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'Partnership Operations Sub-Committee' - Membership and Terms of Reference

This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.

Section 1 - Establishment

Purpose

(1) The Partnership Operations Sub-Committee (POSC) is formed to represent each delivery partner with the primary goal of aligning partnership operations with the approved partnership manual and service level agreement (SLA). The POSC exists for quality assurance purposes - to monitor and report on all third party arrangements (TPAs) and ensure they are managed in line with their service delivery agreements, both domestic and international.

(2) The POSC assembles representatives from across Charles Sturt University, who hold responsibilities
under the agreement, for reporting on key metrics for the consideration of the International and Partnerships Committee (IPC), Academic Senate and the Audit and Risk Committee.

Note: the POSC is a subcommittee of the IPC as per the monitoring and reporting committee structure.

(3) The POSC provides consideration and guidance on matters in accordance with all regulatory and reporting requirements, including the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and its legislative instruments, the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HESF), the simplified student visa framework (SSVF) and any imposed regulatory conditions.

(4) The POSC provides expert advice relevant to their area of responsibility, monitoring and reporting of performance indicators, as well as managing the development and improvement of day to day processes to ensure compliance with the University’s policies and procedures and the partnership manual.

(5) The POSC will meet to discuss, monitor and resolve operational issues relevant to their area of responsibility.

(6) A summarised report with attachments and recommendations for IPC's consideration are a key output of the POSC.

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Section 2 - Glossary

(7) For the purpose of this document:

  1. Partnership manual – means the manual developed by mutual consultation between Charles Sturt University and the partner and supplied by Charles Sturt University to the partner. Setting out the standards, methods and requirements expected of the partner and Charles Sturt Univerity with respect to the teaching and academic administration.
  2. Service delivery agreement (SLA) – the legally binding contract between Charles Sturt University and the relevant third-party provider.
  3. Third-party arrangements (TPAs) – third party delivery arrangements, both internationally and domestically, made with another party to deliver some or all of a Charles Sturt University course.
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Section 3 - Membership

(8) The members of the Partnership Operations Sub-Committee shall be one representative from each of
the following areas:

  1. Senior Manager, Education Partnerships, Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships (Chair)
  2. Relevant Partner Manager, Education Partnerships, Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships
  3. Project Officer, Education Partnerships, Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships
  4. Faculty, operational and academic representative for each partner
  5. Division of Students, Student Administration (Partners), operational representative.
  6. Division of Students, Admissions and Conversion (Domestic), operational representative, or
    Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships, International Admissions, operational
    representative
  7. Division of Finance, operational representative
  8. Division of Student Success, operational representative
  9. Faculty Marketing Business Partner
  10. Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships, International Marketing and Recruitment,
    operational representative
  11. Advancement Office, operational representative
  12. Division of Library Services, operational representative
  13. Division of Information Technology, operational representative
  14. Division of Facilities Management, operational representative
  15. International Compliance, operational representative
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Section 4 - Functions and responsibilities

Committee responsibilities

(9) The scope of the POSC includes all matters related to the monitoring and reporting of Charles Sturt University
courses delivered through third-party providers, including:

  1. day-to-day operations of the partnership,
  2. annual review process including reporting to the Finance Committee, the Audit and Risk Committee and Academic Senate,
  3. monitoring of quality assurance within the partnership,
  4. coordination of reporting on compliance with the HESF, related regulations including in-country
    regulations and with third party agreements. This includes the review of the HESF Self-Assessment Questionnaire completed by TPAs,
  5. alignment and review of partnership manual,
  6. providing reports and recommendations to the IPC,
  7. consider and respond to issues referred to the POSC by the IPC,
  8. identify and raise any partner related issues to the IPC in relation to the HESF and the ESOS Act,
  9. identify and raise any ESOS related issues to the ESOS Sub-Committee (ESC),
  10. identify and take action to mitigate risks in relation to the partnership,
  11. continually review and develop the processes to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulations and Charles Sturt University’s policies and procedures and to ensure best practice processes are in place,
  12. provide advice and guidance on related sector developments and business issues facing the partnership,
  13. share knowledge and practice between staff, and
  14. monitor and update Charles Sturt University’s relevant partnership risk management plan at each meeting.

Member responsibilities

(10) Members have the following responsibilities: 

  1. Understand the goals, objectives and desired outcomes of the operations of the partnership and ensure decisions align with the approved Partnership Manual.
  2. Attend POSC in a position to represent informed points of view and make informed votes on
    recommendations, such as by reading all papers ahead of the meeting.
  3. Be responsible for the coordination of responses to risks/opportunities as they arise, including reporting to the IPC.
  4. Be responsible for engaging with respective teams to ensure all relevant issues are tabled at the POSC. Conversely, be responsible for providing updates to respective teams on decisions from the POSC.
  5. Be responsible, on behalf of the divisional area of responsibility, for reporting at each meeting on partnership and compliance matters.
  6. Submit papers to be considered at the POSC two weeks prior to the meeting date. Final papers will be distributed to members no later than one week prior to the meeting.
  7. Support open discussion and debate and encourage other POSC members to share their insight.
  8. Commit to undertaking assigned actions as agreed at each meeting.
  9. Continue to strengthen the relationship between stakeholders by working together using a partnership model of collaboration.
  10. If unavailable to attend a meeting, and holding authority to delegate a nominee, ensure the delegate attends and is able to represent informed points of view and make informed votes on recommendations. Alternatively, provide a written update and, where considered necessary, a written contribution on agenda items.
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Section 5 - Meetings

Quorum

(11) A quorum for meetings of the POSC shall be half of the entire membership plus one.

Meetings

(12) Meetings will be held three times per year, spaced to allow: planning, commencement of the annual review, and recommendations and actions from annual review to be completed.

  1. Meeting 1 – Start of academic year planning meeting (the University's academic year – noting northern hemisphere teaching year variances) and process/timelines related to TPA annual reviews.
  2. Meeting 2 – Commencement of annual review.
  3. Meeting 3 – Work through recommendations and actions from annual review.

(13) Additional meetings can be scheduled as required but must be approved and arranged by the chair.

(14) Meetings will be held via video conference and face-to-face wherever practical.

Agendas and minutes

(15) Agendas and minutes for the meetings will be prepared and distributed by the Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships.

(16) Final agenda papers will be distributed to members no later than one week prior to the meeting.

Conflicts of interest

(17) Where a member has an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest, they must declare this to the chair and the IPC before the item of business is discussed.

Variations

(18) As agreed by the POSC membership and approved by IPC.