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GOVERNANCE
ISN Psychology’s corporate and academic governance, rules, admission and other policies, quality assurance and financial processes are underpinned by defined values and goals.
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The Board of Directors has empowered the College Council to be the effective governing body of ISN Psychology, with overall responsibility for implementing the vision and mission of ISN Psychology.
The College Council oversees the implementation of ISN Psychology’s strategic plan in pursuit of these objectives.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Role
The Board of Directors is the governing body of ISN Psychology Pty Ltd (ISN). It has final governance responsibility of all matters associated with ISN.
Functions
The functions of the Board of Directors are to pursue the objects and principal purposes of ISN Psychology Pty Ltd, which are to improve professional practice through the provision of education and the promotion of critical reflection, freedom of inquiry, academic excellence, research and a culture of scholarship. The functions of the Board of Directors are delegated to the College Council by written resolution pursuant to section 248A of the Corporations Act.
Membership.
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Professor Tony Paolini
Director, President and Chair College Council, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Professor Tony Paolini MPsych (Clin Neuro) PhD MAPS is President and CEO of ISN Psychology and on the Board of Directors. A founding Director of the Institute for Social Neuroscience, Professor Paolini is a psychologist and internationally recognised neuroscientist. He has qualifications in psychology (MPsych – Clin Neuro) and in Neuroscience (PhD). Under the mentorship of Professor Graeme Clark, he lead the Auditory Clinical Neuroscience Unit at the Bionic Ear Institute. Professor Paolini has published numerous peer reviewed publications, lead large research teams and has received significant research funding including from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) and the Australian Research Council (ARC). He was Professor and Head of Psychology at RMIT University, Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, and holds adjunct positions at La Trobe University and The University of Melbourne.
Daniel Paolini
Director, Member of College Council
Daniel is a Council at White and Case. Prior to joining that firm in October 2018, Daniel spent over 16 years practicing as a taxation/legal advisor in Australia, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. He has previously worked in two Big 4 accounting firms, and two top tier law firms and a number of investment firms. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science (Major in Psychology) and Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University. He is a fellow of The Tax Institute and admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Victoria.
College Council
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The College Council is delegated the powers and authorities to:
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Pursue the mission and vision of ISN Psychology;
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Carry out the objects and purposes of ISN Psychology; and
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Undertake the functions set out in the delegation of authority and all other functions which are incidental or convenient for the purposes of the above power and authority.
Functions
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The Council is accountable to the Board of Directors for guiding the strategy and performance of ISN. The key responsibilities of the Council are to provide good governance and strategic guidance, to undertake the functions set out in the delegation of authority and all other functions as necessary, including to:
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Provide advice, set the strategic direction of ISN and approve related plans;
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Monitor performance and targets against the Strategic Plan;
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Review and endorse major changes to the Strategic Plan;
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Guide management in the delivery of the Strategic Plan and desired culture;
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Monitor the budget, financial position and financial viability of ISN;
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Oversee and monitor academic activity and the overall quality of ISN’s programs;
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Oversee and monitor systems of internal control and accountability,
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Review and monitor risk management and compliance programs; and
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Confer academic awards.
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The Chair of the College Council is the Director and CEO of ISN, Professor Tony Paolini. Additional members are as indicated below with reports from the Academic Board Chair, Professor Jaclyn Broadbent (Independent, profile under Academic Board):
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Hon Kevin Andrews
Chair of the Quality and Risk Committee & College Council Member (Independent Member)
Hon Kevin Andrews brings his vast parliamentary experience and committee service to define the strategic directions of ISN Psychology. He is also the Chair of ISN Psychology’s Quality and Risk Committee. He has written many publications including books on biomedical ethics and the social and economic trends shaping the nation. He has represented the community as the Member for Menzies. Ministerial appointments include:
• Minister for Ageing from 26.11.01 to 7.10.03
• Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations from 7.10.03 to 30.1.07
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service from 7.10.03 to 30.1.07
• Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from 30.1.07 to 3.12.07
• Minister for Social Services from 18.9.13 to 23.12.14
• Minister for Defence from 23.12.14 to 21.9.15
Philippa Taylor
College Council Member (Independent Member)
Philippa Taylor is an experienced non-executive director and Chair of People, Culture and Nomination Committees and brings considerable experience from sitting on boards in B2C organisations across different sectors, including financial services, professional services, recreation, tourism, international development, e-commerce, technology, and education. She has also been a mentor with Leadership Victoria in their Women’s Board Leadership program, and Culturally Diverse Women Leader’s program, as well as mentoring member boards through the NDIS introduction.
Philippa has also been a professional advisor for the past 12+ years, with a successful track record with Boards, CEOs and leadership teams on various governance, risk and people-related matters, including digital transitions and workforce implications. She has worked with federal, state, and local governments, not-of-profits, ASX listed and commercial organisations of every size, in various stages of maturity and often undergoing significant transformation.
Prior to this, Philippa held several C-Suite roles as Head of People & Culture and was a partner-equivalent in a tier 2 global professional services firm leading change and people-related initiatives for commercial and government clients.
Philippa has a Master of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma of Adult Basic Education, a Bachelor of Business Administration, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Technology.
Academic Board
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Role
The Academic Board oversees the educational processes involved in designing, delivering and assessing ISN courses.
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Functions
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The Academic Board is delegated the powers and authorities to carry out the following functions:
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approve new courses and changes to existing courses consistent with registration and accreditation requirements;
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monitor and approve student results and scholarships;
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oversee and monitor the academic quality of programs and courses;
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initiate academic reviews and improvements;
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develop, approve and implement academic policies and procedures; and
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report to the College Council consistent with the objects and purposes of ISN and its colleges.
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Academic Board Members
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Professor Jaclyn Broadbent
Academic Board Chair (Independent)
Professor Jaclyn Broadbent serves as Pro Vice-Chancellor Academic Experience at Deakin University in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic. She is also a Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning (CRADLE). Previously, Jaclyn has been the Pro Vice-Chancellor Sessional Academic Experience, Deputy Head of School and Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning) in the School of Psychology at Deakin. With doctorates in both Psychology and Education, her research focuses on online self-regulated learning and the development of teaching strategies to enhance student success. She has an interest in using feedback and digital technologies (such as GenAI) to improve outcomes in large student cohorts. Jaclyn has $2.2 million in research funding, 57 articles and book chapters and has achieved 7800+ citations, an H-index of 30 and i10 index of 39 (Google Scholar). Broadbent's expertise extends to university policy and governance, where she plays a key role in shaping academic standards and direction through her committee work. Recognised for her innovative teaching, she has received the Australian Award for University Teaching and Deakin's Teacher of the Year award (twice)
Professor Robert Kapsa
Academic Board member (Independent)
Robert Kapsa is the inaugural Professor of Biofabrication and Tissue Engineering at RMIT University and Head of Research (Neurosciences) at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM). He is a biochemist, molecular and cell biologist specialising in development of molecular, regenerative cell and gene therapies for damaged and diseased muscle and nerve, with particular focus on Neuromuscular disorders. He pioneered gene editing technologies (1998-2005) that saw the first correction of the mutation that caused DMD in humans and muscular dystrophy in the mdx mouse model of DMD.
Professor Kapsa’s clinical guidance along his professional path has come several key mentors: With Prof Ed Byrne (Neuromuscular Disorders) Pr Kapsa’s focus on muscle disease was realised in his establishment of Australia’s first genetic diagnostic facility for mitochondrial disorders and then by his involvement in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy with Prof Ed Byrne; With Prof Graeme Clark (Electrophysiology and Materials Science), he established Bionic Technologies Australia (ahich generated a spinout called Polyactiva) and gained a working knowledge of device implant translation; With Prof Wayne Morrison (Tissue Engineering), he gained expertise in developing biodegradable implants for tissue engineering applications.
In his current capacity at RMIT, Pr Kapsa continues to build world class Biofabrication and Tissue Engineering activities that will form flagship activities within the new multi-institutional collaborative BioMedical Engineering hub, the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD) located at SVHM.
Additional Academic Board members
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Professor Tony Paolini (Director, President and CEO)
Felicity Garland (Staff representative)
Professor Kathryn Nicholson Perry
Ms Angela Bourne (Registrar)