Develop a policy

All official University policies, procedures and guidelines should follow an approved format.

This step-by-step guide will show you how to write a new policy document (or make major changes to an existing one) by following the development and approval process set out in the Policy Framework.

  • Step 1. Fill out the Policy Proposal Form

    Before developing a new or significantly revised University policy document (‘policy’), a proposal should be set out using the Policy Proposal Form. This proposal sets out planned consultation activities with key stakeholders as well as the implementation and communication plan.

    Once the proposal is approved and signed by the Policy Owner, email the form to the Secretariat via policy@nd.edu.au to arrange approval by the Vice Chancellor.

    For more information about this step, refer to clause 7.2 of the Policy Framework. The Secretariat can also provide advice and/or support throughout the policy development process.

  • Step 2. Select the right template

    Once you have received approval from the Vice Chancellor, you can start preparing a draft using the University approved template available on the Templates and Forms page.

    When selecting the template for your policy document, remember that:

    • Policies are rules or principles that explain statutory, regulatory or organisational requirements.
    • Procedures explain how and when to implement a policy.
    • Guidelines provide more detailed information about how to effectively implement aspects of a policy or procedure.

  • Step 3. Consult with key stakeholders

    Once you have received approval from the Vice Chancellor (or in the case of review, have identified the scope of the changes), you can start to arrange consultation with key stakeholders i.e.the main users of your policy or who will be most impacted by the introduction of your policy.

    Consultation activities will be carried out with key stakeholders to identify:

    • issues that stakeholders are experiencing with the activity;
    • findings of research or benchmarking to identify leading practice in the activity across the tertiary education sector; and
    • how new or changed requirements will be implemented.

    Consulting with the relevant University governance or management committee that the policy comes under will also be required during the policy development process. Check with the Policy Owner about when they would like this to happen.

    After consultation has been carried out, a formal record of consultation activities and feedback provided must be prepared. This document will be submitted with the final draft of the policy to the Secretariat. The record of consultation activities should include details of the activity, who participated, issues raised and how these are handled in the draft.

    Please remember that it is good practice to provide a response to the issues and concerns raised by participants in consultation so that they can understand how these have been handled in drafting and the reasons why their suggestions may not have been included.

  • Step 4. Prepare an initial draft

    While you arrange and conduct consultation with relevant stakeholders, you can begin to prepare the content for an initial draft. When writing, please ensure that you:

    • use plain English and follow the language style set out in the template;
    • use active voice to provide clear and direct guidance;
    • use gender-neutral and inclusive language;
    • aim for positive wording rather than punitive;
    • prepare content using the correct headings and formatting required by the template;
    • undertake benchmarking of your policy document with other institutions to ensure that key issues relevant to the policy topic are covered; and
    • address the necessary legislative and regulatory requirements.

    The Secretariat can assist you by liaising with the Legal Office for checking legal issues if appropriate, and can provide advice on drafting.

  • Step 5. Adjust the implementation plan

    Feedback received during the consultation process may bring issues to your attention that can affect implementation of the policy. It is important that these comments are fed back into the implementation plan which is originally set out in the Policy Proposal Form.

    A good implementation plan will set out:

    • activities and resources needed to enable users to implement the policy;
    • consequential amendments to other policy documents or Regulations;
    • communication activities to ensure users are aware of changed requirements and how to comply with them; and
    • a realistic time-frame for these activities and in which to provide any resources.

  • Step 6. Prepare a final draft

    Using the feedback and comments from the consultation activity, it is time to incorporate any changes into the document.

    You may want to provide the final draft to a stakeholder to review (or a selected group) to ensure that their issues have been resolved.

  • Step 7. Send the final draft to the Secretariat

    Once you have prepared the final draft, send it along with the record of consultation to the Secretariat via policy@nd.edu.au.

    At this point, the Secretariat will review the draft and, subject to urgency and timing, make the draft policy available for one month on the policy website to allow for comments.

    The Secretariat will also arrange for legal review, if required.

  • Step 8. Revise final draft

    Once you have received comments (from posting and/or the results of the legal review), the Policy Owner must consider them and may provide further instruction to revise the final draft.

  • Step 9. Arrange approval

    Once the final draft is ready, the Policy Owner will forward the final draft and an accompanying memo, with the Policy Proposal Form and record of consultation activities through to the relevant approval authority.

    The University Approval Authorities are set out in Section 6: Table 1 of the Policy Framework.

    When approval is received, email the record of approval and the final version of the policy to the Secretariat via policy@nd.edu.au. The Secretariat will arrange publishing and notify the Policy Owner and Responsible Officer (written on the title page of the policy) when it is published.

  • Step 10. Implement the policy

    Once you have been notified that the policy document(s) have been approved, you can start planning to deliver your implementation and communication plan.

    The Responsible Officer (stated on the front page of the policy) is required to monitor how well the changes or new processes are implemented and if there are any problems.

    If there are significant concerns about effectiveness or failure to implement, the Policy Owner may call for an early review. Generally, polices, procedures and guidelines are reviewed every 3 years.