2017 Annual Report James Cook University Cairns Singapore Townsville Page 1 Contents Open data ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Government bodies – James Cook University Council............................................................................ 1 Public availability .................................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of compliance ........................................................................................................................ 1 Letter of compliance ............................................................................................................................... 2 Year in review ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Role and main functions ......................................................................................................................... 9 Governance and management ............................................................................................................. 10 Governance – risk management and accountability ............................................................................ 18 Statement of Strategic Intent ............................................................................................................... 23 University Plan: our priorities ............................................................................................................... 24 Operating environment ........................................................................................................................ 26 Domain: Learning and teaching ............................................................................................................ 28 Domain: Research ................................................................................................................................. 32 Domain: Engagement............................................................................................................................ 36 Domain: Organisational effectiveness .................................................................................................. 39 Domain: Human and intellectual capital .............................................................................................. 41 Domain: Physical and virtual infrastructure ......................................................................................... 43 Domain: Finance and resources ............................................................................................................ 45 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) ........................................................................................................ 47 Financial overview ................................................................................................................................ 50 Financial statements and notes ............................................................................................................ 51 Certification of financial statements (management certificate) .......................................................... 96 Independent Auditor’s Report .............................................................................................................. 98 Financial information for the year ended ........................................................................................... 103 Glossary ............................................................................................................................................... 106 James Cook University Annual Report 2017 ISSN 0158-7730 Produced by, and available from, Quality, Planning and Analytics, James Cook University. This Annual Report is also publicly available on the JCU website at https://www.jcu.edu.au/about-jcu/annual-report Page 2 © (James Cook University) 2017 At James Cook University we acknowledge Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of this nation. “We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters where we operate our business. We honour the unique cultural and spiritual relationship to the land, waters and seas of First Australian peoples and their continuing and rich contribution to James Cook University (JCU) and Australian society. We also pay respect to ancestors and Elders past, present and future.” Source: James Cook University Reconciliation Action Plan 2015-2017. Open data The James Cook University Annual Report and additional reports on Consultancies, and Overseas Travel are published online at https://www.jcu.edu.au/about-jcu/annual-report Open data is also published annually on the Queensland Government Open Data website online at https://data.qld.gov.au Government bodies – James Cook University Council Information relating to Government Bodies (being the James Cook University Council) is published online at https://www.jcu.edu.au/about-jcu/annual-report Public availability For information about this report, please contact James Cook University on Ph: 07 47814111 (Quality, Planning and Analytics Directorate) or email [email protected] Statement of compliance This Annual Report fulfils the prescribed reporting requirements for 2017 of James Cook University to the Queensland Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations, and provides a comprehensive summary of the University’s operations and achievements during the year. It illustrates the role of the University within the communities it serves, portrays the scope and importance of its activities and displays the University’s effective utilisation of the resources available to it. The report outlines a wide range of developments, innovations and achievements that provide a yardstick by which to measure the performance of the University in 2017 against its strategic intent, aim and objectives. Page 1 Letter of compliance 28th of February 2018 The Honourable Grace Grace MP Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations PO Box 15033 CITY EAST QLD 4002 Dear Minister, I am pleased to submit for presentation to the Parliament the Annual Report 2017 and financial statements for James Cook University. I certify that this Annual Report complies with: the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009, and the detailed requirements set out in the Annual report requirements for Queensland Government agencies. A checklist outlining the annual reporting requirements can be found accompanying this annual report accessible at https://www.jcu.edu.au/about-jcu/annual-report. Yours sincerely Mr Bill Tweddell Chancellor James Cook University Page 2 Year in review This year has been a significant one for JCU from a governance perspective. A revised James Cook University Council (University Council) committee structure was implemented in 2017, and appears to be working well. The revised structure emerged from a University Council workshop in October 2016, which focused on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the University Council. The outcomes of the workshop included a reduction in the number of committees, revised membership, and a revised structure of the University Council agendas to allow a greater focus on strategic / longer-term issues. The University Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (ULAA) was passed by the Queensland Government, and was granted royal assent on 13 October 2017, resulting in changes to the James Cook University Act 1997. This is a significant step forward for the University. Among other things, new provisions in the JCU Act provide the legislative basis upon which the University Council may amend the size and the composition of University Council. The University Council now has greater decision-making powers to ensure a better skills, geographic, ethnic and gender mix across its membership. The changes will also help the University meet the Queensland Government’s gender equity target of parity by 2020. As the Chair of a 22-member (current) University Council, where only five of whom are women, I have a particularly strong commitment in this area. In response to the new flexibility provided for in our JCU Act, the University Council decided upon a medium-sized University Council of 15 members. This historic legislative reform, coupled with the University Council’s decision in response, could not have been timed better for JCU, leading into the reconstitution of the new University Council on 20 April 2018. This change, together with other changes to our JCU Act, augurs well for the effective governance of Australia’s University for the Tropics. In October, the University Council approved the JCU Academic Plan and endorsed the JCU University Plan 2018-2022. Both the Academic Plan and University Plan had been discussed broadly, with focused engagement on the Academic Plan (by the Academic Board in particular). The plans identify critical opportunities and respond to the challenges facing the University. Key elements include widening participation by expanding the range of programs JCU offers, including pathway