A voluntary code of best practice for university governance, developed by Universities Australia and the University Chancellors Council, was published on 27 February.
The code stipulates that a governing body should “assess its performance, the performance of its members, and the performance of its committees” on a regular basis and at least every two years.
The governing body will also have the power to remove chancellors and deputy chancellors who no longer hold the confidence of its members. There is no mention of whether members should be paid, an issue that has been under debate.
The code replaces the National Governance Protocols put in place by the federal government in 2004.