Higher Education Awards (by Coursework) Procedure

Policy code: CG2015
Policy owner: Director, Student Services and Registrar
Approval authority: Chief Learner Experience Officer
Approval date: 14 November 2023
Next review date: 11 February 2024

Purpose
Scope
Legislative Context
Definitions
Sealed Awards
1. Identifying Potential Graduates
2. Confirmation of Eligibility and Notification
3. Producing Sealed Awards
4. Destroying Uncollected Sealed Awards
Re-Issued Awards
1. Re-Issue of Awards
Student's Name on a Sealed Award
Graduation ceremonies, testamur and completion letter distribution
Supporting Documents
Responsibility
Promulgation
Implementation
Records Management

Purpose

This procedure describes the administrative processes for the issuing and reissuing of higher education sealed awards. This procedure also includes the process for the destruction of awards.

Scope

This procedure applies to all students issued with a higher education sealed award at Federation University including those enrolled with a third party provider. It also applies to students receiving higher degree by research awards. For the procedure relating to TAFE awards, see Vocational Education and Training (VET) Awards Procedure.

Legislative Context

Definitions

Term Definition
Academic Board: The Academic Board is the principal academic body of the
University. The purpose of Academic Board is twofold: academic
oversight of courses and units of study in Higher Education
and Vocational Education and Training in the University; and
advice of an academic nature to Council on the conduct and
content of those courses and units.
Academic Transcript A record of a student’s results for the duration of the student’s enrolment at the University.
Assessment A variety of methods or tools used to evaluate, document and facilitate academic progress and achievement, to confirm that an individual can perform to the required standard.
AHEGS The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) provides information on a student's higher education qualification, the institution at which the qualification was obtained and the Australian higher education system in one easy to read document.
AQF Australian Qualifications Framework. A nationally consistent set of qualifications for all post-compulsory education and training in Australia.
Unit: An individual subject of study.
Curriculum Documents: Course / Unit descriptor documents approved by an accrediting body at the National, State or the University level, including Training Packages.
Identify Potential Graduates (IPG) The identify potential graduates process in the University’s approved student management system identifies students who appear to have met the course structure rules as defined in the approved course structure and thus are potentially eligible to graduate, subject to the confirmation of other graduation criteria contained in the curriculum rules of the course that may not be fully referenced in the systematic IPG process.
Course Structured education or training consisting of a number of units/subjects usually leading to the award of a qualification.
Sealed Awards AQF certification documentation, formally authenticated by the University and issued only to a learner who has been assessed as meeting the requirements of the qualification.
Statute 5.1 – The Schedule A listing of the University academic awards approved for issue by the University Council.

Sealed Awards

1. Identifying Potential Graduates

ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A.      Course structure established in the University’s approved student management system. Coordinator, Course Administration
  1. Courses are configured using the Approval of NewAward Courses Higher Education Procedure.
B. Review Study Plan

Manager Student HQ/Global Professional School/Course Coordinator
  1. Confirm all curriculum requirements are met and update plan status to 'Eligible to Graduate'
C. Ratify results Executive Deans, Institute/School Board
  1. Ratify results.
D.     Publish results Manager, Student HQ
  1. Publish results in line with Higher Education Assessment Procedure
E.      Run the Identify Potential Graduates (IPG) Process. Graduations Coordinator
  1. Run the IPG process in the University’s student management system as scheduled and forward list to Coordinator, Course Administration for verification checks

2. Confirmation of Eligibility and Notification

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A.    Confirm eligibility to graduate Coordinator Course Administration
  1. Check that approved curriculum requirements have been met.
  2. Where the rules are unable to be verified systematically, ask the Institutes/School to confirm completion of the necessary criteria and provide details of such criteria for future reference.
    Note: This may also require escalation to the Executive Dean for verification
  3. Complete initial checks on the same day as the IPG is run.
    Note: If last study is more than 10 years ago, please refer to rule in the University Awards Guidelines which states restrictions applicable.
B.           Update eligibility

Coordinator Course Administration

Note: The officer must be independent from the Graduation Office
  1. Update eligibility in the University’s approved student management system
  2. Identify eligible Honours and Distinction students and update the University’s approved student management system.
  3. Identify students requiring registration to government bodies eg VIT and AHPRA. Advise as required
  4. Advise Graduation Office
C.          Generate Council List. Graduations Coordinator
  1. Run system conferral process and generate Council List.
  2. Verify that courses on Council List are current on Schedule 5.1 or Schedule 5.1.1
  3. Forward to Coordinator Course Administration via ECM for final QA checks.
D.           Conduct final quality assurance checks. Coordinator Course Administration
  1. Conduct final comparison of students between Council List and verified student list with Graduations Coordinator.
    Note: In the event of any discrepancy, Graduations Coordinator and Coordinator Course Administration will resolve.
  2. Forward the Council List to the Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor (or authorised delegate) via ECM workflow.
E.           Approve Council List. Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor (or authorised delegate).
  1. Approve list via ECM within five (5) working days.
F. Notify each HE School of conferred award list Graduation Coordinator
  1. Forward list of conferred awards, for each Institute/School, to the relevant Executive Dean for noting.

3. Producing Sealed Awards

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A.      Print awards. Graduations Coordinator

When notification of Council List approval is received via ECM:

  1. Print awards.
  2. Ensure awards comply with Schedule of Awards
  3. Compare with Council List
  4. Check quality of documents
B.      Print transcripts and AHEGs Graduations Coordinator
  1. Ensure required information is included as detailed in the Higher Education Schedule of Awards.
C.      Upload digital graduation documents Graduations Coordinator
  1. Upload awards, academic transcripts and AHEGS to the My eQuals portal and check to ensure information is uploaded correctly.
D.    Collate graduation documents Graduations Coordinator
  1. Collate award, academic transcript and AHEGS
E. Student Communication Graduations Coordinator
  1. Send email to advise students of options to attend a graduation ceremony or graduate In Absentia.

4. Destroying Uncollected Sealed Awards

  ACTIVITY

WHO IS

RESPONSIBLE?

 STEPS
A.      Create Award Disposal List Graduations Coordinator
  1. Determine which awards have been uncollected for more than 7 years since conferral date
  2. Create a list with details of awards to be destroyed and forward to the University Registrar

Note: students wishing to collect/receive a destroyed testamur will need to apply for re-issue refer to 5. Re-Issuing Sealed Awards (lost, stolen, name change, destroyed)
B.      Approve Award Disposal List University Registrar
  1. Approve list and send to Graduations Coordinator
C.      Forward list and documents for destruction Graduations Coordinator
  1. Forward approved list to Corporate Governance to arrange destruction
D.      Destroy original awards Executive Officer to Council
  1. Shred the original award in accordance with the University's approved records disposal process.
E. Complete confirmation of destruction form Executive Officer to Council
  1. Complete a Revoked Testamur – Confirmation of Destruction Form.
  2. Send to Council for noting

Re-Issued Awards

1. Re-Issue of Awards

  ACTIVITY

WHO IS

RESPONSIBLE?

 STEPS
A.         Apply in writing to Graduation Office for a replacement award Student
  1. Complete the relevant application form for replacement award and submit to the Graduation office with required documentation
B.     Verify original award details Graduations Coordinator
  1. Check details from approved student management system/register of awards against application details to confirm eligibility
C. Prepare memo for approval by Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor where required Graduations Coordinator
  1. Include details of the original award in approved format and submit to Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor where appropriate via ECM workflow for approval
D. Approve memo Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor (or authorised delegate)
  1. Approve list via ECM workflow or email within five (5) working days.
E. Print awards Graduations Coordinator
  1. Print awards within five (5) working days.
    Note: The following wording is to appear on the award, unless administration error or previous destruction

“THIS IS A REPLACEMENT TESTAMUR”

 Note: All replacement graduation documents (including those which relate to antecedent institutions) will be issued in the institution name and format which is in effect at the time of the replacement application.
F. Release reissued documents Graduations Coordinator
  1. Upload all documents to the My eQuals portal and mail hard copy of all documents to student.

Student's Name on a Sealed Award

Students can choose the name that is either their enrolment name or a generally acceptable variant of that name, ie Johnathan David Smith

  • can print Johnathan David Smith
  • can print John David Smith
  • can print John Smith

A student cannot have an Award printed without their first name (unless the name has been changed legally, refer to Personal Details Amendment form) as confusion and possibly fraud could result.

If a student's name differs from passport, students are requested to complete a personal details amendment form with preferred name and supply a copy of passport to confirm changes.

Where a name has been printed on an Award, as per the confirmation of graduation letter, and the student wishes to have the Award reprinted to delete or show additional names, and this is consistent with the above procedure, there will be a fee payable.

A student can have both their maiden/birth name and married name printed on their Award. Both names need to appear on Campus Solutions, usually a Personal Details Amendment form must be completed. Both surnames will be added to the Surname field in Campus Solutions, ie Smith nee Jones.

The name will appear on the Award as: Sarah Jane Smith nee Jones

Graduation ceremonies, testamur and completion letter distribution

Testamur and completion documents can only be released after verification that a student has met the course requirements.

The following documents (physical or digital versions) are produced by the graduation office on completion of course:

  • Testamur
  • AHEGS
  • Transcript
  • Statement of Attainment/Achievement
  • Completion letter
  • Completion certificate

All students are invited to attend a graduation ceremony, where certification documents are presented. Students can choose to graduate in absentia and receive their documents outside of a graduation ceremony. Where students wish for their testamur/completion documents to be provided to a Partner Provider or third party for presentation or distribution written authority is required from the student to the Graduation Office, confirming this request as a form of graduation in absentia and that they will not be attending a Federation University graduation ceremony.

Supporting Documents

Forms

Responsibility

  • Chief Learner Experience Officer (as the Approval Authority) is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure.
  • Director, Student Services and Registrar (as the Document Owner) is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure as delegated by the Approval Authority.

Promulgation

The Higher Education Awards (by Coursework) 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 Policy;
  2. Inclusion on the University's online Policy Library;
  3. Distribution of e-mails to Executive Deans, Institutes/Schools and Director, Academic Operations.

Implementation

The Higher Education Awards (by Coursework) Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:

  1. A FedNews announcement;
  2. The 'What's New'page on the Policy Central Website;
  3. Memo to Executive Deans, Schools and Business Managers and the Directors;
  4. Listing in ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page on the University’s Policy Central website..

Records Management

Title Location Responsible Officer Minimum Retention Period
Listing of Awards conferred Council Files

Executive Officer,

Council

 30 years
Testamur/Certificates/Completion documents not collected Graduation office Registrar Services

7 years

PROS16-07, 1.6.5
Application forms for replacement awards Graduation office Registrar Services  
Amend your Personal Details Form Student HQ Manager, Student HQ One year
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Honorary Awards Procedure 
 University Medal Awards Procedure


Policy Glossary

Approval Authority: Chief Learner Experience Officer Original Issue 04/05/2017
Policy Sponsor: Director, Student Services and Registrar Current Version: 14/11/2023
CRICOS Provider Number 00103D Review Date: 11/02/2024
TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12151 Provider Category: Australian University
RTO Code 4909 Policy Code CG2015