Procedure: University Medal and Postgraduate Medal for Academic Excellence

Purpose

To set out the procedures which underpin the award of University Medals and Postgraduate Medals for Academic Excellence at ANU.

Procedure

Eligibility

1. Consideration for the award of a Medal at ANU is available to individuals who:

1. Have met the requirements for the award at ANU of:

• a first class Honours Degree at Australian Qualifications Framework level 8 at ANU and achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 6.5 in their studies for a Bachelor Degree and Bachelor Honours Degree across the Australian Qualifications Framework levels 7 and 8 including all courses taken at another university and, from 1 January 2024, a research project of at least 12 units or a thesis of at least 24 units, or
• a Masters Degree (coursework) of at least 96 units at Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 including a thesis of at least 24 units and achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 6.5, or
• a Juris Doctor (JD) qualification with a cumulative GPA of at least 6.5, or
• a Medicinae ac Chirurgiae Doctoranda (MChD)/Doctor of Medicine and Surgery qualification with a Higher Level Pass grade in all courses.

2. Have not been found guilty of general or academic misconduct, including plagiarism; and
3. Have not been awarded a fail in two or more courses in the program for which consideration for a medal is given.

Nomination

2. Towards the end of each semester, the Division of Student Administration and Academic Services (DSAAS) prepares a list of all candidates who have a cumulative GPA that has the potential to be at least 6.5 or a Medicinae ac Chirurgiae Doctoranda (MChD)/Doctor of Medicine and Surgery qualification that has the potential to be a Higher Level Pass grade in all courses and circulates it to the nominated College contact/s.
3. Colleges nominate candidates for consideration of the award of a Medal according to the process determined in writing by its College Education Committee.
4. In exceptional cases more than three per cent of the Bachelor Honours or three per cent of the Masters graduating cohort from a College may be nominated for a Medal.

Determination of the award of a Medal

5. The award of a Medal is determined on the basis of the holistic assessment of the academic track record of the candidate, which for Bachelor Honours Degree students includes all courses taken as part of a double degree and any Bachelor Degree studies at another university, and for Masters Degree students includes all courses taken towards the Masters Degree or Double Masters Degree and all courses used as the basis for admission, credit, or exemptions for the Degree including studies at another university.
6. For the University Medal:

1. Grades obtained in the first 48 units for a Bachelor Honours Degree are excluded from the calculation of GPA where a case for serious and unavoidable disruption is approved by the Chair of the College Education Committee.
2. In the case of students undertaking a discrete one year full time equivalent Honours program, 50% of weighting is given for the 48 units comprising the Honours program; and the remaining 50% is given for all other courses within the undergraduate program (144 or more units of credit).
3. Candidates undertaking embedded Honours programs are evaluated using the same weighting as applied in the program awarding the Honours Degree.

7. College Medals Committees consider a nomination portfolio for each nominated student and prepare a single consolidated College ranking (order of merit) of recommended nominees. Committees should avoid assigning an equal rank to two nominees, but in rare cases may do so. No more than two nominees may be assigned to each equal rank.
8. The ANU Medals Committee (ANUMC) considers the nominations put forward by each College on the basis of academic merit.

1. The ANUMC assesses merit by reference to

• Level of student performance across their degree/s;
• GPA;
• Quality of thesis or other research component as required by the honours program (as demonstrated by examiners reports or research reports);
• Historical comparison with prior Honours students and University medals in the discipline or field; and
• College ranking.

2. The College must provide all material relevant to the assessment of merit to the ANUMC. This includes materials under (a) above, student transcripts, recommendations from Colleges, information about comparative marking practices across Schools and Colleges, research paper/examiners/thesis reports and College rankings.
3. The ANUMC considers candidates put forward by Colleges on a case by case basis.
4. ANUMC members prepare for the meeting by considering all the documentation and making a preliminary decision as to whether each candidate merits a medal.
5. Discussion of each case starts with preliminary decisions being put forward and end with seeking “agreement” in relation to candidates once borderline cases have been discussed. Where two or more committee members disagree with the endorsement for awarding of a medal, it will not be endorsed.

9. The Secretary to the ANUMC makes a final check that no nominated candidates are in breach of the eligibility requirements, including with regard to breaches of academic integrity and discipline.
10. The confirmed list, together with percentage-based comparative data from the previous 5 years, is forwarded by the Secretary to the ANUMC to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) for approval. The DVCA either approves the list or returns it to the ANUMC for further consideration.
11. All deliberations concerning the assessment of candidates for Medals are confidential.
12. All conflicts of interest by members of a College Medals Committee or the ANUMC, both positive and negative, must be declared. When a thesis or honours research project supervisor of a nominated student is on a Committee, they are to abstain from the deliberation process. If requested, the supervisor can provide more information but is not otherwise to contribute to the overall discussion or determination of whether a medal is awarded or not.

Communication of outcomes

13. Candidates will receive written notification of the award of a Medal.
14. Feedback from the committees considering nominations for Medals is not provided.
15. The decision of the committees considering nominations for Medals is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Monitoring Medal outcomes

16. The ANU Medals Committee provides an annual report to Academic Board on the medals awarded in the previous year, including the distribution by gender, international/domestic, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, cultural and linguistic diversity, and College.