Professional Accreditation of Courses Procedure

Policy code: CG2108
Policy owner: Dean, Quality and Accreditation
Approval authority: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Engagement and Quality)
Approval date: 10 June 2025
Next review date: 10 June 2028

Purpose
Scope
Legislative Context
Definitions
Actions
Preparing and submitting a professional accreditation submission
Maintenance and reporting of the Course Accreditation Register
Management of Accreditation Visits
Supporting Documents
Associated Governance Documents
Responsibility
Promulgation
Implementation
Records Management

Purpose

This procedure specifies the processes for the preparation, approval, monitoring and submission of professional accreditation documentation to professional bodies and the management of accreditation visits by those bodies. It also details the processes for recording, addressing and communicating subsequent conditions and/or recommendations made as part of the accreditation process.

Scope

This procedure applies to all Higher Education and Vocational Education courses offered by Federation University which seek accreditation by an external professional industry body.

Legislative Context

  • Federation University Australia Act 2010
  • The Tertiary Education Quality and StandardsAgency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act)
  • Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021
  • The National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011
  • Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015

Definitions

Note: definitions throughout this Procedure can be accessed via the Policy Glossary.

A further list of definitions specifically relevant to this procedure is included below:

Term Definition
Accreditation Coordinator Means a suitably qualified staff member from the discipline with sufficient knowledge and experience to oversee the accreditation process.
Accreditation Visits Means site visit(s) of location(s) by an accrediting body’s representatives for the purpose of assessing an application for accreditation/re-accreditation.
Adverse Accreditation Outcome

Means an accreditation decision by the accrediting body which negatively impacts the accreditation status of a course. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Failure to accredit
  • Accreditation subject to conditions which could result in revocation or restriction of accreditation and/or are publicly available.
Authority to Submit Form Means the form to be completed by both the Executive Dean/CEO and the Dean, Quality and Accreditation giving approval for submission.
Chair, Academic Board Means a person appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor.
Course Accreditation register Means the register that keeps a track of course accreditations, updated by the Quality and Accreditation team.
Dean, Quality and Accreditation Means the Dean, Quality and Accreditation responsible for overall supervision of the Quality and Accreditation team.
DVC Global, Engagement and Quality Means the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Engagement and Quality) portfolio which leads the University’s domestic and international engagement activities, and consists of Global, Engagement, Quality and Accreditation, Aboriginal Education Centre and Reconciliation.
Executive Dean/CEO Means the Executive Dean of the Institute or the Chief Executive Officer of TAFE.
Learning and Teaching Quality Committee Means the Learning and Teaching Quality Committee which is a standing committee of the Academic Board responsible for all learning and teaching quality matters.
Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation Means the Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation who manages the team who facilitates administrative support and oversight of professional accreditation, working collaboratively with the academic and teaching units to improve learning and teaching quality, and performance for students on campus, online and studying through partner sites.
Mandatory Professional Accreditation Means accreditation which is required by an external professional industry body for graduates to practice in the professional field.
Voluntary Professional Accreditation Means accreditation which is advantageous or desirable, but not a requirement of graduate practice.
VCST Means the Vice Chancellor Senior Team

Actions

Preparing and submitting a professional accreditation submission

  Activity Responsibility Steps
A Commence accreditation preparation Dean, Quality and Accreditation Dean, Quality and Accreditation confirms with Executive Dean of Institute/ CEO TAFE an impending accreditation round no later than 12 months prior to expiry.
B Appointment of accreditation coordinator Executive Dean/CEO Institute/TAFE nominates an academic coordinator to oversee accreditation submission preparation.
C Scoping of required documentation Accreditation Coordinator Accreditation coordinator reviews accreditation requirements and identifies documentation and evidence required for submission.
D Establishment of Workspace Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services Establishment of a shared workspace for the collection and compilation of all components of the submission
E Provision of submission template Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services
  1. Where applicable a document template for submission is prepared according to accrediting body’s requirements.
  2. Template is made available in the shared workspace.
F Establishment of preparation timeline

Accreditation Coordinator

Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services

Comprehensive timeline for submission preparation is prepared.

The timeline is to include:

  • Key milestones
  • Assignment of responsibility for submitting completed documentation
  • A draft review schedule which provides at least 2 reviews of a submission progress prior to the final review.
G Evidence sourced and compiled Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services
  1. Quality and Accreditation sources documents and evidence to support accreditation submission. This will typically include, but is not limited to, University policies and procedures, agendas and minutes of central University committees and course quality metrics and reports.
  2. Collected information is compiled for submission as per accrediting body’s requirements.
H Drafting of Submission

Accreditation Coordinator

Dean, Quality and Accreditation or nominee
  1. Accreditation Coordinator in collaboration with Quality and Accreditation co-ordinates drafting of submission to address standards/requirements of accrediting body.
  2. The Dean, Quality and Accreditation reviews and, where necessary, provides periodic feedback on progress in accordance with the review schedule.
I Institute/TAFE Review Executive Dean/CEO or nominee
  1. Draft submission is reviewed by the Executive Dean/CEO or nominee no later than 4 weeks prior to submission date.
  2. The approved draft is forwarded to the Dean, Quality and Accreditation no later than 2 weeks prior to submission date.
  3. Note: The Executive Dean/CEO’s nominee cannot be the Accreditation Coordinator.
J Quality and Accreditation Review Dean, Quality and Accreditation or nominee Following Institute/TAFE review the submission is reviewed by the Dean, Quality and Accreditation (or nominee).
K Approval of final submission

Executive Dean/CEO

Dean, Quality and Accreditation

 Following review, the “Authority to Submit” form is completed by both the Executive Dean/CEO and the Dean, Quality and Accreditation.
L Submitting accreditation documentation

Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services

Accreditation Coordinator
  1. All documentation and evidence is submitted to the accrediting body according to their requirements and the agreed submission protocols.
  2. The accreditation coordinator and Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services are notified of submission time and date.
M Responding to accreditation outcomes

Executive Dean/CEO

Dean, Quality and Accreditation
  1. Where an accreditation outcome includes items for further reporting to the accrediting body, e.g. conditions on accreditation, these will be managed as an accreditation submission.
  2. The Institute/TAFE will have responsibility for addressing any conditions and/or ongoing curriculum and delivery requirements.
  3. The Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation and the Accreditation Coordinator will recommence this accreditation action list from step E.  

Maintenance and reporting of the Course Accreditation Register

  Activity Responsibility Steps
A
  1. Notification of Accreditation Outcome
  2. Notification of adverse outcome

Executive Dean/CEO

Dean, Quality and Accreditation
  1. Upon receipt of formal notification of the outcome of an accreditation application, the recipient of the notification will forward to the Dean, Quality and Accreditation, relevant Executive Dean/CEO, relevant Accreditation Coordinator and ManagerPartner, Quality and Accreditation Services.
    1. Where an accreditation decision has resulted in an adverse outcome, the Dean, Quality and Accreditation will notify the DVC Global, Engagement and Quality and the Chair, Academic Board within 1 business day.
B Updating the register Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services
  1. When an accreditation outcome is received, the Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services will ensure the Course Accreditation register is updated to reflect the accreditation status no later than 2 weeks after notification. A copy of the updated register entry, including any recommendations from the accrediting body, will then be circulated to the Chair of LTQC and the relevant Executive Dean/CEO.
  2. The Manager Partner, Quality and Accreditation Services will monitor course discontinuations and, where an accredited course is discontinued, note this in the register. When the course no longer has active enrolments it will be deleted from the register and its cessation date will be recorded
  3. When an Institute/TAFE elects to cease voluntary professional accreditation for a course, the Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation will delete the course from the register and record the cessation date.
C Reporting course accreditation status Dean, Quality and Accreditation

The Dean, Quality and Accreditation will provide a course accreditation status report to Learning and Teaching Quality Committee and VCST twice a year.

The report will highlight recent outcomes, upcoming activity and the status of current accreditation activity.

Management of Accreditation Visits

  Activity Responsibility Steps
A Visit scheduling Accreditation Coordinator

Where an accreditation visit is required, the Accreditation Coordinator will liaise with the accrediting body to identify;

  • The preferred timing of the visit.
  • The requested locations and/or facilities for inspection.
  • The required participants.
B Visit preparation

Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation

Accreditation Coordinator

The Accreditation Coordinator will provide the visit scheduling details to the Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation.

The Manager Partners, Quality and Accreditation will oversee the preparation for the visit (where necessary) including travel arrangements, booking of rooms, coordination of invitations and logistic planning.
C Visit management Manager, Partners, Quality and Accreditation The Partners, Quality and Accreditation team will oversee the administrative management of the accreditation visits.

Supporting Documents

Forms

Associated Governance Documents

Responsibility

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

Promulgation

The Professional Accreditation of Courses Procedure will be communicated throughout the University via:

  1. A FedNews and FedEngage announcement and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page on the University’s Policy Central website.
  2. Distribution of e-mails to Head of Institute/School / Head of Department / University staff.
  3. Notification to Institutes/Schools/Federation TAFE.

Implementation

The Professional Accreditation of Courses Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:

  1. A FedNews and FedEngage announcement and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page on the University’s Policy Central website.

Records Management

Document title Location Responsible Officer Minimum retention period
Course accreditation submission Q&A SharePoint File(s) Dean, Quality and Accreditation

Originals should be retained by the Dean, Quality and Accreditation.

Copies can be disposed of once the administrative use has concluded.

Electronic record will be retained in the University’s SharePoint file management system.
Authority to submit form Q&A SharePoint File Dean, Quality and Accreditation

Originals should be retained by the Dean, Quality and Accreditation.

Copies can be disposed of once the administrative use has concluded.

Electronic record will be retained in the University’s SharePoint file management system.
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 Glossary


Policy Glossary

Approval Authority: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Engagement and Quality) Original Issue 10/06/2025
Policy Sponsor: Dean, Quality and Accreditation Current Version: 10/06/2025
CRICOS Provider Number 00103D Review Date: 10/06/2028
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12151 Provider Category: Australian University
RTO Code 4909 Policy Code CG2108