• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• University Medals
• Chancellor's Medal

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) This Policy establishes a standard for the implementation and determination of prizes and university medals across the University.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) For the purpose of this Policy refer to the Academic Board's Definitions Policy.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) Faculty Boards are responsible for setting the eligibility and selection criteria for prizes within their Faculty or College. 

(4) Prize winners are approved by the relevant Associate Dean (Education). Confirmation of prize winners is provided to central administration following approval by the relevant Associate Dean (Education). All annual prize winners are to be reported at the first appropriate Faculty Board and Academic Board of the calendar year for noting.

(5) Academic Board endorses the introduction of an annual 'prizes' event into the University event calendar to recognize prize winners, prize donors and strengthen University relationships with industry and the local community. This event (for both graduating and non-graduating prize winners) should be at Graduation time, but remain as a separate event.

(6) Authority for approval of all new prizes, and of changes to existing prizes (other than the University Medal), lies with the Faculty Board following consultation with Student Administration Services. The following information is to be provided:

1. Title of Prize
2. Eligibility for Prize
3. Source of Prize
4. Number and Frequency of Prizes
5. Benefits of Prize
6. Criteria for Selection
7. Responsibility for Administration of Prize.

(7) Authority for approval of all new prizes, and of changes to existing prizes (other than the University Medal) reside at the Faculty Board level. Confirmation of new prizes or changed prizes is to be provided to Academic Board and central administration following approval by Faculty Board. All approvals notified to the Academic Board, will also require the information outlined above.

(8) Where a donor advises that a prize is no longer available, the prize is to be discontinued. 

(9) Confirmation of discontinued prizes is to be provided to Academic Board and central administration by the Associate Dean (Education).

(10) Academic Board strongly encourages Faculties and Colleges to explore ways of increasing the number and financial value of prizes for students.

(11) Student Administration Services will maintain a register of all prizes on its website.

(12) The minimum value for all new prizes should be $250, and prizes should normally range in value between $500 and $1000.

Section 4 - Procedures

University Medals

(13) The relevant Student Administration Services Officer initiates the request for nominees for the University Medal after the grade publication date for each teaching period. A report of potential nominees is provided to each Faculty and College to coincide with this. The report will be specified by Student Administration Services to ensure that potential nominees are not omitted from consideration.

(14) University medals nominees are determined at Faculty and College level with assistance from the relevant Student Administration Services Officer.

(15) The relevant Student Administration Services Officer will collate, validate and finalise a list of University medals nominees in a timely fashion.

(16) The relevant Student Administration Services Officer will submit the recommended Faculty Board list of nominees to the Academic Board Administrator at the earliest opportunity.

(17) The Academic Board Executive Committee will assess the nominations and make recommendations to the first Academic Board meeting of the year, and as required

(18) Once awardees have been approved by Academic Board, the Secretary will provide a final list to the Vice Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor will write to each Medallist.

(19) The relevant Student Administration Services Officer will advise Graduation Office about University medallists for inclusion in graduation programs and scripts.

(20) Medallist has formal comment placed on their student record/transcript by Student Administration Services.

(21) University medals are ordered and supplied by Graduation Office. Medals are presented to the recipient by the Vice Chancellor at the relevant Graduation ceremony.

(22) Marketing, press releases and related community relations work will be managed by the Director of Marketing and Community and Corporate Relations.

(23) Significant and complex issues that may arise are to be resolved by the Director, Student Administration Services in consultation with the Vice Chancellor's Office.

(24) A short debrief on the awarding of University Medals and associated processes can be incorporated into the Graduation Review Process (currently extant).

Chancellor's Medal

(25) Where both PhD examiners comment on the outstanding nature of the thesis of a PhD candidate that they have examined (from the first round of examination of a thesis), such a candidate may be eligible to receive special acclamation, known as 'The Chancellor's Medal for Outstanding PhD Thesis'.

(26) There may be more than one award each year, or no award in any particular year.

(27) The award comprises a medal and a cash amount. The amount is determined from time to time by Council.

(28) The procedures for recommending the Chancellor's Medal for Outstanding PhD Thesis are:

1. The Examiners' reports would be the deciding evidence.
2. All examination forms will include the question 'In your opinion does the thesis make an outstanding contribution to scholarship in its discipline?' (NB: as a guideline the university would estimate that a maximum of 5% of all theses would reach this level of attainment).
3. If you answered YES to clause (28)b, please answer the following:
   1. How many Higher Degree Research theses have you examined to date?
   2. Are there other indicators of your professional standing relevant to your assessment of the thesis? (if so, please identify)
   3. State your reasons for this assessment in terms of the international significance of the work and its level of excellence.
4. Endorsement from the Director, Higher Degree Research in support of the student being recommended to receive the Chancellor's Medal. If the Director, Higher Degree Research  does not support the recommendation, they must provide written reasons for their decision to the Dean, Graduate Studies.
5. The Dean, Graduate Studies will determine whether to recommend the award to Academic Board who will recommend to Council.
6. The award would be announced at Graduation.