Meeting 1 and 2 (January and March 2026)

Meeting 1 and 2 (January and March 2026) (PDF link 165KB)

Overview

Across its first two meetings of 2026, Academic Board focused on strengthening academic governance, endorsing key institutional frameworks, and responding to a complex and evolving regulatory environment.

Priority areas included curriculum transformation, academic integrity, artificial intelligence (AI), student experience, and transnational delivery, with an increasing emphasis on risk-based oversight, data-informed decision making, and governance capability.

Program Approval

• Approved the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health (GD009) for delivery from 2027, strengthening UniSC’s postgraduate offerings and responding to workforce demand in public and environmental health.

Academic Integrity and Assessment

• Noted an increase in academic integrity cases, driven by improved detection and monitoring capability.
• Supported refinement of policy and processes to introduce clearer misconduct categories, strengthen educative and proportionate responses, and improve communication across diverse student cohorts.
• Reinforced the importance of assessment design that assures learning, particularly in the context of generative AI.

Curriculum and Teaching Transformation

• Noted continued implementation of the PACE initiative as UniSC’s primary learning and teaching transformation program.
• Confirmed the role of the Curriculum Design Framework in supporting: consistency of academic standards; student engagement, retention and progression; and, discipline-specific flexibility within a coherent institutional model.
• Highlighted forward planning for academic calendar and timetabling changes from 2027.

Student Experience, Equity and Wellbeing

• Noted that financial stress and equity of access continue to affect student engagement and learning outcomes.
• Acknowledged strong collaboration with the Student Guild to strengthen welfare and advocacy support, and enhance services across regional and partner campuses.
• Reinforced the importance of timely and fair complaints processes, early intervention and clear communication, and maintaining student safety as a core aspect of academic quality and governance.

Strategic and Regulatory Environment

• Noted significant developments in the higher education sector, including ATEC legislation reforms, evolving TEQSA expectations and regulatory frameworks, and increased emphasis on governance, student safety, and academic integrity.
• Identified key risks including international student visa volatility and policy uncertainty.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Confirmed establishment of a cross institutional AI Task Force to oversee responsible adoption and risk management.
• Considered progress on institutional AI governance and strategy, including development of an AI Position Statement.
• The delivery of an institution-wide AI use survey, and strengthened education and capability-building for staff and students.
• Identified risks and challenges relating to varied understanding of AI use and equity of access to AI tools.
• Confirmed an institutional approach centred on responsible, human centred AI aligned with University values.

Research Performance and Governance

• Noted improvements in research performance and discipline rankings.
• Identified key strategic considerations relating to HDR funding pressures, increasing open access publication costsforeign interference and research compliance obligations.
• Reinforced the need for sustainable research investment and strong governance oversight.

Third-Party Operations and Transnational Delivery

• Noted improving outcomes for UniSC Adelaide, with increasing focus on engagement, submission behaviour, and student success.
• Reported positive trends in student satisfaction (eVALU8) across 2025, including strong outcomes for new international students.
• Confirmed development of a new enterprise analytics (BI) dashboard to enable cross-campus comparisons, link satisfaction, engagement and performance data, and support evidence-based interventions.
• Agreed to develop a coordinated strategy to improve student engagement, integrity and success at Adelaide.
• Supported a strategic pause on UniSC Sydney (Parramatta), maintaining readiness while external conditions stabilise.

Key Actions

• Review and refine references to AI within the Curriculum Design Framework.
• Develop and present a strategic approach to improving student engagement, academic integrity and success at UniSC Adelaide.