Academic Board Executive Committee

General information

• Committee name: Academic Board Executive Committee
• Reporting to: Academic Board
• Contact: Dr Kathryn Blyth, Director, Academic Services Division (ASD) & Academic Registrar 
• Version (effective date): 1 (1 January 2026)
• Sub-committees: nil
• Quorum: 7 members, with at least one from each of the following groups:
  • President or Deputy President, Academic Board
  • Academic Registrar (or nominee)
  • Appointed members
  • Elected members
• Notes: abbreviated as ABEC, also known as Executive Committee

Terms of reference

The role of the Academic Board Executive Committee (ABEC) is to:

• Provide executive advice and support to the President of the Academic Board to set the focus and direction of the Academic Board.
• Provide strategic and operational guidance to the Academic Board to enable it to:
  • fulfil its role as set out in the University of Queensland Act (1998) and the Academic Board Policy; 
  • contribute to UQ meeting the Tertiary Education Quality Standard Agency Threshold Standards for academic governance, institutional accountability and quality assurance;
  • support the University to engage with and respond to recommendations of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission; and
  • meet its statutory obligations and operate in accordance with the University’s legislative and policy framework.
• Plan the annual plan for the Academic Board, including the topics for forums.
• Assist with the management of the Academic Board’s business, including the setting of the Board’s meeting agenda and the starring of items within the agenda for presentation and/or discussion. 
• Review and recommend to the Academic Board changes to the terms of reference and composition of committees and sub-committees of the Academic Board.
• Request reports from, or refer matters to, faculties, schools, and executive portfolios for consideration and action as required. 
• Consider and report on matters referred to it by the Academic Board or its committees, the University Senior Executive Team (USET) or the Vice-Chancellor.

Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021

Academic Board Executive Committee contributes to the University meeting the requirements of the following Domains and/or Standards within the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HESF 2021):

• Domain 1 Student Participation and Attainment 
  • Standard 1.3 – Orientation and Progression 
  • Standard 1.4 – Learning Outcomes and Assessment
• Domain 2 Learning Environment
  • Standard 2.2 - Facilities and Infrastructure
• Domain 3 Teaching 
  • Standard 3.1 – Course Design
  • Standard 3.2 – Staffing
  • Standard 3.3 – Learning Resources and Educational Support
• Domain 4 Research and Research Training
  • Standard 4.2 – Research Training 
• Domain 5 Institutional Quality Assurance 
  • Standard 5.1 – Course Approval and Accreditation 
  • Standard 5.2 – Academic and Research Integrity 
  • Standard 5.3 – Monitoring, Review and Improvement 
• Domain 6 Governance and Accountability
  • Standard 6.1 – Corporate Governance
  • Standard 6.2 – Corporate Monitoring and Accountability
  • Standard 6.3 – Academic Governance
• Domain 7 Representation, Information and Information Management
  • Standard 7.3 – Information Management

Composition

Ex Officio members

• President of the Academic Board (Chair)
• Deputy President of the Academic Board
• Academic Registrar 

Appointed

• One associate dean (academic) nominated by the President of the Academic Board
• One associate dean (research) nominated by the President of the Academic Board
• One associate dean (indigenous engagement) nominated by the President of the Academic Board
• One head of school nominated by the President of the Academic Board
• One institute or research centre representative, nominated by the President of the Academic Board.

Elected

• Three academic staff members elected by and from the elected members of the Academic Board 

Other Members (see Administrative Arrangements)

• One undergraduate student representative from the elected undergraduate student representatives on the Board
• One postgraduate student representative from the elected postgraduate student representatives on the Board

Administrative arrangements

The term of appointed and elected members is two years, and the term of other members is one year.

The undergraduate and postgraduate elected student representatives on the Academic Board who received the highest number of votes in the election to Academic Board will be appointed to the Academic Board Executive Committee. If the elected student representative who received the most votes does not wish to accept the appointment, the elected student representative with the next highest number of votes will be appointed to the Academic Board Executive Committee.

Elections are conducted in accordance with the Guideline for Academic Board Committee Elections.

Academic Board Executive Committee meets at least 6 times a year; additional meetings may be scheduled as necessary.

If the Chair is absent from any meeting of the Committee, the Deputy President will be Chair for that meeting. If both the Chair and Deputy President are absent from any meeting of the Committee, members of the Committee present at that meeting will appoint a member as Chair for that meeting.