Higher Education - Free Intellectual Enquiry Policy

1. Purpose

To ensure that CIT higher education courses of study are provided in an environment that upholds and protects free intellectual enquiry.

2. Scope

All students enrolled in CIT’s higher education courses of study and all staff who are teaching in such courses of study.

3. Principles

3.1  CIT is committed to the provision of higher education courses of study in an environment that upholds and protects free intellectual enquiry. This commitment enables CIT to satisfy its function of conducting an educational institution to provide excellence in study in the field of higher education (under the Canberra Institute of Technology Act 1987), as well as comply with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, Part B, B1.1, and Threshold Standard 6.1.4.

3.2  All Higher Education courses of study at CIT are developed and delivered on the basis of scholarship, evidence-based best practice, research, scientific methodology, review of national and international educational offerings, innovation and technology. CIT's courses of study are enhanced by input from government, business and industry. Critical-thinking, questioning, analytical approaches in learning and assessment, and free and open discussion are encouraged.

3.3  Free intellectual enquiry in Higher Education courses of study at CIT occurs within the context of advanced knowledge and inquiry consistent with the level of study and expected learning outcomes, including current knowledge and scholarship, the underpinning conceptual frameworks, emerging concepts that are informed by recent scholarship, current research results and advances in practice (in accordance with Threshold Standard 3.1).

3.4  Staff developing and delivering CIT higher education courses of study must provide evidence to CIT's Higher Education Committee of the research underpinning the development of new courses of study (CIT Higher Education Governance Charter and CIT's Higher Education Course Development Policy).

3.5  Teaching of Higher education courses of study shall only be conducted by appropriately qualified staff who have been selected in accordance with CIT's Higher Education Staffing Policy and Higher Education Professional Equivalency Policy, and who have engaged in a sufficient academic work in accordance with the CIT's Higher Education Scholarly Activity Policy.

3.6  CIT's commitment to free intellectual enquiry is further supported by the commitment to academic integrity in the development and delivery of higher education courses of study in accordance with CIT's Higher Education Academic Integrity Policy and Higher Education Academic Misconduct Policy, particularly in the development of assessment tasks.

4. Documentation

Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021

Canberra Institute of Technology Act 1987

Related CIT policies available on the website:

Higher Education Course Development Policy

Higher Education Staffing Policy

Higher Education Professional Equivalency Policy

Higher Education Scholarly Activity Policy

Higher Education Academic Integrity Policy

Higher Education Academic Misconduct Policy.

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definitions of Terms.

Commitment to and demonstration of honest behaviour in an academic setting including ensuring that all assessment items are student's own work.

6. Policy Contact Officer

Director, Education Services.

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.