Statute 5.7 – Revocation of awards

1.(a) Section 26(2) of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Act 1992 provides that if the Statutes so provide, the Council may, in prescribed circumstances and in the manner prescribed, revoke any degree, diploma, certificate and other award conferred or granted by the University.

(b) The circumstances in which a degree, diploma, certificate or other award (each of which is subsequently referred to in this Statute as an “award”) may be revoked and the manner in which it is to be revoked are prescribed in this Statute.

2. The Council may revoke an award if it is satisfied that the relevant award has been obtained by a person as a result of fraud or was awarded by the University by mistake.

3.(a) For the purposes of this Statute “fraud” includes but is not limited to:

(i) a false or misleading statement by a candidate for an award;
(ii) plagiarism;
(iii) use of false or fabricated data or material by a candidate in submitting work for examination; and
(iv) any other dishonest act on the part of the candidate which leads to the conferring of an award.

(b) For the purposes of this Statute “mistake” means an error in conferring an award to a person who has not fulfilled the requirements for that award to be conferred and where the award has not been procured by fraud.

4. If the Discipline Board or other person after hearing a charge under Student Discipline Regulation 6.1.1 makes a recommendation to Council that an award should be revoked, the Council may revoke the award.

5. Except where a recommendation has been made under Section 4, where Council determines that a prima-facie case exists for revoking an award, Council must establish a committee (“the committee”) to investigate the facts and to make a recommendation to Council based upon the findings of the committee. The Council committee will be constituted and conducted in accordance with the Regulations made pursuant to this Statute.

6. Where upon consideration of the findings and recommendation of the committee Council is satisfied that an award has been conferred by fraud or by mistake, Council may revoke that award.

7. Upon an award being revoked by Council under this Statute, the Academic Registrar shall notify the person to whom the award was issued of Council’s decision and shall require that person to return to the University the testamur or other document issued in respect of that award.

8. When Council revokes an award which was issued by mistake and loss or inconvenience has been suffered by the person to whom the award had been conferred as a result of that mistake, Council may in its discretion award appropriate compensation to that person.

9. This Statute applies to awards conferred or granted whether before or after the date of commencement of this Statute and includes awards granted by Phillip Institute of Technology, Melbourne Institute of Textiles or any other entity which has merged with or is now otherwise incorporated in the University.

10. Regulations made pursuant to this Statute will come into effect when displayed on the university’s Statutes and Regulations Website.

Supporting Regulation

Regulation 5.7.1 – Revocation of awards Committee

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