THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
 
Programs and Awards Statute 2013
 
HIGHER DOCTORATES RULES (No. 2) 2014
 
I, Professor Ian Young, Vice-Chancellor of The Australian National University acting in accordance with subsection 50(3) of the Australian National University Act 1991 and subsection 9.5 of the Vice-Chancellorship Statute 2013 make these Rules for section 8 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2013.
 
Dated: 18 November 2014.
 
 
 
 
 
Professor Ian Young AO
VICE-CHANCELLOR
_________________________________________________________________
Name of Rules and commencement
1(1)     These Rules are the Higher Doctorates Rules (No. 2) 2014.
(2)       These Rules commence on the day after they are registered.
Interpretation
2(1)     In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears:
candidate means a person admitted as a candidate under rule 3 or 6, as the case requires;
higher doctorate means a degree mentioned in the Schedule;
Panel means the Panel appointed under subrule 3(2) or 6(3), as the case requires.
(2)       In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to published works, work or works includes, in addition to a reference to books, articles and other printed material, a reference to published or recorded compositions, recorded interpretations of music, video recordings, films, other works of visual art and works of art in electronic or other media, each of which is readily available for public criticism.
Candidates: Doctorates other than Doctor of Medicine
3(1)     Subject to subrules (2) and (5), a person who:
            (a)        holds a degree of the University; or
            (b)        holds a degree of another university, which degree and university are approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor; or
            (c)        is in the opinion of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor otherwise qualified to be a candidate by reason of the person’s eminence in learning or creative achievements;
and:
            (d)        has been a full-time member of the academic staff of the University for at least 3 consecutive years; or
            (e)        otherwise has or has had a connection with the University which in the opinion of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor is equivalent to the connection specified in paragraph (d);
may be admitted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Music or Doctor of Science.
(2)       In determining whether to admit a person as a candidate, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor must, for each application, appoint a Panel comprising:
            (a)        the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or his or her nominee as Chair; and
            (b)        3 members of staff of the University who have appropriate expertise in the field of the applicant’s work; and
            (c)        each Associate Dean whose ANU College has coverage of all or part of the field of the applicant’s work;
to consider whether to admit the applicant as a candidate.
(3)       For the purposes of making a determination under subrule (2), the Panel must assess whether the applicant’s published work appears, prima facie, to be worthy of examination under rule 5.
(4)       In making a determination under subrule (2), the Panel:
            (a)        must not seek referees’ reports in relation to the applicant; and
            (b)        must make its own assessment based on the person’s application.
(5)       If an applicant’s published work appears, prima facie, to be worthy of examination under rule 5, the Panel must recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor that the applicant be admitted as a candidate and that appropriate examiners be appointed.
(6)       If the applicant’s published work does not, prima facie, appear to be worthy of examination under rule 5, the Panel may refuse the application.
(7)       An applicant who is not admitted as a candidate, or whose application is unsuccessful, may not, except in exceptional circumstances, reapply for 5 years after making his or her application.
(8)       If a person is admitted as a candidate, the Chair of the Panel must notify the Registrar of that fact.
Submission of works: Doctorates other than Doctor of Medicine
4(1)     A candidate must submit to the Registrar 4 copies of published works of which the candidate is author or joint author, and which are to be examined for the award of a degree.
(2)       A candidate must not submit work in respect of which a degree has been granted in any university.
(3)       In the case of works of which the candidate is a joint author, the candidate must submit a written statement and such supporting material as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor requires, indicating the portion of the work of which the candidate is the author.
Examination: Doctorates other than Doctor of Medicine
5(1)      The Deputy Vice-Chancellor must appoint not fewer than 3 expert examiners who have international standing in their field and who do not hold an academic or honorary academic appointment of the University to examine the submitted works, and the Registrar must transmit the works to them.
(2)       Each examiner must submit to the Registrar a confidential independent report in writing on the submitted works in which the examiner must recommend that the candidate be granted or not be granted the higher doctorate.
(3)       If, after considering the examiners’ reports, the Panel is of the opinion that the submitted works:
            (a)        represent outstanding creative achievement or an outstanding contribution to the field of knowledge in which those works fall; and
            (b)        exhibit a level of originality and creativity that stamp the candidate as a major authority in that field;
it must recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor that the candidate be granted the higher doctorate referred to in subrule 3(1) which, in the opinion of the Panel, is appropriate.
(4)       If, after considering the Panel’s recommendation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor accepts the recommendation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor must approve that the candidate be granted the higher doctorate referred to in the recommendation.
Candidates: Doctor of Medicine
6(1)     Subject to subrules (3) and (7), a person who:
            (a)        holds a degree of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or Medicinae ac Chirurgiae Doctoranda (MChD) of the University and has held that degree for not less than 5 years; or
            (b)        holds a similar degree of another university, which degree and university are approved by the Dean of the ANU Medical School, and has held that degree for not less than 5 years; or
            (c)        is in the opinion of the Dean of the ANU Medical School otherwise qualified to be a candidate by reason of the person’s eminence in learning or creative achievements;
and:
            (d)        has been a full-time member of the academic staff of the University for at least 3 consecutive years; or
            (e)        otherwise has or has had a connection with the University which in the opinion of the Dean of the ANU Medical School is equivalent to the connection specified in paragraph (d);
may be admitted by the Dean of the ANU Medical School as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
(2)       The Dean of the ANU Medical School may determine procedures to be followed by applicants for admission as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
(3)       In determining whether to admit a person as a candidate, the Dean of the ANU Medical School must, for each application, appoint a Panel comprising:
            (a)        the Dean of the ANU Medical School or his or her nominee as Chair; and
            (b)        3 members of staff of the University who have appropriate expertise in the field of the applicant’s work;
to consider whether to admit the applicant as a candidate.
(4)       The Dean of the ANU Medical School may permit or require the Panel to obtain such further information in relation to an application as the Dean of the ANU Medical School, in each particular case, determines.
(5)       For the purposes of making a determination under subrule (3), the Panel must assess whether the applicant’s published work appears, prima facie, to be worthy of examination under rule 8.
(6)       In considering, under subrule (3), whether to admit an applicant as a candidate, the Panel must make its assessment based on the person’s application and any information obtained under subrule (4).
(7)       If an applicant’s published work appears, prima facie, to be worthy of examination under rule 8, the Panel must recommend to the Dean of the ANU Medical School that the applicant be admitted as a candidate and that appropriate examiners be appointed.
(8)       If the applicant’s published work does not, prima facie, appear to be worthy of examination under rule 8, the Panel may refuse the application.
(9)       An applicant who is not admitted as a candidate, or whose application is unsuccessful, may not, unless the Dean of the ANU Medical School otherwise determines, reapply for admission for 5 years after making his or her application.
(10)     If a person is admitted as a candidate, the Dean of the ANU Medical School must notify the Registrar of that fact.
Doctor of Medicine: submission of works
7(1)     A candidate must submit to the Dean of the ANU Medical School 4 copies of published works of which the candidate is author or joint author, and which are to be examined for the award of a degree.
(2)       A candidate must not submit work in respect of which a degree has been granted in any university.
(3)       In the case of works of which the candidate is a joint author, the candidate must submit a written statement and such supporting material as the Dean of the ANU Medical School requires, indicating the portion of the work of which the candidate is the author.
Doctor of Medicine: examination
8(1)      The Dean of the ANU Medical School must appoint not fewer than 3 expert examiners who have international standing in their field and who do not hold an academic or honorary academic appointment of the University to examine the submitted works, and the Registrar must transmit the works to them.
(2)       Each examiner must submit to the Dean of the ANU Medical School a confidential independent report in writing on the submitted works in which the examiner must recommend that the candidate be granted or not be granted the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
(3)       The examiners may require the candidate to attend for an oral examination at a time and place determined by the examiners.
(4)       If, after considering the examiners’ reports, the Panel is of the opinion that the submitted works:
            (a)        represent a substantial, original and important contribution to the advancement of medical knowledge on a coherent theme; and
            (b)        is of sufficient merit for conferral of the award;
it must recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor that the candidate be granted the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
(5)       If, after considering the Panel’s recommendation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor accepts the recommendation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor must approve that the candidate be granted the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
Repeal
9(1)     The Higher Doctorates Rules 2014, as amended and in force immediately before the commencement of these Rules, are repealed.
 
______________________________________
SCHEDULE
DEGREES THAT MAY BE AWARDED
 
 
Doctor of Fine Arts (DFA)
 
Doctor of Laws (LLD)
 
Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
 
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
 
Doctor of Music (DMus)
 
Doctor of Science (DSc)