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VET Unique Student Identifier (USI) Management Procedure

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Section 1 - Purpose / Objectives

(1) This Procedure provides guidance to Student Services Staff on the collection, storage and reporting of Unique Student Identifier (USI) data.

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Section 2 - Scope / Application

(2) This Procedure applies to all VET student enrolments in nationally recognised training, except those students who are deemed to be exempt. Exemption categories are:

  1. International students who complete all requirements for their VET qualification or VET statement of attainment outside Australia.
  2. An individual who has completed all the requirements for the VET qualification or VET statement of attainment before 1 January 2015.
  3. Students who demonstrate a genuine personal objection to being assigned a USI. This exemption can only be granted by the Student Identifiers Registrar.
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Section 3 - Definitions

(3) The Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a ten-digit, government issued student number, required for all students in nationally recognised VET training from 2015. This number links to an online account to provide each student with a single record of all of their nationally recognised VET training.

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Section 4 - Policy Statement

(4) Nil

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Section 5 - Procedures

Part A - Roles and Responsibilities

Role Responsibilities
Government Reporting and Systems Support (GR&SS) 1. Ensure that the SMS provides the security required under the Student Identifiers Act, 2014.
2. Provide weekly report to Student Service Centre listing students with non-validated USIs.
3. Report data, including USI to HESG as required.
Student Administration Admissions Team Ensure information about the requirement for students to obtain a USI prior to enrolment and to bring the USI to enrolment is included in letters of offer.
Student Administration Enrolment Team 1. Collect USI information as part of the enrolment process.
2. Support students who present for enrolment without a USI to obtain the USI.
3. Communicate directly with students who have been identified as having no USI or a non-valid USI via eDM, SMS and email.
4. Provide regular reports to Managers for direct follow up with students who have failed to respond to direct communication.
Data Management Services 1. Enter data, including USI to VU CONNECT.
2. Verify USI through the automated verification system.
3. Finalise enrolment for students (so fees can be generated and collected) without valid USI but pass such enrolments to the Student Administration Incident Resolution Team.
Student Service Centre / Student Contact Centre 1. Collect USI information as part of the enrolment process.
2. Accept updated USI data from students after checking ID and enter onto VU Connect, verifying the USI provided if possible.
3. Conduct outbound calls (as scheduled) to students to verify or provide their USI.
Polytechnic Managers Follow up directly with students whose USI data has not been provided or has not validated.

Part B - Enrolment and Graduation

(5) Prospective students must be provided with information about the USI prior to enrolment. Information to be provided by:

  1. AskVU — Future Students area on website
  2. A100 Admissions Advice for Students (accessed from all course pages)
  3. Course flyers
  4. Letters of offer

(6) Information provided to prospective students must include:

  1. The requirement to obtain a USI prior to enrolment by visiting https://www.usi.gov.au (except where a USI has already been obtained by the student at a previous enrolment at VU or elsewhere).
  2. The importance of ensuring that the personal details provided in the process of obtaining a USI must be identical to those provided to VU at enrolment (ie exact name, date of birth etc.).
  3. The need to bring their USI with them to their scheduled enrolment session.
  4. Access to further information on USI can be found at https://www.vu.edu.au/current-students/your-course/enrolment/first-time-enrolment#goto-proof-of-citizenship=0&goto-unique-student-identifier—vocational-education-ve-students=0.

(7) Students who express a genuine personal objection to being assigned a USI must be advised to apply to the Student Identifiers Registrar for an exemption.

(8) Such students, or students with any other valid exemption from the USI requirement must be informed that they will not be able to access records of their training through the Commonwealth register.

(9) Students who present for enrolment without a USI must be supported to access the website and obtain their USI before enrolment can proceed. The authorised Enrolment Delegate, a Student Service Centre representative or Teaching Department Representative may provide this assistance. Enrolment Team staff will try to prevent students who cannot obtain or provide a USI to commence the enrolment process.

(10) If, for any reason a VU staff member is requested to apply for a USI or verify an existing USI on behalf of a student, the following steps must be taken:

  1. The student must complete and sign a Request to Obtain or Verify a USI on Behalf of Student form.
  2. The relevant USI number is to be entered onto the enrolment form before sending to Data Management Services for processing.
  3. If verifying existing USI information, the student is required to log into their own USI account and set permission for Victoria University to access their information.
  4. Any personal information provided by the student to fulfil this request must be destroyed after the process of obtaining or verifying the USI is complete.

(11) The student's USI must be recorded on the enrolment form before enrolment can be finalised.

(12) Data Management Services (DMS) enter the data from enrolment forms to VU CONNECT within 24-48 hrs of receipt of the student's enrolment form, wherever possible. The USI must be entered using capital letters.

(13) DMS staff to verify the USI provided, using the automated USI verification functionality within VU Connect.

  1. Where the USI is verified, no further action needs to be taken
  2. Where the USI is missing or is not verified
    1. Finalise the enrolment so that fees can be generated and collected from the student.
    2. The enrolment form is to be followed up by the enrolment staff.

(14) GR&SS team generate weekly reports listing students who have not provided a USI or students whose USI has not been verified on VU Connect. This report is provided to the Enrolment Team to:

  1. check for and correct data entry errors;
  2. Register an incident on RightNow for students who need to be contacted directly to resolve the issue.

(15) The Enrolment Team must -

  1. contact the student (using electronic direct mail (eDM) or SMS) as soon as possible, asking them to re-provide their USI after checking both their personal information (i.e. first name, surname and date of birth) and USI number on the Government USI register.
  2. Direct students to provide this updated information to their Student Services Centre.
  3. Record the contact made with the student in RightNow.

(16) Students responding to this request must have their ID checked before proceeding with the process

  1. If they visit the Student Service Centre in person, they must produce valid ID (eg drivers licence, passport etc.).
  2. If they contact the Student Service Centre via ASKVU or by responding to the SMS, they are requested to scan and email their valid identification, to be checked before proceeding.

(17) Once ID is confirmed, the student must provide their verified USI details, including the first name, surname, date of birth and USI that are recorded on the Government USI register. These are immediately checked against the data recorded on VU CONNECT.

(18) If the personal information (i.e. first name, surname, or date of birth) and/or the USI is different, the new USI (in capital letters) and/or personal information is updated in VU Connect.

(19) After 5 days, a report listing students whose USI has not been provided or validated (containing only essential student information, but not USIs) is sent to VET Managers for follow up with the student directly.

(20) For non-exempt students who still don't have a valid USI recorded on VU Connect one month after their course commencement, GR&SS will provide a report to the Student Services Centre. Each student on the list must be notified in writing that:

  1. their enrolment is not finalised until the necessary information is provided and
  2. they will not be issued any AQF certification documentation (i.e. qualifications or statements of attainment) at the end of their program until the USI validation issue is resolved.

(21) For non-exempt students who still don't have a valid USI recorded on VU Connect two months after their course commencement, GR&SS will provide a report to the Student Services Centre. Each student on the list must be notified in writing that enrolment cancellation or withdrawal will be considered if the necessary information is not provided.

Part C - Course Completion

(22) No AQF certification documentation can be provided to non-exempt students who have not provided a valid USI.

(23) When requests for AQF documentation are received from individual students or from teaching departments, the Completions Team must check that the student has a valid USI before processing the request.

(24) A non-AQF statement or transcript of results for the training program may still be provided, even if the student does not have a validated USI.

(25) Student USI must not be included on any reports to the student, including confirmation of enrolment, AQF certification documentation or transcripts of results etc.

Part D - Security of USI data

(26) The student USI stored within VU CONNECT must not be made available to general staff accessing the system. Only those with responsibility for entering and editing the data should have access.

(27) Student USI must not be provided on any VU CONNECT reports accessible by general staff.

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Section 6 - Guidelines

(28) Nil

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Section 7 - References

(29) Student Identifiers Act, 2014

(30) Student Identifiers Regulation, 2014

(31) Request for VU to obtain USI or Verify USI on behalf of Student, https://kit.vu.edu.au/service/vefequality/EngageLearner/default.aspx