Governance

Guangzhou Dublin International College of Life Sciences & Technology (GDIC) – Governance

GDIC is governed by two collaborative committees, the Joint Management Committee and the Academic Committee.

The Joint Management Committee (JMC)

The JMC is the highest decision-making body of the International College, and is responsible for guidance and oversight of the mid-term and long-term strategic plans, annual work plan and budget, annual reporting and appointments of academic and administrative leaders. It report its decisions directly back to the respective governing bodies of the Parties.

The JMC is chaired by the President of SCAU with the President of UCD as the Vice Chairman.

The JMC meets physically at least once each year.

The matters to be decided by the JMC shall include, but not be limited to:

• Approving the development plans and annual work plans of the International College:
• determining the numbers of students allowed to participate in each programme operated under the International College and any changes to such intake, and submitting to SCAU and UCD for approval;

• determining and approving the standards and criteria for assessing each Party’s performances of its contractual obligations and responsibilities in relation to the International College;
• implementation of the education program of the International College in China and the organization of activities and allocation of resources associated with it;

• reviewing the scope of the current programmes offered by the International College with a view to expanding its scope to cover new programmes and maintaining oversight of the quality of existing academic programmes;
• putting in place and determining suitable arrangements in the event that the International College or any course held under it, is terminated, to ensure all Participating Students have an opportunity to graduate;

• dealing with other relevant financial, administrative, social and related arrangements in relation to the International College where requested by any member of the Joint Management Committee.
• Preparing an annual risk report for discussion at a meeting of the Joint Management Committee each year.

• Delegation of its powers and responsibilities as it requires to the Academic Committee.
• reviewing and recommending to the relevant academic committees of the respective institutions all programme-related proposals;

The Academic Committee (AC)

The AC reports to the JMC. The JMC receives recommendations, and a report of its activities, from the AC at least once a year.

The AC is responsible for the creation of an appropriate structure for the monitoring of academic standards and maintaining those standards. All matters relating to programmes and students are managed by the AC and reported to relevant committees in UCD and SCAU as required.

The AC, chaired by the Provost, meets at least once a semester. The Principal and Provost are ex-officio members of the AC and the JMC.

The Academic Committee is responsible for the following matters:

• recommending the structure and content of the International College's programmes, and any regulations or policies which govern them, and making decisions or recommendations regarding the admission, progression, graduation or continuation of the students registered to these programmes.
• monitoring the overall performance of students registered to the International Colleges programmes, including exchange and occasional fee-paying students, monitoring their progression and ensuring their academic welfare.

• reviewing and approving all teaching and research materials used in the International College in accordance with the requirements of the International College and, where applicable, subject to Applicable Laws of the PRC and the approval of UCD;
• approval of the participation of all teaching staff in the International College, based on the evaluation of the academic and professional qualifications and experience possessed by each member of the teaching staff. However, the Academic Committee may delegate the power of approving the participation of all teaching staff to the Provost;

• establishing Assessment Boards that include academic staff from both UCD and SCAU involved in the delivery of the relevant programme, to oversee the assessment of modules, approve module grades and report those grades to the relevant Programme Boards within UCD and SCAU for final approval. The Assessment Board may recommend the appointment of extern examiners to the Academic Committee who in turn will make recommendations to the relevant University body. Where possible external examiners from cognate programmes within UCD will be used; The outcomes of assessment will be approved by both SCAU and UCD Programme Boards;
• leading the quality assurance/quality enhancement processes for the programme(s), implementing mechanisms to assure and enhance the quality of educational and related activities and participating fully in the quality assurance/quality enhancement processes of SCAU and/or UCD.

• adopting and implementing, with adaptation where required, the quality assurance framework outlined in Appendix 4 Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Protocol.
• establishing a Student/Staff Liaison Committee as a subcommittee of the Academic committee and determining the composition of the Student/Staff Liaison Committee and its operating procedures;

• determining the minimum English language standards to be achieved by all students wishing to participate in the International College, and preparing and submitting an annual review report to the Joint Management Committee.

Provost

The Provost (Chief Academic Officer) is nominated by UCD and approved by the JMC. The Provost is the officer primarily responsible for the academic oversight of the programmes and is an ex-officio member of the JMC.

Principal

The Principal (Chief Operating Officer) is nominated by SCAU and approved by the JMC. and will be a citizen of the PRC. The Principal is the officer primarily responsible for the operations of the International College and is an ex-officio member of the JMC.