1. Scope                                                                                                                                                 1266a/2008

1.1 This policy covers all centres at ANU. The term ‘centre' in this policy is a generic term for forms of scholarly organisation adopted at ANU to add value to research and/or education activities, enhance collaboration, and increase knowledge transfer. These may be referred to as ‘Hubs', ‘Institutes', ‘Centres', ‘Units', and ‘Networks',  depending on purpose and size. A centre is not a College, Research School or Faculty.

Section 1 - Principles for Centre establishment

2. Why Establish a Centre?

2.1 Centres are established to facilitate and enhance the University's research, education and outreach activities.

2.2 A centre may be established if it meets the following guidelines for purpose and constitution:

• has a defined academic purpose;
• has distinctive differences from existing forms of scholarly organisation;
• adds value to research, teaching, innovation and outreach activities of the University;
• builds scale, visibility and focus of disciplinary or interdisciplinary areas and promotes synergies internally and externally; and
• has members who accept responsibility for leadership, management, and managing relationships, ensuring that the Centre continues to add value in a  sustainable way.

2.3 Multi-institutional centres may be established. A multi-institutional centre must have a Node within the ANU that has been established as a centre governed by this Policy. The entire centre must operate under an appropriate governance structure that has been agreed by the ANU.

2.4 Inter- and trans-disciplinary centres may be established to bridge between the University's existing academic structures and facilitate cross-disciplinary research. A bridging centre will have one designated Host College, to provide administrative services.

2.5 Cooperative Research Centres, ARC Centres of Excellence, National Centres of Excellence, and other externally funded centres may come into existence by virtue of the Funding Agreement. Centres created in this way must be registered in accordance with this policy. They are always subject to the conditions of the Funding Agreement between the ANU and the external body/ies, as well as the terms of this policy.

3. Objectives of Centres

3.1 Centres should add value to existing or emerging scholarly strengths at ANU, and contribute to areas of national and/or international priority.

3.2 Centres should be sustainable. They should have sufficient funding and critical mass to achieve their purpose. They may be formed as part of a strategy to obtain external funding (e.g. an ARC CoE).

3.3 Centres should be flexible and be part of an adaptive scholarly landscape. Centres need to be able to respond and adapt to a changing external environment, and should be formed (including merged) and disestablished accordingly.

3.4 Centres should engage in capacity building, collaboration, and outreach in areas of strategic importance to ANU.

Section 2 - Centre Development and Management

4. Establishment

4.1 Applications for the establishment of a centre should be made to the University Research or Education Committee on the recommendation of the Dean of the sponsoring College. The Executive of other Colleges will normally be consulted about the recommendation.

4.2 Establishment should be in accordance with the Establishment, Management and Closing of Academic Centres procedure.

4.3 All centres will be registered by the proponents after endorsement by either the University Research or Education Committee, and approval by the Vice-Chancellor.

5. Management of Centres

5.1 A centre must have a Director (whose title may be Head, Director, Co-ordinator, or any other appropriate title - hereinafter Director) who is responsible for ensuring that the centre complies with this Policy.

5.2 The appointment process for the Director shall be determined by the relevant College/s, consistently with University recruitment and selection policy.

5.3 The Director of a centre will report to the appropriate delegate who will be a Dean, Director or Head of an Academic Organisational Unit. The Director of a University-wide centre will be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor and report to either a member of the Executive or to the relevant College Dean/Director.

5.4 Centres may have an Advisory Board and/or an External Advisory Committee having advisory but not management responsibilities.

5.5 All centres are subject to all University policies, rules and statutes.

5.6 Centres receiving external funding must comply with the funding agreement/s.

5.7 All award programs taught by centres must be approved by standard University procedures.

5.8 Centres must have a business plan with a defined budget, staffing structure and measurable key performance indicators.  Business plans should identify the relationship of the centre to the University Organisational structure.

6. Centre Reviews

6.1 The financial performance of a centre will be reviewed annually in the College budget process.

6.2 A centre will be reviewed every five years, or more frequently if the Delegate or the Funding Agreement so determines.

6.3 The framework for a centre review is set out in the policy Reviews of Academic and Central Administrative Areas.

7. Closing of Centres

7.1 A centre established for a specific period, or under specific funding arrangements, will be disestablished at the cessation of that period or funding, unless a new agreement is reached to maintain the centre.

7.2 Centres reaching the end of their funding should include a 6 month wind up period in their annual Business Plan.

7.3 A centre may be disestablished by the Delegate if it does not meet objectives or becomes non-viable. This will normally occur as the result of a review process.

7.4 Recommendations to close a University-wide centre must be made to the Vice-Chancellor.

Section 3 - Measuring Success and Looking to the Future

8. Performance indicators and intermediate outcomes

8.1 Centres should aim to achieve some or all of the outcomes below during their lifespan;

• Improved networks for collaboration;
• Increased academic productivity;
• Improved visibility with peer groups and/or community;
• Enhanced HDR programs.

8.2 Centres should set defined intermediate outcomes with targets such as student enrolments, publication numbers and outreach activities to monitor performance yearly.

9. Strategic Management

9.1 Centres should maintain an awareness of their operating environment and manage their research portfolio in an adaptive manner according to changing strategic needs at the College, University and National level.  This may require the dissolution of centres, merging of centres or creation of new centres.

Related Readings

• Reviews of Academic and Central Administrative Areas 2002/04443 (paper 413/2003)

Heads of Academic Organisational Units Below the Level of Research School, Faculty or University Centre: Appointment and Remuneration Arrangements 200204906 (paper 1089a/2003)

1266a/2008 replaces Policy for the Establishment, Management and Closing of Academic Centres (885c/2003); Previous policy: University's Academic Organisational Structure (668c/1997)