Research management committee - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Research management committee

The Committee provides advice to Academic Board on research policies and research matters.

The Committee develops and monitors the University's Research and Research Training Plan and awards grants under various internal research grant schemes.

Terms of reference

1. To advise the Academic Board and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on research, research training and ethics matters, including University Policy on research, research training and ethics;
2. To advise the Academic Board and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on the Research and Research Training Plan;
3. To consider and recommend areas of research activity for preferential support including the establishment of research centres or institutes within the University;
4. To evaluate research activities and outcomes within the University;
5. To stimulate and encourage research that will contribute to the goals and objectives of the University’s Strategic Plan;
6. To advise the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on the preparation of reports and submissions to government on research-related matters;
7. To monitor the work of the ethics committees to ensure that it meets internal and external requirements and develop recommendations to the Academic Board as required;
8. To consider recommendations made by the Internal Research Grants Sub-committee on the award of internal research grants and award grants consistent with the approved grants schemes and within annual budgets for each scheme;
9. To monitor completion of research projects and activities for which internal research grants have been awarded through consideration of final research reports from grantees and reports on expenditure against approved grant budgets;
10. To assess the success of internally funded individual grant projects and research activities;
11. To develop schemes for internal research grants;
12. To review annually the effectiveness and achievements of the various internal research grants schemes and provide the Academic Board and Deputy Vice-Chancellor with an annual review report including any recommendations concerning the schemes;
13. To recommend to the Vice-Chancellor the annual recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s medal for outstanding University researcher; and
14. To advise on strategies to enhance the research skills and research performance of academic staff.

Membership

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) (Chairperson)

• Professor Roland De Marco

Chair, Research Degrees Committee

• Professor Roland De Marco

Deputy Chairperson

• Professor Helen Wallace (Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering)

Associate Deans (Research)

• Associate Professor Christian Jones (Faculty of Arts and Business)

Directors of Research Centres and Groups

• Professor Tim Smith (Sustainability Research Centre)
• Professor Abigail Elizur (Genecology Research Centre)
• Professsor Mark Brown (Forest Industries Centre)

Manager, Office of Research

• Ms Barbara Palmer

A research-active staff member from each School

• Associate Professor Gary Crew
• Professor Marianne Wallis 
• Professor Marion Gray
• Professor Mary Katsikitis
• Associate Professor Paul Salmon
• Associate Professor Deborah Heck

Postgraduate research degree candidate

• Ms Lynette Maguire

Up to three additional members co-opted by the Chairperson for a specified term

• Dr Colin Solomon
• Associate Professor Michael Nagel
• Associate Professor Shelley Walton (Inflamation and Healing Research Cluster)

Invited to attend as appropriate (having participatory, but not voting, rights)

• Pro Vice-Chancellors and Directors as required
• Any visitors with the approval of the Chairperson

In attendance (having participatory, but not voting, rights)

• Ms Kelly Stewart; Team Leader Grants and Consultancies, Office of Research
• Ms Beth Crawter; Information Services Co-ordinator
• Ms Janet O'Hara; Minute Secretary

Observers (no rights)

• Any person with the approval of the Chairperson

Tenure and frequency of meetings

• There will be at least four meetings of the Committee each year.
• If the Deputy Vice-Chancellor nominates a Chairperson the nominee will serve until the Deputy Vice-Chancellor wishes to resume chairing meetings or nominate another person.
• The Deans' nominees will serve for a period of two years.
• The higher degree by research candidate will serve for a period from 1 July of one year to 30 June of the following year, with a maximum of two consecutive terms of office.