Higher Education Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement Requirements Procedure

Policy code: AG1907
Policy owner: Director, Co-operative Placements
Approval authority: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global and Engagement)
Approval date: 04 December 2024
Next review date: 03 December 2023

Purpose
Scope
Legislative Context
General Context
Academic Context
Specific Context
Definitions
Actions
1. Establish university infrastructure for governance of WIL
2. Manage curriculum to include placements
3. Manage relationships with host organisations
4. Establish placement opportunities and agreements
5. Match students with host organisations
6. Participate in activities during placement
7. Assess student performance at placement
Supporting Documents
Responsibility
Promulgation
Implementation
Records Management

Purpose

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement opportunities are an important component of employability, engagement and skills development in a variety of Higher Education HE learning and teaching environments. This procedure and its associated documents are necessary to clearly define the University’s overarching approach in the delivery and monitoring of all WIL Placement courses.

Scope

This procedure relates to all undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking WIL Placement requirements as part of a HE study course and encompasses any arrangement where students undertake learning in a workplace outside of the university. WIL requirements include, clinical placement, field education, professional experience, internships and industry placement undertaken as a requirement or an option of a course and/or unit of study. Volunteering opportunities are out of scope.

WIL Placement for Higher Degree by Research HDR students and those enrolled in units at Federation TAFE are out of scope.

Legislative Context

General Context

Academic Context

Specific Context

Definitions

Term Definition
Academic learning setting A real/live or virtual classroom/studio/lecture setting where the core activity is structured and facilitated learning. 
Co-op learning  A scaffolded series of experiences that prepares learners for engaging with co-op learning settings and employability and development opportunities – may be both embedded and non-embedded.
Co-op learning setting A real/live or virtual workplace or industrial setting where unstructured and non-facilitated learning takes place.
Manager WIL (Internal) Administrative manager responsible for procedures and coordination of WIL placements at Higher Education University level.
WIL Professional Staff (Internal) A Federation University Australia staff member who is responsible for the administrative processes associated WIL placement.
WIL Course Coordinator (Internal) A Federation University Australia academic staff member who is responsible for the coordination of students in WIL placement arrangements. The title may vary in each school environment.
Director - Industry Cooperation Institute leadership role focused on student and academic industry engagement related activities
WIL Mentor (Internal) An academic facilitator between the Federation University WIL Course Coordinator, the WIL Workplace Supervisor and the student.
Placement Provider (External) Industry workplace providing a work integrated learning practical placement learning environment to a Federation University student as a host organisation.
WIL Workplace Supervisor (External) The key contact person employed by the Placement Provider organisation who will provide or organise appropriate supervision for the University student during the WIL Placement arrangement. This is a legal requirement.
WIL Placement Agreement A written agreement between Federation University and an appropriate host organisation and a student. It includes work observation and other forms of workplace learning. This also includes Clinical Placement, Professional Experience and Industry Placement.
Placement An assessable component of a qualification, designed to provide students with the opportunity, and the means, to apply skills and knowledge obtained through the study of their qualification in a supervised and authentic environment. 
Internship A placement experience within an organisation where by students can gain an understanding of and an ability to analyse the internal and external environment of the Host Organisation.  Students will be expected to demonstrate critical analysis and the development of recommendations to a specific area of the organisation’s activity. 
Overseas placement A placement experience in a foreign country. Exposure to a different University (including curriculum, staff and students), organisations and culture/country/history and social norms which lead to greater learning beyond the classroom. 
Project Real-life business projects provided by Host Organisations or academics relating to their specific discipline area and aligned with the Universities graduate attributes. 
Cadetship A cadetship is a form of training programme that combines practical on-the-job experience and formal, facilitated training.

Actions

The following steps must be completed in order to comply with this procedure.

1. Establish university infrastructure for governance of WIL

   Activity Responsibility  Steps 
A Accessible and updated Position Descriptions and/or Role of Responsibilities for key roles in WIL. 

General Manager, Academic

Executive Dean, Institute

Director - Industry Cooperation
  1. Position descriptions to be lodged with HR 
    • WIL Course Coordinator 
    • WIL Workplace Supervisor
    • WIL Mentor 
    • WIL Professional Staff
  2. Staff workload planner reflects time taken 
B Maintaining university wide WIL website

WIL Course Coordinator

Information Technology Services ITS

Manager, WIL
  1. Single point of access to WIL agreements, procedures and associated WIL documentation
  2. University Approved student placement system accessible via the website
  3. Clear link between Institute WIL Learning Management System content web pages with the WIL website
  4. Industry Placement Program (IPP) content to be linked to the WIL website
C Monitoring income and expenditure on WIL placement activities 

Manager, WIL Coordinator

Manager School Services

Executive Dean, Institute; Dean/School

Scholarship Office

WIL Course Coordinator /

Finance Representative/

Director, Student Experience (Student Services)
  1. Establish cost codes for WIL expenditure and associated income
  2. Identify staff appointments who work on WIL provision and apportion salary costs to WIL budget (where required)
  3. Record fees and payments made from and to host organisations 
  4. Provide a report on total costs of WIL provision and submit to Executive Dean (when required).
D Maintaining University approved placement management system 

ITS Representative

WIL Course Coordinator

Manager, WIL

Snr Course Support Officer, WIL

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Provide a web-based placement management system 
  2. Provide instructions and training on correct use of the system 
  3. Register all WIL placement units on the system using tags on unit outlines 
  4. Upload all documentation including timesheets, agreements, Working With Children Check, medical forms, etc.
  5. Verify uploaded documentation

2. Manage curriculum to include placements

   Activity  Responsibility  Steps
A  Identifying compulsory practical placement requirements on marketing materials including any discipline specific inherent requirements or pre-placement checks such as Working with Children Check, Police Check and Immunisations. 

Discipline Lead

Course Coordinator  

WIL Course Coordinator

Manager, Course Support and Technical Services (or nominee)

Marketing and Communication representative

Manager, University Registrar
  1. Course Finder information must make reference to any course or discipline specific inherent requirements including the need for students to undergo Police and/or Working with Children Checks and related health expectations (ie. immunisations). 
  2. The Course Structure and Unit Outlines, Unit Description(s) must include compulsory WIL Placement hours as part of the qualification requirements. 
B Informing academic staff of WIL placement requirements 

Deputy Dean

Discipline Lead

Course Coordinator 
  1. Within Course structure documentation
  2. Within Unit Outline and Unit Description documents
  3. Via induction sessions etc. as set out in this procedure 
C Informing students of WIL placement requirements 

Unit Coordinators

Course Coordinator

WIL Course Coordinator

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Through Unit Finder information
  2. Within Course structure documentation
  3. Within Unit Outlines and Unit Descriptions 
  4. Through WIL Placement induction sessions 
  5. Via the Website
  6. Via the Learning Management System aligned to specific units and/or additional school resources
  7. Via InPlace communications
  8. Techniques such as interviews with staff, newsletter updates and stakeholder engagement sessions (ie. Open Days) may also be utilised where appropriate.
D Updating Unit Outlines and/or Unit Descriptions regarding assessment completion and associated consequences

Discipline Lead

Director, Learning and Teaching

Unit Coordinator
  1. All placements must be part of a University unit 
  2. The Unit Outline and/or Unit Descriptions must detail the total hours/days of placement to be completed, including guidance on the following : (A) the credit pointsavailable (may be a zero-credit point unit), (B) whether Supplementary Assessment is available; (C) Consequences of failure and consequences for not attending booked placement and/or (D) Uploading required documents prior to placement are described in the Unit Outline and Unit Description

3. Manage relationships with host organisations

   Activity Responsibility Steps
A  Liaising with industry to identify potential WIL placement providers. 

Placement Provider

WIL Professional Staff

WIL Course Coordinator

University engagement directorate
  1. A WIL Placement Provider register to be created and maintained electronically on the UniversityApprovedstudent placement systems
  2. Ensure clarity of responsibility for the Placement Provider WIL related roles including compliance with external guidelines (ie Best Practice Clinical Learning Environment)  
B Identifying country/state or territory placement requirements for the students, including Health, Safety and Wellbeing requirements. 

WIL Course Coordinator

Manager, WIL

Legal Representative

Coordinator, Study Abroad/Global Professional School
  1. In consultation with the Legal Office and Risk, Health and Safety representatives, identify placement requirements with a focus on Health, Safety and Wellbeing. 
  2. Ensure state and accrediting body requirements are met.
C Identify required insurance policies.  Confirm that Federation University has the required policies and that they are current.  

Executive Dean, Institute; Dean/School

Manager, WIL

Finance Representative

Legal Representative
  1. Contact Finance representative
  2. Check for insurance risk generally
  3. Check for and identify specific risk associated with international and/or interstate placements 
D Discussing hours of placement, payments (when applicable) and format of agreement with placement provider. 

WIL Course Coordinator

WIL Professional Staff

Legal Representative

Finance Representative
  1. If the Placement Provider wishes to use an alternative format of agreement to the Single Placement Agreement or Organisation Placement Agreement templates, a request for legal services will need to be sought from the Legal Office to prepare an overarching placement agreement or approve use of an industry-mandated replacement form. Note: For scholarshiparrangements specific to IPP, please consult relevant stakeholders. 
  2. In some circumstances host organisations may make additional financial arrangements directly with students.The university is to be informed of any arrangements.  
  3. Some accreditation bodies prohibit payments to students on placements.  
E Informing hosts of university requirements  WIL Course Coordinator
  1. The WIL Course Coordinator supervisor and mentor responsibilities to be set out in a position description 
  2. University to support WIL Workplace Supervisors, WIL Mentors and assessors with online or face-to-face induction and additional support resources (where appropriate). 
  3. Manuals or other forms of information to hosts covering university requirements may be provided
F Retaining Placement Provider information. 

Executive Dean, Institute; Dean/School

WIL Course Coordinator 

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Copies of any agreements, contracts, risk assessment or accreditation documents must be uploaded electronically on the University Approved student placement systems to allow access to this information by all staff involved in arranging WIL placements. 
  2. Inducted WIL Workplace Supervisors, WIL Mentors and assessors to be noted on the University Approved student placement systems.  
G Providing students, Placement Provider and other stakeholders with an opportunity to provide feedback at the conclusion of placement. 

WIL Course Coordinator

ITS Representative

Course Coordinator

Unit Coordinator

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Feedback will be planned, gathered and analysed using the University-approved survey system available and stored on the University-approved student placement system and/or other internal and/or external systems (as appropriate).
  2. Feedback will be reported through annual review processes and actioned to ensure quality supervision or student experiences 
  3. Accrediting bodies’ feedback will be used to benchmark placement decisions and future allocations.

4. Establish placement opportunities and agreements

   Activity Responsibility  Steps 
A  Organising an individual one-off placement  Student 
  1. In exceptional circumstances and only with appropriate permission from the WIL Course Coordinator, a student may initiate a placement with a host organisation
  2. They must comply with all other aspects of this procedure. 
B.  Determining suitability of potential placement provider, including supervision and occupational health and safety requirements.  WIL Course Coordinator
  1. This information is to be recorded electronically as part of the WIL Placement Provider register on the UniversityApproved student placement systems 
C Maintaining records of contact with hosts 

WIL Professional Staff 

WIL Mentor

WIL Course Coordinator
  1. Key stakeholders will record site visits and communications with Placement Provider within the University approved placement management system  
D Conducting site visit for pre-placement risk assessment (HIRAC review) if placement conditions are identified as high risk or if this is the first time students have been placed with this placement provider. 

WIL Course Coordinator 

WIL Workplace Supervisor
  1. Liaise with Health, Safety and Wellbeing department (internal) and relative external body associated with conducting risk assessments of placement opportunities. See Practical Placements OHS Flowchart
  2. If the Placement Provider is an accredited body and/or regularly undergoes independent accreditation, then a pre-placement risk assessment is not necessary. A copy of the accreditation should be obtained and kept in Placement Provider register.
  3. Document a HIRAC where required
E Completing Placement Agreement in consultation with the Legal Office. 

Provost

Director, Academic Support Services Directorate

Executive Dean, Institute; Dean/School

WIL Course Coordinator  

WIL Professional Staff

Legal Representative
  1. The agreement should take the form of the Single Agreement, or separate Student Agreement and Organisation Agreement. For overseas placements the Overseas Agreement should be used. 
  2. Agreements must be clear on ownership of Intellectual Property (IP), confidentiality and privacy. If the student is expected to use the experience and/or data from the host organisation to complete assessments in other University units, this should be clearly stated.  
  3. Agreement may include any industry specific induction checklists as a schedule   
  4. If the Placement Provider wishes to use an alternative format of agreement to the Single Placement Agreement or Organisation Placement Agreement templates, a request for legal services will need to be sought from the Legal Office to prepare an overarching placement agreement.
  5. In the case of IPP, individual agreements between placement providers and the University approved by the Legal Office should be in place for each placement
  6. In the case of Placement Providers providing ongoing placements for multiple disciplines and students across the University an overarching agreement should be in place. 
  7. When students from more than one School participate in placements with a host, the agreement must be signed by DVC(A) or Director Academic 
  8. Institute placement agreements should be signed by the Executive Dean or relevant Director (or delegate) 
  9. Signed agreements to be stored on the University Approved student placement system and retained for 7 years after expiry 
F Establishing financial arrangements

WIL Course Coordinator

Executive Dean, Institute; Dean/School

Chief Financial Officer 

Scholarships Office
  1. When payments flow between the university and the host organisation, a contract should be negotiated. Use a legal agreement/Finance customer form 
  2. Contact Finance Office 
  3. All payments of stipends and scholarships associated with placements will be documented for the individual student  
  4. Taxation liabilities remain a private matter for the student 
G Informing  Executive Dean of Institute (or equivalent) of potential interstate or international placements. 

Course Coordinator 

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Inform Executive Dean of the Institute of potential interstate or international placements prior to placement commencing. 
  2. Record any student contact, discussions or documentation regarding placement, electronically on the University approved student placement system 
H Securing funding for international placements 

Executive Dean; Dean/School

Course Coordinator

WIL Course Coordinator

Coordinator, Study Abroad/Global Professional School
  1. Apply for New Colombo Plan, Endeavour scholarships and other internal and external grants 
  2. Report on placement and student outcomes 
I Reviewing arrangements for placement 

Course Coordinator

WIL Course Coordinator

WIL Professional Staff
  1. After first round of placements in a host organisation, then annually 
  2. Review placement agreements at least every 5 years. 

5. Match students with host organisations

   Activity Responsibility Steps
A  Discussing scope for reasonable adjustment for students with disabilities.  WIL Course Coordinator 
  1. Where a student identifies themselves as having a disability and requests assistance, the student, WIL Course Coordinator, and UniversityDisability Liaison Officer, if appropriate, should: 
    • Ensure an accurate assessment of the requirements of the placement and the student's ability are made; 
    • Determine how the learning outcomes of the placement may be achieved while accommodating the needs of the student; and 
    • Discuss the information that will be provided to the host employer about the student's disability and who should provide it. 
    • Consider a Learning Action Plan (LAP) relevant to this placement experience
    • Information to be recorded and uploaded electronically on the University Approved student placement system 
B Providing students with pre-placement briefing. 

Course Coordinator  

WIL Course Coordinator 

Unit Coordinator
  1. Develop and disseminate a Course Handbook / Placement Handbook which may incorporate inherent requirements to all relevant stakeholders.
  2. A pre-placement meeting and/or induction should also occur with the host in the case of IPP and some other courses (ie. schools)
C Ensure students have obtained necessary pre-placement checks. 

WIL Course Coordinator 

Unit Coordinator

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Students must complete:  
    • Student Placement Agreement  
    • Medical Declaration and Reasonable Adjustment request 
    • Consent form to hold and release student information 
    • Complete other mandatory documentation associated as required (eg.  immunisation records, Aged Care Statutory Declarations, English Language documentation)
  2. In some instances, Fit for Practice / Work certificates will also be required 
  3. Students are responsible for obtaining and paying for the cost of the Police Check and/or the Working with Children Check and immunisation checks or other course, discipline or placement specific inherent requirements. In some cases, host organisations may offer to cover these costs on the student’s behalf  
  4. If the student does not provide the University with the specified mandatory documentation in accordance with the published requirements of the course and/or unit in which they are enrolled, the placement will be cancelled and the student may receive a fail grade for the unit. At a minimum, these requirements will be published at the time of enrolment.
  5. Students must upload all evidence of agreements, required forms and checks (e.g. Working With Children Check Card, Police checks) to the University approved student placement system prior to engaging with the placement opportunities. 
  6. Students may also receive a fail grade as a result of not meeting deadline requirements related to the upload of relevant placement documents.  
  7. The University will check to ensure that the student has obtained the necessary clearance and is under no obligation to provide a WIL placement to a student who has not completed the required agreements, forms or not obtained a Police Check and/or Working with Children Check immunisation checks or other course or discipline specific inherent requirements by the date specified. 
D Informing students of supervisory arrangements 

WIL Course Coordinator

WIL Workplace Supervisor

WIL Mentor

WIL Professional Staff
  1. Student is given contact details for the following for each placement:   
    • WIL Workplace Supervisor
    • WIL Mentor 

6. Participate in activities during placement

   Activity Responsibility  Steps 
A  Ensuring students receive Risk Health and Safety or equivalent training prior to commencement of placement. 

Discipline Lead

WIL Course Coordinator 
  1. Included as part of student induction process for WIL placements by Placement Provider and uploaded electronically on the UniversityApproved student placement system(as required). 
B Establishing processes for recording student attendance and student progress on a University approved attendance record, reporting non-attendance and student progress. 

WIL Course Coordinator 

WIL Professional Staff

WIL Workplace Supervisor 
  1. Start and finish times should be verified by Placement provider supervisor (as appropriate to the discipline). The University must hold a copy of attendance record for audit purposes. For international students refer to: Monitoring Unit Progression Procedure. 
  2. Attendance and reports on student progress to be uploaded electronically on the University Approved student placement system by the student within 7 days of placement completion.  
  3. Attendance reports required by external organisations are to be generated from these records and signed by an authorised delegate. 
  4. When a student on placement also works or volunteers with the host organisation, detailed records of the times spent on placement activities, as documented in the Placement agreement, must be kept. 
C Managing Non-attendance of international students. 

WIL Workplace Supervisor

WIL Course Coordinator
  1. The WIL Workplace Supervisor employed by the Placement Provider is required by contract to notify the university of non-attendance of all students. 
  2. Where such non-attendance is notified the Course Coordinator must be informed. 
D Managing absence from placement  Student / Unit Coordinator 
  1. Students should make every effort to complete placement hours as set out in the agreement 
  2. When they are unable to attend placement according to the agreement, they should follow Special Consideration procedure and inform their WIL Workplace Supervisor and WIL Course Coordinator
  3. Arrangements may be made for students to complete placement hours at another time
  4. In some cases, where the University has a financial arrangement with the host organisation, students should reimburse the University for day(s) missed.   
  5. Students may also receive a fail grade as a result of missing placements, or parts of placements, associated with an assessment task. 
E Reporting of injuries whilst on placement. 

WIL Course Coordinator   

WIL Professional Staff

WIL Workplace Supervisor
  1. Within 24 hours, the WIL Workplace Supervisor employed at the Placement Provider is required to notify the University of any incident resulting in injury to the student whilst on placement. 
  2. Upon notification of an incident the designated WIL Course Coordinator and/or Course Coordinator must complete a Hazard/Near Miss Report
  3. WIL Course Coordinator to advise WIL Professional Staff
  4. Information to be recorded and uploaded electronically on the University Approved student placement system and submitted to Health, Safety and Wellbeing Department
F Submitting Injury Report. 

WIL Course Coordinator 

Manager, Health, Safety and Wellbeing 
  1. Upon notification of the injury of a student whilst on placement, the relevant WIL Course Coordinator and/or Manager, Health, Safety and Wellbeing will, where applicable, liaise with the Placement Provider. 
G Identifying insurance arrangements for student and placement provider. 

Course Coordinator  

WIL Course Coordinator   

WIL Professional Staff

Finance
  1. Contact Finance Representative
  2. Information to be recorded and uploaded electronically on the University Approved student placement system 

7. Assess student performance at placement

   Activity Responsibility Steps 
A  Monitoring student progress on WIL placement according to Course and/or Unit requirements. 

Course Coordinator    

Unit Coordinator 

WIL Workplace Supervisor 
  1. Refer to any Course and Unit specific guidelines. For example: 
    • Student Placement handbook 
    • Placement Provider supervisor’s handbook 
  2. Record any student contact or discussions regarding placement electronically on the UniversityApproved student placement system to allow access to this information by all staff responsible for monitoring student progress.
  3. In the case of IPP placements, regular communication with the student and host, site visits and evaluations from the host are required.
  4. Undertake and record periodical check-in’s regarding attendance and engagement and report updates to appropriate staff and students or via other discipline arrangements. See Section 6 (C) for attendance requirements for international students.
B Undertaking tasks associated with unit learning outcomes and assessments as required. 

Course Coordinator

Unit Coordinator 

WIL Workplace Supervisor 

Student
  1. Refer to Course and Unit specific requirements (Unit Descriptions) outlining alignment to unit learning outcomes and quality assurance measures of learning.
  2. The design and outcome of the assessment is the responsibility of the University. Assessment undertaken during WIL placement is assessed by a University assessor (eg. Unit Coordinator) or WIL Workplace Supervisor. In the instance that the WIL Workplace Supervisor undertakes assessment responsibility, they must have the required qualifications. 
  3. Students upload all documents required for assessment to the University Approved student placement systems.
  4. Record the results of assessments and learning outcomes completed on placement. Copies must be filed either electronically on the University Approved student placement system, in the grades management systems or in hardcopy centrally within the School to allow access to this information by all staff responsible for monitoring student progress. 
C Grading students 

WIL Course Coordinator

Unit Coordinator 
  1. Marks, grades or outcomes (e.g. Satisfactory) are to be recorded on the University grades management systems 
  2. Completion of placement hours and academic tasks should be entered as separate assessment items in the unit description. 
  3. When the student still has placement hours to complete at the end of a teaching period, they should be awarded an AD or TD grade.
  4. Record CRA for all students holding an AD/TD grade when placement is completed 
  5. If an Unsatisfactory, Fail or MF grade is recorded, students are required to re-enrol in the unit. 

Supporting Documents

Forms

Responsibility

  • Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global and Engagement) (as the Approval Authority) is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure.
  • Director, Co-operative Placements (as the Document Owner) is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure as delegated by the Approval Authority.

Promulgation

The Higher Education Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement Requirements Procedure will be communicated throughout the University via:

  1. an Announcement Notice under ‘FedNews’ website and through the University Policy - ‘Recently Approved Documents’ webpage to alert the University-wide community of the approved Procedure;
  2. inclusion on the University Policy, Procedure and Forms website; and
  3. distribution of e-mails to Head of School / Head of Department / University staff.

Implementation

The Higher Education Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placement Requirements Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:

  1. Information Sessions; and
  2. Training Sessions.

Records Management

Title Location Responsible Officer Minimum Retention Period
OHS Checklist and Flowchart School Federation University Supervisor / Executive Dean 7 years after contract has expired
Agreements School Federation University Supervisor / Executive Dean 7 years after contract has expired
Medical Consent Forms School Federation University Supervisor / Executive Dean 7 years after contract has expired
Attendance Record School Federation University Supervisor / Executive Dean 7 years after contract has expired
Files Notes / Contact Recording Health, Safety & Wellbeing Manager, Health, Safety and Wellbeing for extended retention period post incident If incident reported, destroy 15 years after incident
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VET Work Based Training and Practical Placement Requirements Procedure 
 Glossary


Policy Glossary

Approval Authority: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global and Engagement) Original Issue 16/12/2015
Policy Sponsor: Director, Co-operative Placements Current Version: 04/12/2024
CRICOS Provider Number 00103D Review Date: 03/12/2023
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12151 Provider Category: Australian University
RTO Code 4909 Policy Code AG1907