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QUT Seal Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) As a body corporate established by the Queensland University of Technology Act 1998, the University has a Seal (section 4, QUT Act). This Policy outlines the requirements for use of the QUT seal.

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Section 2 - Application

(2) The QUT seal is used to authenticate certain documents issued in QUT's name. It is affixed to award parchments and may need to be affixed to legal documents and occasionally to ceremonial documents.

(3) This Policy does not apply to documents such as contracts, agreements or memoranda of understanding where there is no requirement to affix a seal. Such documents are executed by the appropriate signing delegate or authorised officer following the usual contract signing procedures as specified in the Contracts and Legal Instruments Management Policy.

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Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

Position
Responsibility
Vice-Chancellor and President
Affixes the seal and authorises the seal to be affixed to:
  1. a document if the matter is of ceremonial significance to the University, including strategic or diplomatic agreements or memoranda of understanding with major institutions and external parties(even if such a document has no legal force);
  2. legal documents required to be executed under the seal.
Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar
Affixes the seal to:
  1. award parchments issued in respect of a degree, diploma or other formal academic qualification to which a person has been admitted;
  2. Legal documents to which QUT is a party (where execution under seal is required for legal validity and there is no power of attorney in place); and
  3. other legal documentation required to be executed under seal (for example, grant of power of attorney, land transactions not covered by a power of attorney);
Makes appropriate arrangements for the safe custody of the QUT seal.
Reports to QUT Council annually on the use of the QUT seal (other than on award parchments) including execution of legal documents under power of attorney.
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Section 4 - Relationship to TEQSA Threshold Standards

(4) This Policy assists the University to satisfy the provision of standards within 6.2 Corporate Monitoring and Accountability, specifically Standard 6.2(1)(a) of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, to “comply with the requirements of the legislation under which the provider is established, recognised or incorporated, any other legislative requirements and the entity’s constitution or equivalent.”

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Section 5 - Execution of Documents to which the Seal is Affixed

(5) When the QUT seal is affixed to a document other than an award parchment, it must be signed (irrespective of the usual delegation which may apply in the Register of Authorities and Delegations) by the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar and one of the following officers: the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and President, Provost/Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Sufficient information should be provided to enable the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar to determine the appropriateness of executing the document under seal on behalf of QUT.

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Section 6 - Award Parchments

(6) Award parchments are valid only when the seal is affixed. An award parchment must state that the document is ‘given under seal’ and signed by the authorised persons. Award parchment must be signed by the following two authorised persons: the Chancellor, plus the Vice-Chancellor and President or the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar on behalf of Council. The Vice-Chancellor and President is the designated alternative if the Chancellor is unavailable or due to other circumstances. These signatures can be reproduced by electronic means.

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Section 7 - Power of Attorney for Execution of Certain Legal Documents

(7) QUT Council may, if the circumstances warrant it, authorise an officer or person acting on behalf of QUT to sign specified classes of legal documents under a power of attorney. The authorisation is granted only where formal legal requirements necessitate this, for example, for transactions relating to interests in land. For this authority to be valid, the officer or person is appointed in a power of attorney executed by QUT under seal. The QUT seal is not required to be affixed to documents signed under power of attorney.

(8) All appointments of attorneys for execution of legal documents must be recorded in the Register of Authorities and Delegations.

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Section 8 - Responsibilities for Management of Obligations

(9) The signatories for documents requiring the seal be affixed are derived from the formal requirements set out in this Policy (Section 4 above). General responsibilities associated with negotiation, risk management, and management of legal obligations and performance once the document is executed, remain with the usual delegate or operational area. The Contracts and Legal Instruments Management Policy provides further details.

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Section 9 - Recordkeeping and Reporting

(10) A register of award parchments issued by QUT under seal, including replacement and substitute award parchments (Academic Award Documents Policy) is maintained by Student Administration.

(11) Records of other documents to which the seal is affixed are held in the corporate records system, QRecords. The Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar maintains a register of documents to which the seal is affixed and reports annually to Council on the use of the QUT Seal. A register must also be maintained by Campus Services recording all documents executed under powers of attorney.

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Section 10 - Misuse of the QUT Seal

(12) Unauthorised, attempted or purported use of the QUT seal, or use or purported use of a seal which so nearly resembles the QUT seal as to be likely to deceive, may constitute misconduct by a student or staff member, and may be dealt with under relevant misconduct instruments.

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Section 11 - Delegations

(13) Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC012, C035, C036, C037, C041, C135, C152, C172) (QUT staff access only).