University governance

Overview

Victoria's 8 public universities are formed under their own individual Acts.

The Minister for Higher Education administers the acts that establish the universities and their governing bodies and accountability requirements.

Private providers are accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

Our role

We:

• develop policy related to higher education in Victoria
• manage stakeholder relations with universities
• support the legislative responsibilities relating to higher education, including the university council appointment process
• represent the interests of Victorian universities and higher education providers in national forums.

University funding mainly sits with the Australian Government's Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

University Acts

Victoria's public universities and their governing councils are each established under state Acts of Parliament.

The Minister for Higher Education is accountable to the Victorian Parliament and public for the overall performance of these 8 university councils and for the use of ministerial powers relating to them.

For copies of the current Victorian university Acts, refer to:

• Deakin University
• Federation University Australia
• La Trobe University
• Monash University
• RMIT University
• Swinburne University of Technology
• The University of Melbourne
• Victoria University

University councils

The council is a university's governing body and has responsibility for both the general direction and superintendence of the university. All council members are expected to share the same corporate vision and contribute to the university's strategies and performance.

The responsibilities of a university council include:

• appointing and monitoring the performance of the vice-chancellor as president and chief executive officer of the university
• approving the mission and strategic direction of the university
• approving the university's annual budget and business plan
• overseeing the management of the university and its performance
• establishing policy and procedural principles for the operation of the university, consistent with legal requirements, government policies and community expectations
• approving and monitoring systems of control and accountability for the university, and any entity controlled by the university
• overseeing and monitoring the assessment and management of risk across the university
• overseeing and monitoring the academic activities of the university
• approving any significant commercial activities of the university.