Higher Doctorates Rules 2005

Administered by Department of Education, Science and Training

Legislation au F2005B00609 Rules Not in force Legislative Instrument

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THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

HIGHER DOCTORATES RULES 2005

 

The Council of the Australian National University makes these Rules under section 7 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2004.

 

Dated: 10 December 2004.

 

 

 

 

Peter Baume AO

Chancellor

_________________________________________________________________

Citation and commencement

1.(1) These Rules may be cited as the Higher Doctorates Rules 2005.

(2) These Rules commence on 31 December 2004, immediately after the commencement of the Rules (Repeal) Rules 2004.

Interpretation

2.(1) These Rules are to be read together with the Graduate Awards Rules, and expressions in these Rules (other than the expression degree) have the meanings attributed to them in those Rules.

 (2) In these Rules, candidate means a person admitted as a candidate under rule 3.

 (3) In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to published works, work or works includes, in addition to a reference to books, articles and other printed material, a reference to published or recorded compositions, recorded interpretations of music, video recordings, films, other works of visual art and works of art in electronic or other media, each of which is readily available for public criticism.

Candidates

3.(1) Subject to subrules (2) and (5), a person who:

 (a) holds a degree of the University; or

 (b) holds a degree of another university, which degree and university are approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education); or

 (c) is in the opinion of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) otherwise qualified to be a candidate by reason of the person’s eminence in learning or creative achievements;

and:

 (d) has been a full-time member of the academic staff of the University for at least 3 consecutive years; or

 (e) otherwise has or has had a connection with the University which in the opinion of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) is equivalent to the connection specified in paragraph (d);

may be admitted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Music or Doctor of Science.

(2) In determining whether to admit a person as a candidate, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) must, for each application, appoint a Panel comprising:

 (a) the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) or his or her nominee as Chair; and

 (b) 3 members of staff of the University who have at least good knowledge of the field of the applicant’s work;

to consider whether to admit the applicant as a candidate.

 (3) For the purposes of making a determination under subrule (2), the Panel must assess whether the applicant’s published work appears, prima facie, to be worthy of examination under rule 5.

 (4) In making a determination under subrule (2), the Panel:

 (a) must not seek referees’ reports in relation to the applicant; and

 (b) must make its own assessment based on the person’s application.

(5) If, prima facie, an applicant’s published work appears to be worthy of examination under rule 5, the Panel must recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) that the applicant be admitted as a candidate and that appropriate examiners be appointed.

 (6) If, prima facie, the applicant’s published work does not appear to be worthy of examination under rule 5, the Panel may refuse the application.

 (7) An applicant who is not admitted as a candidate, or whose application is unsuccessful, may not, except in exceptional circumstances, reapply for 5 years after making his or her application.

Submission of works

4.(1) A candidate must submit to the Director, Student and Academic Services so many copies of published works of which the candidate is author or joint author, and which are to be examined for the award of a degree, as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) determines.

 (2) A candidate must not submit work in respect of which a degree has been granted in any university.

 (3) In the case of works of which the candidate is a joint author, the candidate must submit a written statement and such supporting material as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) requires, indicating the portion of the work of which the candidate is the author.

Examination

5.(1) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) must appoint not fewer than 3 examiners, of whom at least 2 must not be members of the staff of the University, to examine the submitted works, and the Director, Student and Academic Services must transmit the works to them.

 (2) Each examiner must submit to the Director, Student and Academic Services, in confidence for delivery to the Panel, an independent report in writing on the submitted works, in which the examiner must recommend that the candidate be admitted or be not admitted to the degree.

 (3) If, after considering the examiners’ reports, the Panel is of the opinion that the submitted works:

 (a) represent outstanding creative achievement or an outstanding contribution to the field of knowledge in which those works fall; and

 (b) exhibit a level of originality and creativity that stamp the candidate as a major authority in that field;

it must recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) that the candidate be admitted to the degree referred to in subrule 3.(1) which, in the opinion of the Panel, is appropriate.

 (4) If, after considering the Panel’s recommendation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) accepts the recommendation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) must approve that the candidate be admitted to the degree referred to in the recommendation.

Deposit of works

6.(1) When a candidate is granted a degree under these Rules, the Director, Student and Academic Services must retain and deliver to the University Library the best copy of the works or other publication submitted for the award.

(2) The Director, Student and Academic Services must retain one copy of the works or other publication submitted by a candidate who is not granted the award.

(3) The provisions of rule 2.65 of the Graduate Awards Rules apply in relation to the deposit of a thesis comprising published works with such modifications as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) determines appropriate in the circumstances of the case.

Overview

The Higher Doctorates Rules 2005 were enacted by the Council of the Australian National University under section 7 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2004. These rules aim to establish the criteria and procedures for the award of higher doctorates by the university, specifically the degrees of Doctor of Fine Arts, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Music, and Doctor of Science. They were introduced to formalise the process of awarding these prestigious degrees, ensuring that only candidates with substantial contributions to their respective fields are recognised. The rules provide a structured approach for the evaluation and submission of published works by candidates, the appointment of examiners, and the deposit of works in the University Library. The policy objective of these rules is to uphold the academic standards and reputation of the Australian National University by recognising eminent scholars and creative achievers. Candidates must meet specific eligibility criteria, including holding a degree from the university or another approved institution, or demonstrating eminence in learning or creative achievements. The process involves a thorough assessment by a panel and independent examiners, ensuring that the works submitted for evaluation are of exceptional quality and contribute significantly to their respective fields. The rules also dictate the handling and retention of submitted works, maintaining the university’s academic records and facilitating future research and scholarship.

Scope and Application

The Higher Doctorates Rules 2005 apply to individuals who seek admission as candidates for higher doctorates at the Australian National University (ANU). These rules govern the admission process for degrees such as the Doctor of Fine Arts, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Music, and Doctor of Science. The rules specify the eligibility criteria, which include holding a degree from ANU or another approved university, demonstrating eminence in learning or creative achievements, and having a connection with ANU equivalent to being a full-time member of the academic staff for at least three consecutive years. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) has the authority to admit candidates based on the recommendations of a Panel appointed for this purpose. The rules also detail the submission of published works for examination, the appointment and role of examiners, and the procedures for the deposit of works upon the granting of a degree. These rules apply specifically to the ANU and are made under the Programs and Awards Statute 2004. They are to be read in conjunction with the Graduate Awards Rules and other relevant provisions, and they include specific instructions on the types of works that can be submitted for examination, excluding those for which a degree has already been granted.

Key Provisions

The Higher Doctorates Rules 2005 (Rules) establish the framework for the awarding of higher doctorate degrees at the Australian National University (ANU). The Rules, which commence on 31 December 2004, are to be read in conjunction with the Graduate Awards Rules and contain specific definitions relevant to their operation. For instance, a 'candidate' is defined as a person admitted under rule 3, while 'published works' encompasses a broad range of creative outputs including books, articles, compositions, and video recordings, among others (rules 2(1) and (3)). The Rules impose specific obligations on the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and the Panel appointed to assess applications for candidacy. According to rule 3, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) is responsible for admitting candidates based on their qualifications and connection to ANU, with a Panel being appointed to review each application. The Panel's role is to evaluate the worthiness of the applicant's published works for examination (rule 3(2)-(5)). Additionally, candidates must submit their published works to the Director, Student and Academic Services, with the number of copies determined by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education). Notably, candidates are prohibited from submitting works for which a degree has already been granted (rule 4(1) and (2)). Upon submission of works, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) must appoint at least three examiners, with a requirement that at least two of them are not ANU staff members. Each examiner must submit an independent report to the Panel, which will assess the works based on their originality, creativity, and contribution to the field (rule 5(1)-(3)). If the Panel recommends the candidate for the degree and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) approves, the candidate is admitted to the degree. In cases where the candidate is not granted the degree, the Director, Student and Academic Services retains one copy of the submitted works (rule 6(2) and (3)). Failure to comply with these Rules may result in various consequences. The Rules do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance, but breaches could potentially lead to administrative actions, including the refusal of admission to the degree program or the revocation of an already granted degree. Furthermore, the provisions of rule 2.65 of the Graduate Awards Rules apply to the deposit of a thesis comprising published works, with modifications as deemed appropriate by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) (rule 6(3)).

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