• Section 1 - Overview
• Faculty Research Committee
• Objectives
• Section 2 - FRC Membership
• Membership
• Appointment procedure for appointed members
• Appointments
• Automatic vacancy by an appointed member
• Acting ex officio members
• Terms of office
• Ex officio members
• Appointed members
• Co-opted members (non-voting)
• Gender representation objectives
• Section 3 - Functions of the Committee
• Functions
• Approval/Advice functions
• Monitoring functions
• Communication functions
• General
• Section 4 - Conduct of FRC Business
• Reporting
• Meetings
• Business papers
• Quorum
• Use of technology
• Resolutions
• Confirmation of minutes
• Self-review
• Secretary to FRC
• Section 5 - Interpretation

Section 1 - Overview

Faculty Research Committee

(1) A Faculty Research Committee (FRC) is established as a Committee of the Faculty and has delegated authority to discharge relevant research delegations as set out in these Terms of Reference.

(2) These Terms of Reference for the FRC prescribe the following:

1. membership of the FRC and the method and term of appointment;
2. functions of the FRC; and
3. other matters in connection with the FRC and its operation.

Objectives

(3) The primary role of the FRC is to promote and lead research development and innovation in the Faculty and advise the Executive Dean on all matters related to research and innovation activities and research management in the Faculty. The FRC:

1. leads the Faculty in identifying research issues and potential opportunities relevant to the Faculty's areas of expertise, industries and communities.
2. advises the Executive Dean and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) on the Faculty’s systems to identify and manage risk associated with the research including research safety, foreign interference and self-assurance activities and compliance requirements related to research.
3. promotes a culture that is supportive of high-quality research, higher degree research students (HDR) supervision and research training that is multi-disciplinary and attractive to Australian and international research partners, enhances the University’s academic reputation and has impact with end-users.
4. promotes collaboration and shared use of research infrastructure.
5. supports the Faculty's achievement of high quality research outcomes including:
   1. external quality assessment.
   2. publications, intellectual property, non-traditional research outputs..
   3. Higher Degree Research (HDR) completions.
   4. external research income. 
   5. demonstrable engagement and impact with communities, industry and governments.
6. supports planning, development, maintenance and use of Faculty research infrastructure and collections, including advising the Executive Dean about the Faculty's research infrastructure and research collections needs.
7. supports innovation and collaboration between research areas within the Faculty and also with external groups.
8. supports the mentoring of early and mid-career researchers and professional and technical staff involved in research to maximise opportunities for professional, Faculty and University success.
9. provides support to strengthen research activity and impact through alumni networks.
10. advises the Executive Dean, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), the Academic Board Research Committee and the Graduate Research Committee on the quality and integrity of the Faculty's research and research training.

Section 2 - FRC Membership

Membership

(4) The FRC members are:

1. Ex-officio members
   1. Associate Dean, Research (or delegate) – Chair
   2. Deputy Associate Dean, Research (or delegate) – Deputy Chair
   3. Executive Dean of Faculty – non voting, for advice and discussion only
2. Appointed members
   1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander member – one (1) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander member (subject to availability) – appointed by the Chair following an Expression of Interest process.
   2. Student members – up to two (2) Higher Degree Research Students currently enrolled in the Faculty – appointed by the Chair following consultation with relevant student representative body/ies.
   3. Academic members – up to ten (10) academic staff members in the Faculty with excellent and current research trajectories (relative to experience) who demonstrate leadership and attitudes consistent with the objectives of the FRC to drive the Faculty research priorities and culture – appointed by the Chair following an Expression of Interest process.
3. Co-opted members
   1. Specialist Co-opted Member (non-voting) – an academic staff member from the Faculty with specialist expertise may be appointed by the Chair to join discussion, and to provide expert advice/guidance to Committee deliberations related to a specific topic. Specialist co-opted members may be appointed on an ad-hoc basis or for a specified period of time. 
   2. Technical/Professional Staff Co-opted Member (non-voting) – where applicable a member of technical/professional staff in the Faculty whose normal duties entail matters pertaining to research infrastructure (eg. technologies, equipment, facilities) may be appointed by the Chair on an ad-hoc basis or for a specified period of time.

Appointment procedure for appointed members

(5) When a vacancy of an appointed member occurs, a new appointment will be made.

(6) Appointed members who are employed on fixed-term contracts are required to have sufficient service remaining to fulfill their period of office.

Appointments

(7) Appointment of committee membership will be conducted in line with these Terms of Reference and may be through consultation and invitation and/or through an expression of interest process.

Automatic vacancy by an appointed member

(8) An appointed position becomes vacant automatically if:

1. the appointed member is absent without prior leave from three consecutive FRC meetings, or
2. the appointed member loses their original qualification for appointment.

Acting ex officio members

(9) An ex officio member of the FRC includes a person who has been appointed by the Chair on an 'acting' basis to the role and will not have voting rights.

Terms of office

Ex officio members

(10) The term of office of an ex officio member will be for the period they hold their primary office.

Appointed members

(11) The term of office of an appointed member is two (2) years. Appointed members may stand for re-appointment.

Co-opted members (non-voting)

(12) The term of office of a co-opted (non-voting) member will be determined by the Chair. Ad-hoc and short term appointments made for a specified time will not normally exceed twelve (12) months.

Gender representation objectives

(13) Gender representation will be in accordance with the Gender Representation on Decision-Making and Advisory Committees Policy.

Section 3 - Functions of the Committee

Functions

(14) The functions of the FRC are to develop, drive and promote research, research training, research culture, research safety, research integrity and research infrastructure that supports the faculty research plan and UNE strategic priorities; and to approve or make recommendations about the Faculty's research, research risk, research training, HDR courses, HDR student affairs and graduate outcomes and their improvement.

Approval/Advice functions

(15) Approval of Faculty-specific academic procedures and guidelines relating to research, research training and HDR student matters within the Faculty, as prescribed in the Academic Delegations Register, and in consultation with the Executive Dean.

(16) Provision of advice to the Executive Dean on matters related to the promotion, quality and management of research and research training, the governance and management of HDR student matters and graduate outcomes within the Faculty, and the Faculty's Research and Research Training Plan and Strategies.

Monitoring functions

(17) FRC is responsible for monitoring and reporting to the Executive Dean on:

1. research quality and productivity;
2. HDR training, progression and completions;
3. research risk management systems (including research safety, foreign interference, integrity);
4. research income; and
5. measures of engagement and research impact.

Communication functions

(18) Effective consultation, exchange and representation of ideas between the Schools and other Faculties.

(19) To serve as a forum for the discussion of ideas, issues and opportunities that concern research, research training and HDR student welfare within the Faculty.

General

(20) The FRC may form working groups from time to time to undertake specific projects and tasks related to their functions.

Section 4 - Conduct of FRC Business

Reporting

(21) The Chair of the FRC reports to the Executive Dean on strategic, operational, infrastructure and management matters.

(22) The Committee will refer matters to the Academic Board Research Committee for either noting and approval as prescribed in the Academic Delegations Register.

(23) The Committee may refer other matters to Academic Board and its standing committee as required.

Meetings

(24) The FRC will meet six (6) times a year with additional meetings on a needs basis.

Business papers

(25) Unless the Chair directs otherwise, FRC business papers will be distributed to members and official attendees at least seven days prior to the meeting, or such shorter period as is practicable in the circumstances.

(26) Public disclosure of business papers, minutes and other information received by the FRC should only be made via the Chair or Secretary to the Committee.

Quorum

(27) At any meeting of the Committee, one half of the voting membership plus one constitutes a quorum.

Use of technology

(28) For its business papers, meetings and otherwise to conduct its business the FRC and its members may use technology including telephone, video-conferencing, telepresence, email and internet as arranged by the Chair and/or Secretary to the Committee.

Resolutions

(29) The FRC may pass a resolution by 'flying minute' provided that the resolution has been approved by the Chair.

Confirmation of minutes

(30) Draft minutes will normally be circulated to members for comment promptly after each meeting and then circulated, with any necessary amendments, for adoption by the FRC. The minutes will be finalised and adopted when they have been approved by a majority of the members that were present at the relevant meeting. Alternatively, the minutes may be included in the business papers for the next Committee meeting and considered and adopted by the Committee at that meeting.

Self-review

(31) Once annually the FRC will devote part of one meeting to the review of its business, policies, practices and procedures over the preceding twelve months.

Secretary to FRC

(32) The Faculty will provide secretarial and administrative support to the FRC.

Section 5 - Interpretation

(33) This document should be interpreted using the following principles:

1. This document does not override or otherwise affect:
   1. the UNE Delegations Framework Rule; 
   2. the Vice-Chancellor Functions Rule; or
   3. the DVCR Research Engagement and Enterprise Plan.