• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Checklist of information required to be submitted with an honorary award nomination
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) Recognition of outstanding achievement and contributions to the community is an integral part of the concept and role of a university. The University of Western Sydney from time to time confers honorary awards on distinguished individuals who have contributed to the advancement of knowledge or the betterment of society and who have achieved eminence in their field of endeavour at local, State, national or international level.

(2) Only a small number of these awards is made in any given year and the University and its community join in this public recognition and celebration of achievement at the highest levels.

Section 2 - Definitions

(3) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(4) The Board of Trustees may confer the following honorary awards:

1. honorary Doctor of Letters or Honorary Doctor of Science for contributions to knowledge, to the broader community, the nation and the world; or
2. honorary Fellowships for contributions to the University; or
3. in exceptional circumstances, an existing award of the University (on an honorary basis), having regard to the nature of the achievement and the appropriateness of the award to the circumstances; and
4. for each of these cases where the achievements and contributions are consistent with the ideals and objectives of the University.

(5) An honorary Doctorate of Letters will normally be conferred on a person whose achievement is related to cultural, social, or humanitarian contribution. An honorary Doctorate of Science will normally be conferred on a person whose achievement is related to the creation or application of scientific knowledge or professional contribution in the fields of science and technology.

(6) An honorary doctorate will be conferred where a person has made a particular and sustained contribution well beyond the normal expectations of their position and which has had a major and positive impact on the wider community.

(7) An honorary doctorate may be awarded for academic eminence but in that context consideration should be given as to possible recognition under the Degrees of Doctor of Letters and Doctor of Science policy or the Emeritus Professors policy.

(8) An honorary Fellowship will be conferred where a person has made a particular and sustained contribution to the University well beyond the normal expectations of their role or association with the University. Such contributions may be in areas such as:

1. furthering the academic endeavours of the University;
2. representation and advocacy on behalf of the University;
3. supporting members of the University community;
4. enhancing the resources of the University;
5. supporting the mission, objectives and functions of the University.

(9) Honorary awards will not be awarded:

1. to current elected representatives in government at local, State and Federal level; or
2. to current staff, students or members of committees of the University or to persons being remunerated by the University.

(10) Honorary awards will not, other than in exceptional circumstances, be conferred on:

1. persons who are deceased; or
2. persons who are unable to attend the ceremony to receive the award.

Section 4 - Procedures

(11) Any member of the University community may nominate, in confidence, to the Remuneration and Nominations Committee, via the Vice-Chancellor, an eligible person to be considered for an honorary award.

(12) Nominations may be made at any time during the year and the Vice-Chancellor will issue a reminder call for submissions at least once each year. The Remuneration and Nomination Committee will normally consider all of the nominations received during the year in September or October with a view to providing recommendations to the Board of Trustees no later than its final meeting for the year.

(13) Nominations should be brief (up to 5 pages) and cover the matters in the checklist below.

(14) Nominations are to be strictly confidential and should not be made with the knowledge of the person who is the subject of the nomination. Persons who make nominations will be notified in confidence about the outcome of their nomination/s.

(15) The Remuneration and Nominations Committee may also at its own instigation consider and recommend persons to the Board of Trustees for honorary awards and may seek further confidential advice on nominees where necessary.

(16) Once the Remuneration and Nominations Committee has finalised the recommendations, the Chancellor (or delegate) will contact the nominated person/s to ascertain their willingness to have their name put forward to the Board of Trustees.

(17) Proposals for honorary awards shall be treated in strict confidence until the Board of Trustees has approved a recommendation and the Chancellor (or delegate) will notify the nominee as soon as possible after the Board's decision.

(18) Awards will be conferred as far as possible at the next session of graduation ceremonies. Recipients will normally be invited to deliver the occasional address at the graduation ceremony. In exceptional circumstances the conferral of an honorary award may be conducted at a ceremony other than a scheduled graduation.

(19) Nothing in this policy precludes the Board of Trustees, on its own initiative, conferring an honorary award on a person.

Checklist of information required to be submitted with an honorary award nomination

(20) The checklist of information required to be submitted with an honorary award nomination is as follows:

1. Cover (1 page)
   1. Nominator (Member of the University community - staff, student, graduate, committee)
   2. Name of Nominee
   3. Nomination summary statement: (should highlight the accomplishments of the person relevant to the award being recommended)
   4. Recommended Award (optional)
2. Detailed Submission
   1. Qualifications of nominee
   2. Honours conferred (include dates)
   3. Major appointments/memberships (include dates) (employment plus honorary positions)
   4. Biographical information (includes contact details address etc. and typically education, employment, public, community and professional service, consulting, publications etc.)
   5. Assessment of significance of achievement
   6. Referees who could be contacted (at least two)(statements can be included with the nomination)
   7. Statement certifying that the nomination has been made without the knowledge of the nominee and that the nominator has no conflict of interest in making the nomination

Section 5 - Guidelines

(21) Nil.