THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
 
Programs and Awards Statute 2006
 
HIGHER DOCTORATES RULES 2006
 
The Council of the Australian National University makes these Rules under section 8 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2006.
 
Dated: 8 December 2006.
 
 
 
 
 
Allan Hawke
Chancellor
_________________________________________________________________
Name of Rules and commencement
1.(1) These Rules are the Higher Doctorates Rules 2006.
(2) These Rules commence on the day after they are registered.
Interpretation
2.(1) These Rules are to be read together with the Research Awards Rules, and expressions in these Rules (other than the expression degree) have the meanings attributed to them in those Rules.
(2) 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(2), as the case requires.
(3) 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 at least good knowledge of the field of the applicant’s work; and
              (c)   each ANU College 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, prima facie, an applicant’s published work appears 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, prima facie, the applicant’s published work does not 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 ANU College Dean 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 so many 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, as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor determines.
(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 examiners, of whom at least 2 must not be members of the staff 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, in confidence for delivery to the Panel, an 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 (2) and (6), a person who:
              (a)   holds a degree of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) 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 College of Medicine and Health Sciences, and has held that degree for not less than 5 years; or
              (c)   is in the opinion of the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences 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 College of Medicine and Health Sciences is equivalent to the connection specified in paragraph (d);
may be admitted by the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
(2) In determining whether to admit a person as a candidate, the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences must, for each application, appoint a Panel comprising:
              (a)   the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences or his or her nominee as Chair; and
              (b)   3 members of staff of the University who have at least good knowledge of the field of the applicant’s work;
to consider whether to admit the applicant as a candidate.
(3) The Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences may determine procedures for applying for admission as a candidate and may require the Panel to obtain such further information in relation to the application as the ANU College Dean, in each particular case, determines.
(4) 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 8.
(5) 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.
(6) If, prima facie, an applicant’s published work appears to be worthy of examination under rule 8, the Panel must recommend to the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences that the applicant be admitted as a candidate and that appropriate examiners be appointed.
(7) If, prima facie, the applicant’s published work does not appear to be worthy of examination under rule 8, the Panel may refuse the application.
(8) An applicant who is not admitted as a candidate, or whose application is unsuccessful, may not, unless the ANU College Dean otherwise determines, reapply for 5 years after making his or her application.
(9) If a person is admitted as a candidate, the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences 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 College of Medicine and Health Sciences so many 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, as the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences determines.
(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 College of Medicine and Health Sciences 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 College of Medicine and Health Sciences must appoint not fewer than 3 examiners, of whom at least 2 must not be members of the staff of the University, to examine the submitted works, and the College Dean must transmit the works to them.
(2) Each examiner must submit to the Dean of the ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences, in confidence for delivery to the Panel, an 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.
Deposit of works
9.(1) When a candidate is granted a degree under these Rules, the Registrar must retain and deliver to the University Library the best copy of the works or other publication submitted for the award.
(2) The Registrar must retain one copy of the works or other publication submitted by a candidate who is not granted the award.
(3) The relevant requirements of the Research Awards Rules apply in relation to the deposit of a thesis comprising published works with such modifications as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor determines appropriate in the circumstances of the case.
Substitution if College Dean is applicant
10.(1) If an ANU College Dean is also an applicant under these Rules:
              (a)   the Deputy Vice-Chancellor must appoint another qualified person to perform the functions of the College Dean under these Rules; and
              (b)   the College Dean is to be regarded only as the applicant for the purposes of these Rules.
Repeal
11.(1) The Higher Doctorates Rules 2005, 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)