University Council

Council is the governing body of the University. It is chaired by the Chancellor and has 21 members, the majority of whom are external to the University.

Primary responsibilities of the Council

The primary responsibilities of the Council, as set out in the Flinders University of South Australia Act, are:

• appointing the Vice-Chancellor as chief executive officer of the University, and monitoring his or her performance
• approving the mission and strategic direction of the University, as well as the annual budget and business plan
• overseeing and reviewing the management of the University and its performance
• establishing policy and procedural principles consistent with legal requirements and community expectations
• approving and monitoring systems of control and accountability, including overview of any entities controlled by the University (within the meaning of section 50AA of the Corporations Act 2001 )
• overseeing and monitoring the assessment and management of risk across the University, including commercial undertakings
• overseeing and monitoring the academic activities of the University
• approving significant commercial activities of the University.

Council committees

Council has established 5 standing committees to assist it to discharge its responsibilities. These are:

• Academic Senate
• Audit Committee
• Resources Committee
• Awards Committee, and
• Senior Staff Remuneration Committee.

The Central Committee Structure (PDF 10MB) outlines the structure of council committees.

Council agenda papers and minutes

The non-confidential agenda papers and minutes of Council meetings can be downloaded from Council and Committees.

More information

For more information about the University's governance, refer to:

• University Council Handbook
• Flinders University of South Australia Act.