- Purpose
- Scope
- Legislative Context
- Definitions
- Sealed Awards
- Unsealed Awards
- Replacement of Awards
- Student's Name on a Sealed Award
- Graduation ceremonies, testamur and completion letter distribution
- Nomenclature of Sealed Awards (VET)
- Supporting Documents
- Responsibility
- Promulgation
- Implementation
- Forms/Record Keeping
This procedure describes the administrative processes for the issuing and reissuing of VET Awards. This procedure also includes the process for the destruction of awards.
This procedure applies to all students issued with a VET sealed or unsealed award at Federation University. It does not apply to students receiving higher education awards. For procedure relating to higher education awards, see Higher Education Awards Procedure.
- Australian Qualifications Framework AQF
-
Federation University Australia Statute 2021
- Part 6 - StudentAdmission, Conduct and Exclusion
- Division 2 - Awards programs
- Division 3 - Academic progress
- Part 8 - Awards, Titles and Honorary Degrees
- Section 41 - Conferring of awards
- Section 43 – Testamur
- Section 44 Revocation of awards
- Part 10 – Fees, charges and penalties
- Section 52 - Withholding of results and exclusion
- Part 6 - StudentAdmission, Conduct and Exclusion
-
Federation University Australia (Students) Regulation 2022
- Part 3 - Study in Programs
- Division 2 - Academic credit
- Division 5 - Assessment
- Division 6 - Time limits for Program Completion
- Division 7 - Academic progress
- Part 6 – Conferring Awards and Ceremonies
- Part 3 - Study in Programs
- Student Identifiers Act 2014
- Australian Skills Quality Authority ASQA
- AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy | AQF
| Academic Board | 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 standard required in the workplace, as specified in a training package or VET accredited course. |
| AQF | Australian Qualifications Framework. A nationally consistent set of qualifications for all post-compulsory education and training in Australia. |
| Curriculum Documents | Course 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. |
| Level | Defined under the Australian Qualifications Framework AQF guidelines and corresponds to the level of study |
| NRT Logo | National registered training logo used nationally to certify quality VET accredited training. |
| Post-nominal | The award abbreviation displayed after a person’s name to indicate their educational qualifications. |
| Qualification | Accredited courses are referred to as 'qualification' throughout this procedure. |
| 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. |
| Current Course list | A listing of the University academic awards approved for issue by the University Council. |
| Training Package | A training package, in Australia, is a set of nationally endorsed standards, qualifications and guidelines used to recognise and assess the skills and knowledge people need to perform effectively in the workplace. |
| Unique Student Identifier | An identifier assigned to an individual by the USI Registrar under section 10 or 12 of the Student Identifiers Act 2014. |
| Unit | A unit of competency is the smallest component of achievement which can be nationally recognised. In this procedure the word unit will be used to refer to units of competency from qualifications. |
| Unsealed Awards | A certificate issued to recognise that one or more units or a short course has been completed, but not a full AQF qualification. |
| VET | Vocational Education and Training. |
| VET Quality Framework |
Comprises of:
|
| STEPS | WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? | COMMENTS | |
| A. | Course structure established in the University’s approved student management system. | Coordinator, Program Administration | Courses are configured using the VET Program Approval and Maintenance Procedure. |
| B. | Resulting | Program Managers / Trainer/Assessor | Trainer/Assessor will ensure that resulting of the last unit of competency occurs in line with the VET Assessment Procedure. |
| C. | Run the Identify Potential Graduates (IPG) Process | Coordinator, Program Administration | Run the IPG process in the University’s student management system as scheduled. |
| STEPS | WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? | COMMENTS | |
| A. | Confirm eligibility to graduate. | Coordinator Program Administration |
Note: Checks must be completed within three (3) working days of receipt of list. Note: If last study is more than 10 years ago, please refer to rule in the University Awards Guidelines icy which states restrictions applicable. |
| B. | Update eligibility. | Coordinator Program Administration |
|
| C. | Generate Council List | Coordinator Program Administration |
|
| D. | Conduct final quality assurance checks. | Coordinator Program Administration |
Forward the Council List to the Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor (or authorised delegate) |
| E. | Approve Council List. | Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor (or authorised delegate). | Approve list within five (5) working days. |
| F. | Notify Federation TAFE of conferred award list | Coordinator, Program Administration | Forward list of conferred awards to Director of Learner Experience and Excellence TAFE for noting by TAFE Executive team. |
| ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
| A. | Produce awards | Coordinator, Program Administration |
When notification of Council List approval is received
|
| B. | Produce academic transcripts | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| C. | Upload graduation documents to the My eQuals portal | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| D. | Collate graduation documents | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| E. | Identify missing Unique Student Identifier’s (USI) | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| F. | Obtain missing USIs | Student Administration |
|
| G. | Student Communication | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| ACTIVITY |
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? |
STEPS | |
| A. | Create Award Disposal List | Coordinator, Program Administration |
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 |
|
| C. | Forward list and documents for destruction | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| D. | Destroy original awards | Executive Officer to Council |
|
| E. | Complete confirmation of destruction form | Executive Officer to Council |
|
| STEPS | WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? | COMMENTS | |
| A. | Identify Unsealed award recipients | Program Managers / TAFE Teacher / Student Administration |
Note: Application must be received by the Completions Office at least 10 working days prior to the awards being required. Refer to VET Schedule of Awards to determine type of Award required. |
| B. | Confirm details on the Application / Withdrawal form | Coordinator, Program Administration |
Note: Statements of Attainment must be issued within 30 days of completion or withdrawal. |
| C. | Process application | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| D. | Create award list | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| E | Approve award list | Chair, Academic Board |
|
| F. | Prepare unsealed awards | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| G. | Issue unsealed awards to student | Coordinator, Program Administration |
Note: If student has a debt or doesn’t have a USI, awards cannot be released. |
| H. | File award related forms | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| STEPS | WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? | COMMENTS | |
| A. | Apply in writing for replacement award. | Student | Complete the relevant application form for replacement award and submit via CRM portal with the required documentation. |
| B. | Verify original award details | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| C. | Prepare memo to be submitted for approval | Coordinator, Program Administration |
|
| D. | Approve memo | Chair, Academic Board and Chancellor (or authorised delegate) | Approve list email within five working days. |
| E. | Print awards | Graduations Officer |
Produce awards within five (5) working days Note: The following wording is to appear on the award, unless reissue is due to an administrative error. “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 in effect at the time of the replacement application. |
| F. | Release reissued documents | Coordinator, Program Administration | Upload all documents to the My eQuals portal and mail hard copy of all documents to the student. |
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 graduations 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 the University’s approved student management system, ie Smith nee Jones.
The name will appear on the Award as: Quentin Sam Smith nee Jones
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 completions office on completion of course
- Testamur
- 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 Completion Office, confirming this request as a form of graduation in absentia and that they will not be attending a Federation University graduation ceremony.
- When proposing a name for a new VET award being offered, the name listed for the qualification in training.gov. au must be used
- Use ‘of’ to link the award level to discipline (except Certificates).
- Use a single set of brackets to show the specialisation - badge-specific. It should be brief, specific and informative. Capitalise all major words and do not use punctuation within the brackets.
- Use 'and' rather than '&'.’
- Use the abbreviations listed in Federation University’s Post-Nominals Index (see Forms) when creating a post-nominal.
- Use an unambiguous abbreviation e.g. Plumbing abbreviated to Plumbg and Building Design abbreviated to BldDes.
- Use a mix of upper and lower case to distinguish the individual words within the award title.
- Use brackets to contain the specialisation.
- Do not use spaces or full stops in the abbreviation Use “/” to separate the two components of joint degrees. Do not use full stops.
Forms
- Application for Replacement Statement of Attainment (TAFE) (PDF 268.4kb)
- Application for Unsealed Award (PDF 1202.1kb)
- Federation University Post-Nominals Index (XLSX 19.3kb) (XLSX 19.3kb)
- VET Schedule of Awards (DOCX 299.1kb)
- 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.
The VET Awards Procedure will be communicated throughout the University via:
- 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;
- inclusion on the University's online Policy Library,
- Distribution of e-mails to Deans.
The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Awards Procedure is to be implemented throughout the University in the form of notices via:
- An announcement under FedNews website;
- The 'What's New' page on the Policy Central Website;
- Email to Deans, Student Services Directors and Director of Learner Experience and Excellences to promote within their areas;
- Listing in the Policy Central Newsletter to alert the University-wide community of the approvedPolicy.
| Title | Location | Responsible Officer | Minimum Retention Period |
| Listing of Conferred Awards | Council files | Executive Officer, Council | 30 years |
| Listing of Unsealed Awards | Council files | Executive Officer, Council | 30 years |
| Testamur/Certificates/Completion documents not collected | Graduations Office | Registrar, Services | 7 years |
| Application forms for replacement awards | Graduations Office | Registrar, Services |
7 years PROS16-07, 1.6.5 |
| Personal Details Amendment Form | Student HQ | Student HQ | One year |
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