• Section 1 - Overview
• Section 2 - Membership of the Committee
• Section 3 - Functions of the Board
• Section 4 - Authorities
• Section 5 - Conduct of Committee Business
• Section 6 - Definitions and Interpretation

Section 1 - Overview

Establishment of the Committee

(1) Each Course Advisory Board (CAB) will consider and evaluate the quality of individual coursework courses or cognates offered by UNE within an industry or community context as appropriate, with the benefit of input based on the professional experience and perspectives provided by its members.

(2) An industry advisory board for a given discipline may act as a course advisory board.

Section 2 - Membership of the Committee

(3) Each Course Advisory Board will be comprised of individuals whose professional and/or academic expertise align with the nature of the course or cognate identified for consideration/evaluation.

Core membership

(4) Core members of the Course Advisory Board are as follows:

1. Head of School or nominee;
2. Course Coordinator (or Coordinators in the case of cognate courses or an industry advisory board);
3. Representative from the School Education Committee/TLAG
4. A representative who is industry-based or from the relevant professional accreditation body (as appropriate);

In attendance

(5) Official attendees of the Course Advisory Board may include but are not limited to:

1. Chair of the relevant Faculty Education Committee;
2. A current student of the course, as deemed appropriate by the Head of School (and in the case of cognate courses, a student from each of the cognate Schools as appropriate, and as nominated by the Head of School); and
3. Secretary to the Course Advisory Board.

Co-opted members

(6) The Committee may co-opt members from time to time for a specified period and purpose.

Chair

(7) The Head of School or nominee will act as Chair.

Gender representative objectives

(8) Gender representation shall accord with the Gender Representation on Decision Making and Advisory Committees Policy.

Term of membership

(9) Members of the Course Advisory Board will be normally appointed for a two year term, with the opportunity for reappointment.

Section 3 - Functions of the Board

Functions

(10) The Board’s functions are as follows:

1. Monitor implementation of actions arising from a course review;
2. Monitor low enrolment courses and units and the efficacy of plans to action or discontinue as appropriate;
3. Monitor, consider and comment on the quality of courses by review of the following course data against UNE averages:
   1. UNE data on Admission trends, EFTSL, Attrition Rate, and GPA
   2. QILT data on overall educational experience and teaching quality (SES), and overall employment (GOS).
4. Ensure course content/conduct:
   1. Meets the standards of rigour and depth appropriate to the provision of an award at the relevant AQF level;
   2. Aligns with current and emerging knowledge/concepts in relevant academic disciplines - as well as advances in professional practice;
   3. Responds to or aligns with changes to government and employer policies and expectations; and
   4. Responds to or aligns with industry accreditation requirements (as appropriate).
5. Prepare and provide a report to the relevant Faculty Education Committee and the Education Quality Directorate that:
   1. Provides advice and recommendations for amendment to course content, assessment and delivery in line with community and industry developments/expectations; and
   2. Comments on the realisation of advice and recommendations from a course review and prior meetings of the Course Advisory Board; and
6. Provide advice on any other matters associated with the course, as the Faculty Education Committee or the Head of School deems appropriate.

Section 4 - Authorities

(11) The Committee is established under the authority of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to perform the advice and monitoring functions set out in these Terms of Reference, and all matters ancillary to those functions.

Section 5 - Conduct of Committee Business

Reporting

(12) The Chair of the Board will provide a written report to the relevant Faculty Education Committee and the Education Quality Directorate, in accordance with clause 10(e) above.

(13) Reports arising from the meetings of the Committee are prepared and circulated to members for their approval, no later than two weeks after the Committee’s meeting date.

(14) Final copies of the Committee reports are forwarded to the relevant Faculty Education Committee and the Education Quality Directorate, no later than four weeks after the Committee’s meeting date.

1. The report will be considered by the Faculty Education Committee as a key component of any regular self-assessment monitoring associated with the course. The findings of the Course Advisory Board will be an important factor in gauging the ‘health’ of the course in context.
2. The Education Quality Directorate will report on the completion of annual monitoring by a Course Advisory Board to Curriculum Committee.

(15) Following further consideration by the Faculty Education Committee, recommendations for course amendments will be actioned as per the university’s process.

Meetings

(16) Each course is monitored on an annual basis therefore, a Course Advisory Board for that particular course must meet once per year, unless a course review is also scheduled. If a course review is scheduled, it is not mandatory to hold a Course Advisory Board.

(17) Meetings of the Course Advisory Board should be conducted over the period of a single day, unless extenuating circumstances require otherwise. For clarity, it is not expected that a meeting would take a whole day.

(18) Course Advisory Board meetings will ideally be scheduled to align with meetings of the associated Faculty Education Committee, to ensure feedback and recommendations feed from one Committee meeting to the next within an appropriate timeframe for consideration.

Business Papers

(19) Unless the Chair directs otherwise, Committee business papers will be distributed to Committee members and other invited attendees, at least seven days prior to the meeting, or such shorter period as is practicable in the circumstances. Business papers must be treated confidentially by recipients.

(20) Any external disclosure of business papers should be made via the Committee Secretary, and at the discretion of the Chair.

Quorum

(21) Core members of the Committee constitute a quorum. Core members who are unable to be present at a Committee meeting must nominate a representative to act on their behalf.  

Use of Technology

(22) For the circulation of meeting papers, as well as to engage with members for meetings (and otherwise to conduct its business) the Committee and its members may use technology (including telephone, video-conferencing, telepresence, email and internet) as arranged by the Chair.

Administrative support to the Committee

(23) The nominee of the Head of School will act as Secretary to the Committee. Typically this is the Course Manager from the school initiating the Course Advisory Board.

(24) The Secretary is responsible for ensuring all Committee papers and subsequent reports are recorded in the University’s corporate record keeping system (TRIM) in accordance with the University’s Records Management Rule.

Section 6 - Definitions and Interpretation

1. Words and phrases used throughout this Terms of Reference document, align with meanings reflected in the UNE Policy Library Glossary.
2. This Terms of Reference document does not override or otherwise affect the Terms of Reference, Authorities or Functions of the Committees or individuals to which it provides direct or indirect advice and support, identified within the following documents:
   1. Terms of Reference, Faculty Education Committee
   2. Terms of Reference, Curriculum Committee
   3. Terms of Reference, Academic Board
   4. UNE Delegations Framework Rule; and
   5. Vice-Chancellor Functions Rule.