NSW CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH NETWORK GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK

PURPOSE

The purpose of the NSW Cardiovascular Research Network (CVRN) is to strengthen, facilitate and promote cardiovascular research in NSW through collaboration, innovation, and increased research funding into NSW. The CVRN harnesses researchers across the breadth of cardiovascular disease research and across the translational spectrum, providing a unifying voice for cardiovascular research priorities in the state.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the CVRN are to: • Develop a Network that is inclusive of all CVD research in NSW and representative of all CVD researchers in NSW.

• Foster and strengthen the capacity for cardiovascular disease research in NSW through the facilitation of cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaboration.

• Identify, promote and support specific opportunities to enhance cardiovascular research in NSW, which align with state, national and international priorities and developments.

• Develop and implement strategic events and opportunities to enhance research capability and funding success, particularly for early to mid career researchers (EMCRs).

• Develop a platform for knowledge and infrastructure sharing across the Network that is inclusive and equitable.

• Showcase and communicate research excellence and innovation of our members to key stakeholders

GOVERNANCE

Funding The Network has been funded by the Heart Foundation in partnership with the NSW Government and through membership fees from Umbrella Organisations (research institutes). In 2020, the CVRN entered into a funding agreement with NSW Health Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) to provide the Network with ongoing funding for three years (2020-2023). The funding supports a Management Team: a CVRN Manager and a part-time (0.6FTE) CVRN Officer. The Team are responsible for implementing the action plan for the CVRN; maintaining Network membership, project managing events and opportunities; and promoting and disseminating information to members and supporting the Executive Committee. These positions are hosted at the Heart

NSW CVRN Governance Structure and ToR 1 Foundation. Annual membership fees contributed from Umbrella Organisations are based on the size of the institution and the number of cardiovascular researchers working within that institution.

Umbrella Organisations There are currently (2020) 14 Umbrella Organisation members and over 50 affiliated research institutions which support over 320 individual CVRN members.

The Umbrella Organisations include: • Heart Research • The Baird Institute • Sax Institute • Centenary Institute • Macquarie University • Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) • University of Technology • The George Institute for Global Health • • Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute • Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) • The • University of NSW • Western Sydney University

Members Researchers within CVRN Umbrella Organisations are automatically CVRN individual members rendering them eligible to apply for grants, attend events, sit on Committees, and contribute to other Network activities and initiatives.

Member institutions and individual members also provide in-kind support, such as (i) their time and expertise on the Executive Committee or other Committees e.g. the Showcase Committee, or the early and mid-career Rising Stars Network, (ii) use of Members’ facilities for meetings and workshops to offset costs; and (iii) significant input into Network projects and initiatives, e.g. the NSW CVD Strategy development project.

Executive Committee The Network is governed by the NSW CVRN Executive Committee which drives the strategic direction of the NSW CVRN and endorses high-level activities and initiatives. The Committee comprises 5-7 members who are representative of the CVRN Network. From time to time the Committee may oversee a Sub Committee formed for a specific purpose (e.g. Rising Stars, Showcase etc). The Chair of the Committee is nominated by majority vote from the Committee members and endorsed by OHMR.

The CVRN Management Team supports the Committee and ensures there is regular communication with the OHMR and national research team at the Heart Foundation and avoids conflicts and bias. The reporting line for this team is to the NSW/ACT General Manager, who is a member of the Executive Committee.

NSW CVRN Governance Structure and ToR 2 Additional support for the NSW CVRN is provided through the media and marketing teams of the Heart Foundation.

CVRN Executive Committee

RISING STARS SHOWCASE Sub committee Sub Committee

CVRN Management Team OHMR

CVRN Umbrella Organisations

CVRN Individual Members

NSW CVRN Governance Structure and ToR 3 NSW CVRN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Terms of Reference

PURPOSE

The NSW CVRN Executive Committee will provide governance and leadership to drive the priorities of the NSW CVRN for the benefit of the Network.

Your agreement to these Terms of Reference for the NSW CVRN appoints you to and defines participation in the Committee.

ROLE

The Executive Committee will actively engage in priority setting of the NSW CVRN, including approving budgets, projects, activities, and collaborative research priorities. The Committee will be representative of the cardiovascular researchers in NSW and as such provide advice which benefits the entire CVRN.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Committee is responsible for the following functions: • Provide advice, support, and input into the annual strategic plan for the NSW CVRN. • Oversee and govern the administration of NSW CVRN funding in accordance with the Government contract, members’ priorities and in alignment with State and National strategic directions. • Approve the workplan of the CVRN Manager and approve the budget for CVRN activities and initiatives. • Consider issues and opportunities from the CVD research community for activation with the CVRN, considering members’ needs. • Approve the CVRN Annual Report and acquit all funding at the conclusion of the funding period. • Oversee any sub-committees that may be formed (e.g. Rising Stars, Showcase etc) • Ensure any decisions and outcomes produced by the Committee be in accordance with the CVRN Contract, and the parties acknowledge that any decisions or outcomes which contradict the requirements of the CVRN Contract may be required to be referred to the Government of (Office of Health and Medical Research) and Board of the National Heart Foundation of Australia for approval.

MEMBERSHIP The Executive Committee should comprise 5 – 7 members.

Membership of the Committee should reflect the membership of the Network, and aim to be equitable, diverse and inclusive. The Committee should reflect:

• the breadth of the cardiovascular research spectrum with at least one member from a speciality that is not specifically cardiac (e.g. diabetes, renal, stroke)

NSW CVRN Governance Structure and ToR 4 • expertise across the translational pathway: Biomedical, Clinical, Public Health and Health Service researchers • a mix of experienced and senior researchers, including at least one early to mid-career researcher • at least one member who is a consumer with lived experience as either a person with heart disease or a carer or who has an interest in CVD research • consideration of a gender, institutional and geographic balance (in particular regional and rural).

When required the Committee may co-opt additional expertise/insight from within the Network or from external stakeholders.

APPOINTMENT

Executive Committee

Members of the Executive Committee will be recruited through an EOI, which will be circulated to all members of the CVRN. Nominees will be reviewed and endorsed by a committee including representatives of the Heart Foundation, OHMR, and members of the Executive Committee.

Committee members will be engaged through a letter of appointment.

Chair The Chair of the Executive Committee will be appointed from within the members of the Executive Committee, through majority vote and will be endorsed by OHMR. The Executive Committee Chair is responsible for: • providing independent leadership to guide the Committee and Network; • the efficient conduct of the Committee’s meetings; • facilitating effective, fair and impartial contributions of all Committee members; • committing the time necessary to effectively discharge the role of Chair and; • scheduling regular and effective evaluations of the Committee’s performance.

TERM

Members will be appointed for up to three years. Members may be reappointed after their three year appointments, with the balance of the Executive Committee preserved to the greatest extent possible.

MEETINGS The Committee will meet regularly throughout the year, at least three to four times per year (quarterly), or more frequently as necessary; at a time and location mutually suitable to all Committee members.

Meetings will be organised and facilitated by the CVRN Manager. The Committee Chair presides at all meetings at which he or she is present. If the Chair is not present at a meeting, an alternate member will be appointed to preside.

NSW CVRN Governance Structure and ToR 5 VOTING Decisions require a majority vote quorum of greater than 50%: a quorum is 3 members.

If a quorum is not achieved at the meeting, then all members of the Executive Committee will be contacted out of session for their vote after the meeting. EXPECTATIONS

Members of the Executive Committee will: • Act ethically, with honesty and integrity, in the best interests of the NSW CVRN at all times • Contribute actively to the Executive Committee, and the broader Network • Make decisions fairly and impartially, and not make improper use of being a member to gain personal advantage • Not make any unauthorised public statements regarding the business of the NSW CVRN. CONFLICT OF INTEREST It is expected that the members of the Committee will: • disclose any perceived or existing conflict of interest • not allow personal or financial interests to conflict with their ability to perform official duties in an impartial manner or conflict with the interests of NSW CVRN.

In certain instances, where there are conflicts of interest, individuals may not be permitted to join the Executive Committee for the duration of the acknowledged conflict of interest.

CONFIDENTIALITY The members of the Executive Committee must: • commit to respecting the confidentiality of information gained through CVRN Executive Committee meetings, • Not disclose official information or documents acquired through membership of the Executive Committee, except where required by law or agreed by decision of the Executive Committee • Respect the privacy and confidentiality of all information as it pertains to individuals.

SECRETARIAT

The NSW CVRN Management Team acts as the secretariat for the Committee and is responsible for:

• overseeing the coordination and timely completion and despatch of Committee papers; • ensuring the business of the meetings is accurately captured in the minutes; • advising the Committee on governance matters; and • helping to organise and facilitate the induction and ongoing professional development of Committee members.

REPORTING The Committee will review and endorse the annual report prepared for the Network members and the NSW Government indicating outcomes.

NSW CVRN Governance Structure and ToR 6