• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Visiting Appointments
• Adjunct Appointments
• Categories of Visiting and Adjunct Appointments
• Conditions Related to Visiting and Adjunct Appointments
• Allowances, Remuneration and Employment
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Requirements for Appointment Applications
• Visiting and Adjunct Reference Panel
• Approval Authorities for Visiting Appointments
• Process for Visiting Appointments
• Approval Authorities for Adjunct Appointments
• Process for Adjunct Appointments
• Administrative Arrangements
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) Honorary academic appointments benefit the University by increasing cooperation and activities between the University and leaders and members of academia, professions, business, industry, community, and the public sector, in Australia and overseas. The appointments provide a cost-effective way to increase experience within the University.

(2) Such appointments are made for a limited period, up to maximum of three years and appointees can be current or former (e.g. retired) academics, or members of a profession, business, industry, community, or the public sector, either in Australia or overseas.

(3) Typical areas of contribution by honorary academic appointees include: course and curriculum development and planning; staff and student seminars in the appointee's area of expertise; supervision of postgraduate research students; research, individually or in teams; staff development activities; and community engagement activities.

(4) These appointments supplement the academic activity and expertise of the University. They are not, however, an alternative to formal appointments to academic positions within the University.

Section 2 - Definitions

(5) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(6) The University supports two types of honorary academic appointments comprising visiting appointments and adjunct appointments.

Visiting Appointments

(7) Visiting appointments provide recognition for external people who wish to be associated with the University to undertake independent scholarly work, for example during study leave.

(8) A visiting appointment mainly recognises individuals who already have an academic appointment with another university and who continue to be paid by that institution. The appointee is seeking an association with the University for a defined period, with the intention of returning to their substantive position elsewhere.

(9) Visiting appointments are for relatively short term periods. The maximum term of appointment is one year but appointments may be renewed via the approval process outlined below.

(10) This category of appointment is also used to cover very short stay academic staff from other universities and may be applied to external students (e.g. doctoral students) in appropriate circumstances.

Adjunct Appointments

(11) Adjunct appointments are made to recognise external people who are invited by the University to undertake a specific unremunerated activity with an academic (or other) unit, in line with the mission and objectives of the University and where there is some defined benefit or significant advantage to the University concomitant with the privilege of holding an adjunct title.

(12) An adjunct appointment is made mainly where the appointee will pursue significant activities on behalf of a unit within the University and in order to derive benefit from the academic association. Adjunct appointments are more selective than visiting appointments and the work of such appointees is integrated with that of the University.

(13) Normally adjunct appointments are made for a period of between one and three years maximum, but appointments may be renewed via the approval process outlined below.

Categories of Visiting and Adjunct Appointments

(14) There are two levels of visiting appointment:

1. Visiting Professor
2. Visiting Fellow

(15) There are three levels of adjunct appointment:

1. Adjunct Professor
2. Adjunct Associate Professor
3. Adjunct Fellow

Conditions Related to Visiting and Adjunct Appointments

(16) Visiting and adjunct appointees:

1. are accorded the normal rights and privileges of University staff (either academic or general), except that they may not become formal members of formal committees or vote in University elections;
2. are able to nominate the University as the host institution for the purpose of research applications, with the University administering any grants and associated staff appointments. Any publications resulting from the research must recognise the University;
3. are eligible to co-supervise higher degree candidates;
4. may represent the University in professional forums, conferences, and seminars;
5. are governed by the policies, rules and regulations of the University, and are responsible to the head of the hosting University unit, where applicable;
6. may be eligible to have their appointment renewed at the end of an initial or subsequent appointment. Renewal is based on demonstrable, positive contributions during the preceding period of appointment;
7. may terminate the association with the University at any time in writing;
8. may have their appointment terminated at any time by the Vice-Chancellor in writing; and
9. are covered by the University's public liability insurance.

Allowances, Remuneration and Employment

(17) Honorary appointees normally do not receive remuneration but may be eligible to receive allowances such as a living allowance or payment of approved work-related expenses, as appropriate. Appointees will also have access to the resources of the host unit as approved by the relevant manager with delegated authority.

(18) Honorary academic appointees may undertake some incidental and limited paid employment but this must be supplemental to the purpose of their honorary appointment with the University. It cannot be the basis of the appointment. The making of an honorary appointment cannot be used as an alternative to the normal competitive recruitment and appointment processes undertaken by the University for the employment of academic staff.

(19) Where an honorary appointee is to be offered some paid employment they must be issued with a separate contract of employment. These arrangements must follow normal employment procedures and meet industrial and other requirements such as visa requirements in the case of appointees from overseas. Such employment should be confined to particular defined activities and is not to exceed 7.5 hours per week in the case of an ongoing paid engagement.

(20) Nothing precludes an honorary academic appointee from applying for an externally advertised position with the University if they meet the eligibility criteria. All such applications will be considered under the normal competitive recruitment and appointment processes undertaken by the University.

Section 4 - Procedures

Requirements for Appointment Applications

(21) Applications for honorary academic appointments are normally generated within the academic unit that intends to host the appointee. Applications must be developed and submitted using the Application for Recommendation of a Visiting or Adjunct Appointment Form developed and maintained by the Office of Human Resources.

(22) Applications must encompass the following information:

1. a curriculum vitae;
2. a description of the nature of the activity to be undertaken, and for adjunct applications, the particular contribution to be made by the appointee to the University, including the expected results;
3. the proposed period of appointment to the University, including the date on which the appointment will cease;
4. the proposed title to be conferred as outlined above under Section 3;
5. a clear statement about the ownership of intellectual property generated during, and as a result of, the appointment (ownership would normally be held by the University);
6. any special conditions;
7. satisfactory evidence that the appointment is permitted under the terms of any other concurrent appointment;
8. consideration of any other real or potential issues of conflict of interest and how these can be addressed;
9. funding details, if appropriate;
10. information about the arrangements to be made and responsibilities for the provision of office accommodation and facilities, including computing facilities and library facilities;
11. details of any employment that might be undertaken during the period of appointment and certification that such employment would be incidental to the main reason for the honorary appointment.

Visiting and Adjunct Reference Panel

(23) While many honorary academic appointments are relatively straightforward and involve 'mutual recognition' of academic staff from other universities seeking academic recognition during their stay at the University, in some instances, and especially at the level of professorial appointments, there may be a need for evaluative peer review. The Visiting and Adjunct Reference Panel exists to provide this senior and independent peer review.

(24) The Panel comprises:

1. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Enterprise, except in cases where they have made the referral to the panel;
2. The Chair Academic Senate or the Deputy Chair Academic Senate (as nominated by the chair); and
3. Three professors of the University comprising one from each College, nominated by the Executive Dean.

(25) The Panel will be constituted by the Office of Human Resources, but reference to the Panel for review of applications will be undertaken by the relevant Executive Dean's or Deputy Vice-Chancellor's office. Where an appointment is straightforward it does not need to be referred to the Panel. The purpose of the Panel is to review, on request, applications that are not straightforward and to provide advice to those responsible for making appointments. The Panel normally would only deal with professorial level appointments but may consider other cases in exceptional circumstances.

(26) The Panel would not be referred to where, for instance, a professor from a recognised international or Australian university is being considered. However, in the case of a person whose achievements and expertise lie outside academe the Panel can provide an objective review.

Approval Authorities for Visiting Appointments

(27) A Head of School or Director of University Research Centre may approve applications for the appointment of Visiting Fellows who will be hosted in their academic unit.

(28) An Executive Dean may approve applications for the appointment of Visiting Professors who will be hosted in their College.

(29) A Deputy Vice-Chancellor may approve applications for the appointment of Visiting Fellows or Professors who will be hosted in their Divisions, but not associated with a College.

(30) To avoid conflict of interest situations where the Head of School or another appointment authority is also the lead proposer for an appointment then the application must be referred to the next level up. For the Head of School and the Director of University Research Centre this would be to the Executive Dean.

(31) Renewals of appointments are approved in the same manner and by the same authorities as apply to initial appointments.

Process for Visiting Appointments

(32) The application (Visiting Professor and Visiting Fellow) is developed in the hosting unit using the required form and compiling all of the relevant information. It is the proposer's responsibility to ensure that applications are submitted well in advance of the intended arrival of the appointee to ensure that the letter of appointment has been issued prior to the visitor's arrival.

(33) All applications are submitted to the Head of School /Director of University Research Centre that will host the visitor. The Head of School /Director is responsible for ensuring that the application is properly made and that all relevant information is provided.

(34) The Head of School /Director will consider and may approve applications for appointment of Visiting Fellows. The Head of School /Director will be responsible for informing the Executive Dean /Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the appointment. Following approval, all of the documentation is to be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources so that the formal letter of offer can be prepared and sent and the details entered on the Human Resources System. The relevant papers will then be returned to the host School /Centre that has the responsibility to further organise the administrative arrangements associated with the visitor.

(35) The Head of School /Director will consider applications for Visiting Professors and provide a formal recommendation to the Executive Dean. The Executive Dean will consider and may approve the application. Following approval all of the documentation is to be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources so that the formal letter of offer can be prepared and sent and the details entered on the Human Resources System. The relevant papers will then be returned to the host School /Centre which has the responsibility to further organise the administrative arrangements associated with the visitor.

(36) Should the Executive Dean consider that the proposed appointment requires some further review and consideration, the application will be forwarded (by email) from the Executive Dean's office to the Visiting and Adjunct Reference Panel for consideration and recommendation back to the Executive Dean. The Executive Dean will then proceed to determine the application having regard to any advice provided by the Panel.

(37) Refer to the Visiting and Adjunct Appointments Flowchart.

Approval Authorities for Adjunct Appointments

(38) An Executive Dean may approve applications for the appointment of Adjunct Associate Professors and Adjunct Fellows who will be hosted in their College.

(39) A Deputy Vice-Chancellor may approve applications for the appointment of Adjunct Associate Professors and Adjunct Fellows who will be hosted in their Divisions.

(40) The Vice-Chancellor may approve applications for the appointment of Adjunct Professors. The Vice-Chancellor may delegate this authority to a Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

(41) To avoid conflict of interest situations where the Executive Dean or DVC is also the lead proposer for an appointment then the application must be referred to the next level up.

(42) Renewals of appointments are approved in the same manner and by the same authorities as apply to initial appointments.

Process for Adjunct Appointments

(43) The application (Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor and Adjunct Fellow ) is developed in the hosting unit using the required form and compiling all of the relevant information. It is the proposer's responsibility to ensure that applications are submitted well in advance of the intended arrival of the appointee to ensure that the letter of appointment has issued prior to the visitor's arrival.

(44) All applications are submitted to the Head of School /Director of University Research Centre that will host the visitor. The Head of School /Director is responsible for ensuring that the application is properly made and that all relevant information is provided.

(45) The Head of School /Director will consider applications for adjunct appointments and provide a formal recommendation to the Executive Dean. The Executive Dean will consider and may approve applications for Adjunct Associate Professor and Adjunct Fellow. Following such approval all of the documentation is to be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources so that the formal letter of offer can be prepared and sent and the details entered on the Human Resources System. The relevant papers will then be returned to the host School /University Research Centre that has the responsibility to further organise the administrative arrangements associated with the adjunct appointee.

(46) The Executive Dean will consider applications for Adjunct Professor appointments and provide a formal recommendation to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Enterprise. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Enterprise will consider the application and refer it with a recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor, unless the Vice-Chancellor has delegated to them the authority to approve of the application.

(47) Should the Vice-Chancellor consider that the appointment requires some further review and consideration, the application will be forwarded (by email) from the Vice-Chancellor's office to the Visiting and Adjunct Reference Panel for consideration and recommendation back to the Vice-Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor will then proceed to determine the application having regard to any advice provided by the Panel.

(48) Following such approval, all of the documentation is to be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources so that the formal letter of offer can be prepared and sent and the details entered on the Human Resources System. The relevant papers will then be returned to the host School /Centre that has the responsibility to further organise the administrative arrangements associated with the adjunct appointee.

(49) Refer to the Visiting and Adjunct Appointments Flowchart.

Administrative Arrangements

(50) Following formal approval of an honorary academic appointment, the Office of Human Resources will institute the process of appointment including the issue of an offer letter as outlined above. A package of material outlining the rights and obligations of the appointee will be sent with the letter of appointment.

(51) The School Manager - School Administrative Manager or Centre Coordinator (or other nominated contact officer) will also provide the appropriate information to appointees in relation to matters such as the issue of staff ID cards, library access and parking permits. It is also the responsibility of the host unit to ensure that accommodation and access to relevant services have been organised prior to the appointee's arrival.

(52) The Host Unit will initiate the appropriate action at the end of the appointment, i.e. termination or extension and will advise the Office of Human Resources.

(53) The Office of Human Resources is also responsible for record keeping in respect of adjunct and visiting appointments and maintaining a database, enabling the University to report on these appointments when necessary. The Office also establishes the Visiting and Adjunct Reference Panel.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(54) Visiting and Adjunct Appointments Flowchart