Invite a dignitary to your event
Protocol protects and enhances the reputation of the University by providing support and advice for University staff and the Vice-Chancellor on planning and managing University events.
Protocol is guided by the Ministerial and Dignitary Protocol Guidelines, which apply to all UQ staff and students who want to engage with dignitaries or invite dignitaries to a UQ event.
The guidelines ensure that all invitations sent to dignitaries are strategic and monitored in order to protect the University’s relationship with these key external stakeholders.
How Protocol can help you:
- Provide advice on how to plan a strategic, successful event
- Assist you with inviting dignitaries to your event and managing dignitaries at your event
- Liaise with the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor and President on your behalf
- Provide information on suppliers
Please contact us if you have any questions, we are happy to assist.
3. Letter of invitation
A dignitary should only be invited to an event via a letter of invitation from the Vice-Chancellor and President, as per the guidelines.
Dignitaries cannot be sent electronic invitations or letters of invitation signed by another member of the University.
Please consult the UQ Brand Guidelines and the UQ Written Style Guide when writing a letter of invitation.
Aim to send all letters of invitation to Protocol with the Protocol Advice Form. Protocol will then send the letter of invitation and event information to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President.
See below for the full process and the required lead times.
Process | Lead times |
The UQ area sends Protocol
| Ideally, invitations need to be sent to a dignitary six weeks prior to the event. Therefore, UQ areas should aim to have the Protocol Advice Form with letters of invitation sent to Protocol eight weeks prior to their event. Invitations unable to meet the six week deadline are sent at the discretion of the Vice-Chancellor and President. |
Protocol reviews the finalised letter of invitation and sends it to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President to be signed. | All letters of invitation that are sent to Protocol are reviewed to ensure they include the information required by a dignitary’s office. Please allow up to five business days for Protocol to review your letter. |
The Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President sends the letter to the dignitary. | The Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President generally takes five business days, sometimes more, to send a letter of invitation to a dignitary. |
Protocol receives a response from the dignitary’s office and advises the hosting UQ area. or Protocol follows up the dignitary’s office for a response to the letter. | A dignitary’s office will likely respond to an invitation close to the event date. They are unlikely to commit to an event months prior.
The UQ area should not contact the dignitary’s office. |