• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Application and Scope
• Section 3 - Honorary Doctorates
• Section 4 - University Fellowship
• Section 5 - Emeritus Professor of the University
• Section 6 - Community Fellow of the University
• Section 7 - Nomination
• Part A - Eligibility for Nominations
• Eligibility to Nominate Candidates
• Section 8 - Confidentiality
• Section 9 - Approval
• Section 10 - Posthumous awards
• Section 11 - Conferral
• Section 12 - Privileges
• Section 13 - Rescission of Honorary Awards and Titles
• Section 14 - Australian Honours Awards
• Section 15 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 16 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy:

1. Provides for the University to award honorary titles and awards;
2. Sets out the principles and criteria that apply for such honorary titles and awards; and
3. Sets out the privileges which may be associated with honorary titles and awards.

Section 2 - Application and Scope

(2) This policy applies to the nomination, approval and conferral of the following honorary titles and awards:

1. Honorary Doctorate;
2. University Fellow of the University;
3. Emeritus Professor of the University; and
4. Community Fellow of the University.

(3) This Policy does not apply to the nomination, approval and conferral of Vice-Chancellor’s Awards, Workplace Health and Safety Awards, Emeritus Fellowships.

Section 3 - Honorary Doctorates

(4) The University of Wollongong may award the following Honorary Doctorates:

1. Honorary Doctor of Architecture (Hon. DArch);
2. Honorary Doctor of Information Sciences (Hon. DInfoSc);
3. Honorary Doctor of Engineering (Hon. DEng);
4. Honorary Doctor of Health Sciences (Hon. DHSc);
5. Honorary Doctor of Medicine (Hon. MD);
6. Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt);
7. Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon LLD);
8. Honorary Doctor of Business (Hon. DBus);
9. Honorary Doctor of Science (Hon DSc);
10. Honorary Doctor of Education (Hon EdD);
11. Honorary Doctor of Creative Arts (Hon DCA); and
12. Honorary Doctor of the University of Wollongong (Hon DUOW).

(5) Honorary degrees may be awarded on the basis of one or more of the following criteria:

1. outstanding services to the University;
2. outstanding scholarship; and/or
3. significant services at the national or international level over a substantial period of time.

(6) The Doctor of the University may be awarded to a person for exceptional service or contributions to the achievement of the mission, values and aspiration of the University, significantly enhancing the reputation and standing of the University at a national and international level.

Section 4 - University Fellowship

(7) A Fellowship is the University’s peak award for service to the University and/or its communities and has been established to allow the University to recognise this contribution in a public way.

(8) In some instances, the contribution of an organisation may be acknowledged by the recognition of its chair, president or secretary.

(9) The title of University Fellow is awarded for contribution in one or more of the following forms:

1. exceptional service to the university and, usually, its communities;
2. significant support for the improvement or development of the university or its communities; and/or
3. activities deemed by university council, on the recommendation of the honorary awards committee, to be significant in the development or promotion of the university and, usually, its communities.

Section 5 - Emeritus Professor of the University

(10) The University of Wollongong may award the title Emeritus Professor of the University.

(11) The title of Emeritus Professor is awarded where the nominee has:

1. retired from the university or, in exceptional circumstances, resigned from the University (for example, to pursue a career in industry/government or to pursue an academic management position, such as Vice-Chancellor and President or Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, at another university);
2. held a position as Professor at the University for a minimum of five years;
3. made an outstanding contribution to their field or discipline throughout their entire career, with special attention placed on performance and contributions while working at the University of Wollongong; and
4. consistently demonstrated values that align with the University’s vision.

Section 6 - Community Fellow of the University

(12) The Community Fellowship Award will be bestowed to an organisation on a biennial basis.

(13) The title of Community Fellow is awarded for contribution in one or more of the following forms:

1. exceptional service and commitment to one or more of the University's communities;
2. provision of activities and services that have transformed lives and communities;
3. significant association with the University (length or depth of relationship);
4. status as a charitable organisation (e.g. under the Charities Act 2013 (Commonwealth));
5. a strong record of community service activities.

Section 7 - Nomination

(14) The Governance and Policy Division will issue a call for nominations annually, with the submission period closing on 31 July.  

(15) Unsuccessful nominations may be carried over for re-consideration at no more than two additional cycles, and at the discretion of the Honorary Awards Committee. Only nominees the Committee deem worthy of an Honorary Award will be held over.

Part A - Eligibility for Nominations

(16) Current members of University Council are not eligible for an award while in office.

(17) Former members of University staff will not normally be eligible for an award within two years of their retirement from the University.

(18) Members of the political establishment (for example, Members of the NSW parliament, Members of the Federal Parliament, Local Government Councillors or Mayors) will not normally be eligible for an award:

1. while in office; or
2. within three years of leaving office.

1. visiting and Honorary Academics may be considered for nomination.
2. generally, the nominee must be alive at the time of nomination to be considered.

Eligibility to Nominate Candidates

(19) Nominations should be made by at least two members of the University community.

(20) For the purposes of this Policy, the following are classified as members of the University community:

1. Council members and former Council members;
2. students of the University;
3. staff of the University; and
4. graduates of the University.
5. self-nominations will not be accepted.

Section 8 - Confidentiality

(21) All nominations, investigations, discussions, and recommendations for Honorary Doctorates, Emeritus Professorships and University Fellowships must be treated as strictly confidential.

(22) Nominators must refrain from advising the nominee about their nomination to prevent premature expectations.

Section 9 - Approval

(23) The Honorary Awards Committee will assess the nominations and make a recommendation to University Council in respect of Honorary Awards.

(24) University Council will consider and approve candidates for Honorary Awards.

Section 10 - Posthumous awards

(25) UOW Honorary Awards and Titles may be approved and conferred posthumously at the discretion of the University Council.

(26) If a nominee passes away after an Honorary Award has been approved by Council, the award may be conferred posthumously with a relative (or representative as determined by the Vice-Chancellor and President) accepting the award on behalf of the deceased.

Section 11 - Conferral

(27) Honorary titles and awards must be conferred within three years of Council's approval. Awards not conferred within this timeframe will lapse unless Council resolves to the contrary in relation to that person.

Section 12 - Privileges

(28) Recipients of an Honorary Doctorate will:

1. be awarded the relevant award or title at a Graduation Ceremony of the University;
2. be accorded “graduate” status which includes membership of the University’s alumni network; and
3. be accorded special guest status at official functions of the University;
4. be eligible to wear the academic dress of the relevant award or title on ceremonial occasion;
5. will be permitted to use the post nominal relevant to their award, (e.g. Hon DSc); and
6. recognise that an honorary doctorate is not a qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework, and is therefore not entitled to use the title ‘Doctor’ or ‘Dr’ except where participating in an activity or event associated with the University;

(29) Recipients of an University Fellow will be:

1. awarded the relevant award or title at a Graduation Ceremony of the University;
2. accorded “graduate” status which includes:
   1. membership of the University’s alumni network
   2. accorded special guest status at official functions of the University;
   3. eligible to wear the academic dress of the relevant award or title on ceremonial occasions.

(30) Recipients of an Emeritus Professor will be:

1. awarded the relevant award or title at a Graduation Ceremony of the University;
2. accorded “graduate” status which includes Membership of the University’s alumni network
3. accorded special guest status at official functions of the University; and
4. permitted to use the title outside the University.

(31) Recipients of the Community Fellow Award will be:

1. presented at an appropriate ceremonial occasion (as negotiated with the recipient), acknowledging the organisation’s community contribution; and
2. presented with the citation and certificate/testamur (suitably framed) at the relevant ceremonial occasion.

Section 13 - Rescission of Honorary Awards and Titles

(32) The University reserves the right to rescind an Honorary Award in exceptional circumstances where:

1. the accuracy or completeness of the information which was the basis for the honorary award is, based on a reasonable assessment, considered to be materially deficient; and/or
2. a recipient of an honorary award is convicted of a serious criminal offence.

(33) To safeguard the integrity of the University’s Honorary Awards, the following principles underpin the honorary award rescission process:

1. any review can only be considered on receipt of substantial new verifiable information; and
2. the situation and values of the time of award conferment remain relevant considerations.

(34) The University Council has the final decision to uphold or rescind the Honorary Award.

Section 14 - Australian Honours Awards

(35) The Honorary Awards Committee will be given the opportunity to propose candidates to be nominated for awards within the Australian Honours system.

(36) In the event that a candidate is suggested by a member of the University community, the Vice-Chancellor and President will be consulted in the first instance.

Section 15 - Roles and Responsibilities

(37) Are consistent with the Honorary Awards and Titles Procedure.

Section 16 - Definitions