Document Currently Under Consultation

Current Status: Under Review 16 August 2024

University Awards Guidelines

Policy code: CG1995
Policy owner: Director, Strategy, Governance and Office of the Vice-Chancellor
Approval authority: Vice-Chancellor and President
Approval date: 09 August 2024
Next review date: 11 February 2026

Purpose

These guidelines establishes the criteria the University uses to publicly recognise students and members of the community with the following sealed, unsealed and honorary awards.

Higher Education Sealed Awards

VET Sealed and Unsealed Awards

Honorary Awards

  • Honorary Doctorate
  • University Fellow
  • Emeritus Professor

It also establishes processes for the replacement and revocation of awards as well as the destruction of testamurs.

Scope

These guidelines apply to all students and members of the University community as well as those who have made eminent contributions in public and/or cultural life.

Legislative Context

Definitions

Term Definition
Council Council is the University's governing authority and is responsible for
the direction and superintendence of the University.
Emeritus Professor Title recognising a retiring and (in exceptional circumstances)
resigning Professors who have made a distinguishing contribution
and given outstanding service to the University over a number of
years.
Fellow of the University The award of ‘Fellow’ recognises distinguished services to the University and means Fellow of the University (honoris causa) with Fellow FedUni as the post nominal.
Honorary Awards Honorary Doctorate; Fellow of the University; Emeritus Professor.
Honorary Doctorate The University Council may admit honoris causa to any honorary degree, any person distinguished by eminence in public service or cultural achievement or in service to the University or its communities, whether or not the person has graduated at a university.
Sealed Awards HE Issued to recognise successful completion of qualifications prescribed in the University's statute 5.1 - The Schedule.
Sealed Awards (VET) Issued to recognise successful completion of nationally recognised whole AQF qualifications listed on the University's Scope of Registration and statute 5.1 - The Schedule.
University legislation Includes the Federation University Australia Act 2010, University Statutes and Regulations
Unsealed Awards (VET) Includes all certificates which do not require the University seal, and are signed by an Executive Director, and where assessment has been undertaken, the Chair, Academic Board. (Refer to Schedule of Certificates).

Policy Statement

Higher Education Sealed Awards

The University confers sealed awards to students successfully completing courses of study.

Awards are conferred to students once the University has verified that the course's curriculum requirements, as determined by the Curriculum Committee on course establishment, have been met.

Federation University credit transfers and Awards can only be issued for study undertaken in the last 10 years. As a general rule, any credit transfer or award/qualification, based on learning that is more than 10 years old either with Federation University Australia or any other learning organisation, will not be issued on the basis that the volume of required learning has not occurred in the past ten years. In some discipline areas, credit transfers may be recognisable for a shorter duration due to the rate of change in some discipline areas.

VET Sealed and Unsealed Awards

Awards are conferred to students as per the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Awards Procedure.

Replacing Testamurs

Graduates may apply for a replacement testamur, in the following circumstances:

  1. where a testamur has been lost or destroyed or damaged;
  2. where the graduate has changed his/her name.

For an application under category a or b above for a replacement testamur to be approved the applicant must either:

  1. surrender the damaged testamur or provide evidence by statutory declaration regarding loss or destruction of the testamur; or
  2. surrender the original testamur and provide a birth certificate or other suitable documentation regarding change of name (a birth certificate will be suitable for divorced women returning to their birth name. A birth certificate may also be appropriate in other circumstances, ie. for a person who has changed their name and their birth certificate has been re-issued in the new name).

A replacement testamur will clearly state on the face of the document that: "This is a replacement testamur".

All replacement testamurs (including those which relate to antecedent institutions) will be issued in the institution name and in the approved testamur format which is in effect at the time of the replacement application.

Replacement testamurs will not be presented at an award ceremony.

Revocation of Awards

Awards may be revoked where they have been obtained through either fraud or administrative error.

Destruction of Uncollected Testamurs

The University may destroy uncollected testamurs after 7 years (PROS16-07, 1.6.5).

Honorary Awards

The University formally and publicly recognises outstanding contributions or achievements in the following four categories:

Honorary Doctorate

Recognises and celebrates eminent achievement at the highest levels, with the following criteria:

  • exceptional service to the University, usually over a sustained period of time, and/or
  • distinguished contribution to a relevant discipline or branch of learning, and/or
  • exceptional record of service to professional and/or public life

Fellows of the University

Recognises the contribution of individuals to the University and to the community, with the following criteria:

  • has served as an exemplar to staff and students of the University through demonstrating leadership and initiative or distinction in a field of endeavour, and/or
  • has rendered sustained and distinguished service to the University and/or
  • has a professional standing within the community

Emeritus Professor

Recognises retiring and (in exceptional circumstances) resigning Professors who have made a distinguishing contribution and given outstanding service to the University over a number of years.

Responsibility

  • Vice-Chancellor and President, as the Approval Authority, is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of these guidelines and its accompanying governance documents.
  • Director, Strategy, Governance and Office of the Vice-Chancellor as the Document Owner, is responsible for maintaining the content of this policy as delegated by the Vice-Chancellor and President.

Promulgation

The University Awards Guidelines will be communicated throughout the University via:

  1. Announcement Notice via FedNews and on the FedUni Policy Central ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page to alert the University-wide community of the approved Policy;
  2. Council Agenda
  3. Academic Board Agenda

Implementation

The University Awards Guidelines will be implemented throughout the University via:

  1. Announcement Notice via FedNews and on the FedUni Policy Central ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page to alert the University-wide community of the approved document