19) An appointed member of the APC vacates their office if the member is absent, without apology, from three (3) consecutive meetings of the APC.

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

(21) The Chair may terminate an individual’s membership of the APC if the Chair determines that their continued membership is not constructive to the operation and functioning of the APC. The Chair will notify the individual in writing and give them an opportunity to respond before terminating the membership.

Section 7 - Leave of Absence

(22) Where a member is aware that they will be absent from the University and unable to attend the APC meetings for an extended period, the member may apply to the Chair for a leave of absence for the period. For the purpose of calculating membership and quorum, the membership will be reduced by the number of members on leave of absence at the time of the meeting.

Section 8 - Rights of Audience and Debate

(23) The APC may extend rights of audience and debate on a standing or ad hoc basis.

(24) Those holding the following or equivalent positions (or their nominee) shall have standing rights of audience and debate at meetings:

1. All VCAC members;
2. Associate Director Academic Quality and Integrity;
3. Admissions employees;
4. Course advice employees;
5. Student communications employees; and
6. Student systems employees.
7. Employees and external stakeholders may request the opportunity to address the APC at any time. The Chair will consider and determine these requests.

Section 9 - Quorum

(25) At a meeting of the APC, quorum is constituted as 7 members of the APC, with at least three attending members be drawn from the Associate Deans Learning and Teaching and academic staff from Faculties or CDU TAFE.

Section 10 - Executive Committee

(26) The APC shall have an Executive Committee, empowered to act between meetings where urgent business arises, and to form ad hoc sub-committees if required. Executive Committee decisions will be reported to this Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

(27) The Executive Committee shall comprise:

1. Chair;
2. Both Deputy Chairs;
3. One Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, determined by the Committee; and
4. One senior VET representative, determined by the Committee (when VET products are being considered).

(28) If a meeting of the Executive Committee is called, the Deputy Chair shall chair the meeting if the Chair is unable to attend. If both the Chair and Deputy Chair are unable to attend a meeting, the Chair shall nominate an alternate Chair.

Section 11 - Meetings

(29) The APC will meet at least six (6) times per year, and the Chair may call additional meetings if necessary.

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

Member Conduct

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

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

Section 12 - Agenda

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

Section 13 - Minutes

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

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

Section 14 - Reporting

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

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

Section 15 - Conflicts of Interest

(38) 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 16 - Non-compliance

(39) 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.

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

(41) 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.