Industry Partnership and Engagement Policy

and Procedure

Policy Owner CEO

Approving Authority Governing Council
Implementation CEO
Responsibility
Effective Date 27/08/2021
Review Date TBA
Current Status Version 1.0

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to provide a policy framework for industry partnership to foster collaboration
between industry partners and the Institute for the benefit of students, staff and for the further development
of the Sydney Polytechnic Institute (SPI).

SPI seeks to engage with a broad range of organisations both in Australia and overseas to assist in achieving
its mission. A priority aim of SPI is to establish hand-in-hand collaborative partnerships with industry and their
professional bodies to

• Acquire deep understanding and learning about existing and future needs of participating companies
and their sectors;
• Provide opportunities to increase industrial interest in and support of sponsored internships, research,
grants, fellowships and knowledge exchange;
• Establish convenient channels to increase contacts with industry through both formal and informal
meetings;
• Provide support for knowledge exchange, mobility and secondments between industry and SPI; and
• Secure improved opportunities for effective placement of graduates through better mutual knowledge
of personnel and facilities.
2. Scope

The scope of this policy is to provide clear, agreed definitions and responsibilities for the establishm
ent, management and governance of industry partnerships entered into by SPI.

This Policy applies only to partnerships of SPI that are formalised through an Agreement, executed
in accordance with the SPI's Governance Charter and Delegation of Authority.

3. Definitions

For the purposes of this Policy, partnerships of SPI are defined through:

a. Industry partners denoting industry companies and their professional bodies across industry
sectors pertinent to SPI’s strategic objectives and operational targets (as defined in the SPI’s
Strategic Plan)
b. Formal relationships and arrangements between the Institute and industry partners to achieve
specified objectives such as shared teaching & learning, work-integrated learning & placement,
research training and accreditation.
c. Industry Partnerships including but not limited to:

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 i.education: organisations with whom SPI has formal arrangements for academic activities
including course accreditation, work placements, etc. These include professional bodies that
accredit the SPI's courses and employer groups who host the SPI's students on work
placements; and
ii. research: organisations with whom SPI has formal arrangements for research activities
including research training, collaborative funding etc.
d. A partnership agreement denoting any formal instrument or document entered into by SPI and an
industry party that sets out the respective rights and responsibilities of the parties (including financial
obligations and deliverables) in respect of a partnership.
e. Establishment of partnership ownership and accountability meaning the organisational resource
(individual or unit) deemed as the primary owner of the partnership, as detailed in Section 4.
4. Policy

4.1. Partnership principles

When developing and approving partnerships, the Institute will be guided by the key principles of:
a. alignment of the partnership and proposed outcomes with the strategic direction and values of the
Institute;
b. protection or enhancement of SPI's domestic and international reputation and brand;
c. maintenance of the quality standards of SPI;
d. uniform curriculum, assessment and graduate outcomes;
e. sustainability with due consideration of financial and business risk; and
f. compliance with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements including NSW Government statutory
requirements for commercial activities.
SPI seeks to establish partnerships that are aligned to the key principles and will result in:
a. strong, long-term and multi-threaded relationships with key industry and professional bodies in
Australia and globally;
b. demonstrated and acknowledged alignment with key industry needs; and
c. the breadth of opportunities for engagement and collaboration with industry sectors and their
professional bodies including but not limited to
i. work-integrated learning and student placement (see SPI Work Integrated Learning Policy);
ii. talent acquisition and access to expertise;
iii. research collaboration and knowledge exchange in support of academic staff scholarship;
iv. shared teaching & learning opportunities; and
v. professional development of corporate staff.
Partnerships must be established and approved in accordance with the SPI Constitution, Governance Cha
rter and Delegation of Authority and must comply with Institute rules, policies and directives. All activities
of a partnership must also comply with SPI’s delegations, rules, policies and directives.
Following approval by the authorised SPI delegate to establish a partnership, the partnership owner is res
ponsible for the management of the partnership within the category they hold responsibility for.

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 4.2. Partnership Ownership & Accountability

All partnerships will be allocated to a primary organisational unit owner who will be known as the Partner
ship Owner.

The Partnership Owner is responsible for assigning the management of partnerships in their category of
responsibility to authorised officers within their area, in accordance with the SPI’s Delegations of Authority

a. Management of a partnership may involve:

i. undertaking negotiations with the proposed partner;
ii. ensuring that all relevant internal and external approvals are obtained for the partnership before
entering into a Partnership Agreement;
iii. liaising with partners and coordinating SPI's efforts to ensure the specified objectives of the
proposed partnership are met and benefits to the partners are maximised;
iv. reporting on the partnership including outcomes achieved;
v. providing the overarching academic and non-academic governance of the partnership;
vi. records management; and
vii. risk management.

4.3. Proposal, establishment and approval

The following directives encompass the principles for proposing, establishing and approving industry partn
erships at SPI:

a. The proposer is responsible for determining the primary objective or function of the proposed partnership;
b. Negotiations for the establishment of a proposed partnership can only be undertaken with the prior
approval of the Partnership Owner;
c. No employee of SPI shall make any promise to another party that purports to bind SPI, whether verbally
or in writing, without all proper approvals and a properly documented Partnership Agreement.
Negotiations with respect to partnerships are always subject to internal approval and finalisation of legal
agreements.
d. To ensure that a proposed partnership meets the requirements of SPI, the Partnership Owner is
responsible for consulting with and obtaining appropriate advice and approvals from all relevant sections
of the Institute:
i. before entering into a partnership; or
ii. at any time when advice regarding the activities and management of the partnership is warranted:

4.4. Preparing and finalising Partnership Agreement

The rights and obligations of SPI and its partners (including financial and in-kind commitments and other
contributions, agreed deliverables, milestones etc.) must be arranged in a formal Partnership Agreement.

Any proposal to enter a Partnership Agreement with an industry partner must be reviewed and approved
by the Partnership Owner, prepared in accordance with this policy and approved by the SPI CEO.

All Partnership Agreements must be established using sound business case best practice and be complia
nt with legal requirements including seeking advice in a timely manner and providing all relevant backgrou
nd information necessary for the provision of impartial and independent assessment and advice by SPI L
egal Services.

Partnership Agreements must be executed in accordance with the SPI's Delegations of Authority. No SPI
delegate should sign an agreement that purports to bind the Institute without written advice from SPI Leg
al Services. When seeking the advice of SPI Legal Services, the instructing SPI officer must ensure that
all relevant internal approvals have been obtained.

5. Procedures

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 5.1. Partnership management

The Partnership Owner is responsible for developing and disseminating this Policy to assist in the establis
hment, approval and management of the partnership category they hold responsibility for.

All policies and procedures related to partnerships will include and adhere to the following core requireme
nts:

a. Information management and record-keeping:

i. organisational units identified as having primary responsibility for a partnership category will be
required to keep accurate and relevant information necessary to appropriately manage the
partnership in accordance with all regulatory, legislative and good practice guidelines;
ii. the Partnership Owner will be responsible for ensuring partnership documentation is stored in
the SPI's official record management system in accordance with the Institute's record-keeping
policies and procedures;
iii. the Partnership Owner is responsible for ensuring the appropriate recording of the original and
signed copy of the Partnership Agreement in the SPI's record management system for which
they are responsible; and
iv. the Partnership Owner will maintain a register of Partnership Agreements entered into on behalf
of SPI within their area of responsibility.
b. Contract management:
The Partnership Owner will be responsible for contract management requirements and activities in
accordance with all regulatory, legislative and good practice guidelines and the SPI's related policies and
procedures.

c. Financial Management:
All financial arrangements for partnerships will follow relevant SPI commercial policies and guidelines and
any other requirements that SPI Governing Council and executive management require at the time of
the development of the proposal.

d. Branding:
All partnership activity defined in this Policy will be undertaken in accordance with the SPI's related policies
and procedures.

e. Third party enquiries:

i. Enquiries from prospective or current partners will be directed to the Partnership Owner who
under this policy has primary responsibility for the proposed partnership type; and
ii. SPI staff will familiarise themselves with this policy in order to appropriately direct these enquiries.
f. Legal issues:
i. Partnership Owners are responsible for ensuring that only they or persons acting with their
authorisation (instructing Institute officers) provide instructions to the Legal Services unit on legal
matters related to partnership arrangements, including requests to draft or review Partnership
Agreements.
ii. When seeking legal advice, the instructing SPI officer must comply with their responsibilities
under the SPI’s relevant policies and procedures which include but is not limited to providing
Legal Services with all relevant background information necessary for the provision of impartial
and independent legal advice.
5.2. Termination

Termination of a partnership arrangement must be carried out in a manner that ensures the SPI's interest

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 s are protected, including the interests of students.

The Partnership Owner will determine the process and accountabilities in relation to the termination of par
tnership arrangements, taking into account any requirements of the relevant Partnership Agreement and c
onsultation with Legal Services.

When making decisions on the termination of a partnership, SPI will consider:

a. SPI’s responsibilities and commitments to students and any existing and future impacts on students
caused by the termination of the partnership;
b. legal, financial and reputational implications;
c. other areas of the Institute involved in the partnership; and
d. compliance with relevant regulatory and legislative requirements.

5.3. Reporting

The Partnership Owner will provide an annual report to the SPI CEO on all industry partnerships in the p
revious year. Where applicable, these reports will include:

a. information on visits to partners and/or the partners' reports, as well as reports provided by the
sponsoring SPI unit/operational area;
b. evidence of the continued strategic value of the partnership to the Institute;
c. partnership outcomes for the year in review;
d. student enrolments and impact;
e. financial performance;
f. issues raised by the partners in relation to the Institute; and
g. issues in relation to quality assurance.

5.4. Procedures for disseminating and implementing this Policy

SPI executive management (BoD, Chair Governing Council, Chair Academic Board and CEO) is responsi
ble for communicating this policy and related procedures, including the responsibilities of Partnership Own
ers and other stakeholders, and will manage their implementation.

SPI executive management (BoD, Chair Governing Council, Chair Academic Board and CEO) will be resp
onsible for ensuring that associated procedures and guidelines are amended to align with this Policy.

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Notes

Related Documents:

SPI Work Integrated Learning Policy and Procedures

SPI Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom Policy
SPI Staff and Affiliates Code of Conduct
SPI Staff Recruitment, Review and Development Policy
SPI Health and Safety Policy
SPI Risk Management Policy
SPI Business Plan
SPI Strategic Plan

Amendment History:

Version No. Approved by Effective date Amendments

1.0 Governing 27/08/2021 New Policy
Council

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