Research and Innovation Committee

General information

• Committee: Research and Innovation Committee
• Reporting to: Academic Board
• Contact: research.committee@research.uq.edu.au
• Version (effective date): Version 31.1 (19 February 2025)
• Sub-Committees: Higher Degree by Research Sub-Committee
• Quorum: 50% of voting membership plus one

Terms of Reference

The role of the Research and Innovation Committee is to:

• promote and support the research goals in the University's Strategic Plan; 
• formulate recommendations and policy for the strategic development of research with the aims of enhancing the University’s research performance, research environment and research impact. This function is undertaken in conjunction with other relevant committees of the University; 
• monitor performance against the research objectives and goals of the University’s Strategic Plan;
• evaluate and advise on national and international trends in research funding and in performance assessment;
• monitor trends in State and Federal government policies, and evaluate their impact on the research environment;
• monitor the University's delivery of world standard research and research training;
• review proposals for change to policy and procedures related to research and research training, and to monitor the alignment of research policies with the UQ Governance and Management Framework; and
• advise on any other research-related matters that may from time to time be referred to it.

Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021

Research and Innovation Committee contributes to the University of Queensland meeting the requirements of the following Domains, Standards and Criteria within the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HESF 2021): 

• Domain 4 Research and Research Training
  • Standard 4.1 – Research
  • Standard 4.2 – Research Training
• Domain 5 Institutional Quality Assurance 
  • 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
• Domain 7 Representation, Information and Information Management 
  • Standard 7.2 – Information for Prospective and Current Students 
• Part B1 Criteria for Higher Education Provider Categories
  • B1.3.16-19  – Research Requirements

Composition

Ex-Officio           

• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) (Chair)
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) (Deputy Chair)
• President of the Academic Board or nominee
• University Librarian
• Chair, Higher Degrees by Research Committee, Dean of the Graduate School
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure)
• Executive Director, Strategic Government and Industry Partnerships
• Executive Director, Research Office

Appointed         

• Associate Dean (Research) or nominee, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
• Associate Dean (Research) or nominee, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
• Associate Dean (Research) or nominee, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Associate Dean (Research) or nominee, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences
• Associate Dean (Research) or nominee, Faculty of Science
• A representative of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences or Faculty of Business, Economics and Law nominated by jointly by the Executive Deans of these Faculties
• Deputy Director (Research) or nominee of Director, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
• Deputy Director (Research) or nominee of Director, Institute for Molecular Bioscience
• Deputy Director (Research) or nominee of Director, Queensland Brain Institute
• Deputy Director (Research) or nominee of Director, Sustainable Minerals Institute
• Deputy Director (Research) or nominee of Director, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) or nominee, Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement)
• a representative of UniQuest senior management, nominated by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
• a representative of early career researcher staff, nominated by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) 
• a HDR candidate representative of postgraduate research students nominated by the UQ Association of Postgraduate Students 
• Two elected members of the Academic Board nominated by the Academic Board Standing Committee

Observers

• Director, Graduate School
• Director, Research Ethics and Integrity
• Director, Research Infrastructure
• Director, Research Infrastructure Commercial and Contract Management
• Academic Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit
• Director, Research Environment
• Director, Research Partnerships

The Committee has the power to invite other staff when required.

Administrative Arrangements

• If the chair is absent from any meeting of the Committee, the Deputy Chair will be the Chair for that meeting. If both the Chair and Deputy Chair are absent from any meeting of the Committee, the Chair will appoint another member to Chair that meeting.
  If both the Chair and Deputy Chair are unexpectedly absent from any meeting of the Committee without an Acting Chair, the meeting will be cancelled and rescheduled.
• The term of nominated representatives on the Committee is 12 months. 
• Secretariat services provided from the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation).

* As at 2 January 2025