¾«¶«´«Ã½

Policy is a tool that enables the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ to operate effectively and efficiently. It promotes equity and consistency by establishing a clear set of parameters that apply ¾«¶«´«Ã½ wide, allowing all staff to work under the same guiding principles.

When used effectively, policy:

• provides the grounds for consistent decision making.
• promotes compliance with legal and legislative requirements.
• enables quality assurance and improvement.

The development and maintenance of UOW Policy is governed by the , which is supported by the  and the .

Factors influencing UOW Policy

As an educational institution, UOW is subject to a range of standards and legislative requirements that must be considered when developing or reviewing policy. These may include:

• Immigration laws and visa regulations
• Higher education policy and legislation
• Workplace health and safety legislation
• Academic standards and regulations

When developing UOW policy, custodians should also consider internal influences such as:

• The UOW Strategic Plan
• UOW Rules
• Operational considerations
• Internal reviews and audits

UOW Policy Framework

The UOW Policy Framework describes the functioning structure of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Policy. At the top of the chain are UOW Policies, which are supported by Procedures and Guidelines.

UOW Policy

An Academic Policy is a university-wide instrument governing teaching, learning, research or internationalisation. It must comply with all relevant legislation and rules and will be approved by appropriate delegated authority, as outlined in the .

An Operational Policy is a university-wide instrument governing administrative or operational functions of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½. It must comply with all relevant legislation and rules and will be approved by appropriate delegated authority, as outlined in the .

UOW Procedures

Procedures are documented instructions for the completion of specified actions. Procedures that support policy are mandated directions, and usually include flowcharts and contain statements describing how a task should be accomplished. The items apply in a particular circumstance. They are written in simple language (often dot points) and the sequence is important.

UOW Guidelines

Guidelines are “best practice” advice on how to reach a specific goal or accomplish a task. They may also describe how stipulations contained in UOW Policy may be implemented.

What is the difference between a policy, procedure, or guideline?

Policies, procedures, and guidelines are significantly different styles of documents; a policy describes what must be done, and a procedure describes how things must be done.

A guideline informs best practice in how a task might be undertaken.

Procedures and guidelines should always comply with relevant policies.

Local Protocols

Local Protocols are operational procedures or practices that apply within a particular Academic Group or Division. They ares subordinate to and must be consistent with all Policy Documents above them in the Policy Document hierarchy.