Policy Framework

Legislation or internal influences can influence policy.

External factors include Federal or State legislation, Swinburne University of Technology Act, Swinburne Statutes and Regulations, whereas internal factors can be strategic plans and operational considerations.

Policy regulates, directs and controls actions and conduct. Policies can range from broad philosophies to specific rules.

• Governance Policies deal with key areas of the University, and provide high level direction and guidance, establish key principles and responsibilities, set fundamental requirements and limits and allocate responsibilities. Approval would normally be by the University Council, and these are stored on the Policies & Procedures Directory.

• Institutional Policies may provide further detail to governance policies, external legislation or stand alone as independent policy. They provide direction or guidance or establish responsibilities, requirements or limits at a lower or more general level than governance policies. They cover matters that are the responsibility of management rather than Council, and can be divided into two types:
  
  • Academic Policy has university or divisional-wide affects on teaching, learning, research and internationalisation; and comply with all relevant legislation and rules. Approval is by either Academic Board or Board of TAFE Studies, and these are stored on the Policies & Procedures Directory.
    
  • Operational Policy has university or divisional-wide affect on administration and operational functions of the University. Approval is by Executive Group, and these are stored on the Policies & Procedures Directory.

Tells users how to, and who will, implement the policy. Procedures are specific, factual, succinct and to the point.

Procedures are a particular way of accomplishing an objective; generally referring to the process rather than the result. Procedures describe the methods and responsibility for implemention of a policy, statute or regulation, and are written in sequential order at a relatively high level.

Approval is by the body responsible for approving the related policy, and these are stored on the Policies & Procedures Directory.

Define the detailed steps for carrying out tasks within a procedure, or to define a rule that is specific to a local organisational area.

Unit Rules (also known as Work Instructions) provide further detail on the implementation of procedures. Alternatively, a unit rule may operate independently to a Swinburne policy or procedure to define a rule that is specific to, or the responsibility of, the local organisational area.

Approval is by the organisational unit that has management responsibility for the area, and these are stored on the unit's website or intranet. Where possible, links should be provided from the appropriate policy or procedure.