Review a Policy

Policy documents (policies, procedures and guidelines) must be reviewed within 3 years of the effective date of the previous version.

This step-by-step guide provides a consistent approach to reviewing policy documents that ensures policies will continue to be effective in:

1. Guiding academic, management and governance practices
2. Supporting compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations, and
3. Supporting the University’s mission, and strategic and operational objectives.

• Step 1. Complete research and benchmarking

  Research and benchmarking will typically involve:

  • Completing a desk-top scan of a sample of related policies and practices at other institutions.
  • Reviewing relevant external requirements (legislation, standards, codes) and reports or guidance (i.e. published by regulatory agencies, government, industry, etc.).
  • Considering any relevant internal audit or review findings.

  The aim is to identify good practice and document gaps and issues with existing policy provisions and propose solutions for consideration by stakeholders (i.e. policy amendments, actions required for implementation or further review).

  Some guiding questions for this step (and for subsequent stakeholder consultation) are:

  • Does the policy document comply with the requirements of the Policy Framework?
  • Are there policy gaps, compared to current sector practices and standards?
  • How well does the policy support ongoing compliance with current statutory and regulatory obligations?
  • Are current University practices / processes consistent with the requirements set out in the policy document?
  • Do users of the policy document report any problems or issues with implementing requirements?
  • Is it effective in supporting the University’s mission, and strategic and operational objectives?
  • Are the costs associated with implementation reasonable?
  • Is there an ongoing need for a policy in this area?
  • Does the policy intersect with other related policies and procedures? Is there opportunity to combine this with other policy document/s?

• Step 2. Consult with key stakeholders

  Consultation with key stakeholders should involve staff and, as required student representatives, with expertise and/or responsibilities relevant to implementing the policy document being reviewed.

  This gives stakeholders opportunity to give feedback on issues and solutions identified through research and benchmarking. At this stage further issues and solutions may be identified.

  Policy reviewers should formally record consultation activities and the feedback received, including who was consulted, issues raised and how they were responded to. This will inform any subsequent drafting, review and approval of changes to existing policy if this is required.

  An Issues Register template is available for use by policy reviewers (optional).

• Step 3. Draft any required changes to the policy document

  The Policy Owner may recommend that the policy document be approved without major change if the review has established existing practices covered by the policy document do not require improvement, and that implementation will continue to be effective.

  If minor policy changes are needed, use track changes to make the required amendments and record a short summary of the changes in the version control table at the end of the document and send to policy@nd.edu.au with the Record of Policy Review (see Step 4 below).

  Current word versions of policy documents are maintained by the University Secretary. Minor changes are approved by Policy Owners.

  Definitions of administrative, major and minor changes to policy texts are set out in section 12 of the Policy Framework.

  If the review has identified that major policy changes are required, the process for drafting, review and approval is the same as for new policy developments.

  When the final draft amendments are complete the University Secretary will arrange for legal review and posting for comment if required.

• Step 4. Complete a Record of Policy Review

  Download and complete the Record of Policy Review form.

  This provides a formal record of the policy review that gives assurance for ongoing effectiveness, and it will inform the endorsement and approval of any policy developments resulting from the review.

• Step 5. Arrange review and approval of draft major policy changes

  The Policy Owner will forward the final draft major policy changes to the relevant governance or management committee accompanied by the Record of Policy Review, and following endorsement to the approval authority indicated in Section 6 of the Policy Framework.

  When approval is received, email the record of approval and the new version of the policy to the University Secretary via policy@nd.edu.au. Staff in the University Secretary’s area will arrange publishing and notify the Policy Owner and Responsible Officer (written on the title page of the policy) when it is published.

• Step 6. Implement the policy changes

  Commence communication and implementation.

  Policy owner develops a formal plan if implementation requires new processes or changes to existing practices or behaviours

• Summary of policy review steps

  Policy review process summary