• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy/Regulation
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - Identification and Intervention
• Identification of Students at risk of Unsatisfactory Progress
• Monitoring and Early Intervention
• Course Progress Review and Interventions
• Part C - VU Initiated Withdrawal of Students
• Part D - Appeal of Decision to Withdraw Student
• Section 5 - HESF/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure sets out the process by which VU will monitor and manage the progress of domestic and overseas students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses. It provides guidance on the University’s compliance with the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (Cth): Standard 6.1.7 Overseas Student Support Services; 8 Overseas Student Visa Requirements; 9: Deferring, Suspending or Cancelling a Student’s enrolment; 10 Complaints and Appeals.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to domestic and overseas students enrolled in a VET Award or Vocational Education and Training Delivered to Secondary Students (VDSS) course.

(3) This Procedure does not apply to:

1. ELICOS students (refer Academic Progress - ELICOS Procedure)
2. Students enrolled in non-assessed courses
3. Foundation Studies students (refer Academic Progress - Foundations Studies Procedure)

Section 3 - Policy/Regulation

(4) Academic Progress Regulations 2016

Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - Identification and Intervention

Identification of Students at risk of Unsatisfactory Progress

(5) Student progress reviews are conducted in accordance with the following schedules:

1. domestic students: at least twice during each 12-month delivery period (pro rata for courses of shorter or longer duration); and
2. overseas students: at the end of each compulsory study period.

(6) Review outcomes are documented on the VET Student Progress Review Form (Domestic and Overseas Students) and recorded on the student’s file. The  form outlines progress against attendance and participation in class and assessment activities as well as successful completion.

(7) Typical indicators for identifying students at risk of non-completion include:

1. not attending classes or scheduled activities.
2. not actively participating or engaging during class or scheduled activities.
3. difficulty in completing required work.
4. failing to submit required work.

(8) Immediate action will be taken if a student displays lack of engagement through one of the following:

1. absent without prior notice for two consecutive face to face classes in a particular unit;
2. is in a face to face with eLearning or an online program and:
   1. misses two scheduled workshops/face to face classes; or
   2. does not log into VU Collaborate for more than two weeks;
3. misses two consecutive practical placement sessions/days without contacting their teaching. 

Monitoring and Early Intervention

(9) Where a student shows signs of disengagement (as listed in clause (8)), their teacher must attempt to actively engage with the student to facilitate their return to study and notify the General Manager/Education Manager as soon as possible.

1. For students enrolled in VDSS programs, the VDSS Education Manager will be responsible for follow up with the student and the school, following notification of progress issues by the delivery department.
2. Teachers must try to make contact with the student directly by phone or email. For apprentices and trainees the teacher should also try to contact the employer. For students under 18 years of age, other than VDSS students, the teacher should also try to contact the parent/guardian.
3. Contact or attempted contact with the student, the employer, the parent/guardian or the school

(10) Outside the formal course review process, if a student has fallen behind due to their absence or non-participation in class or assessment activities, or other personal issues, they should be invited to a meeting with the Education Manager’s delegate to discuss their course progress and to establish a plan to support course completion. At the meeting:

1. Issues should be identified.
2. Strategies to best address the issues should be formulated with consideration of the student’s capacity to meet any additional workload and attendance requirements. These must be discussed and agreed and may include one or more of the following:
   1. Provision of learning support (refer to Student Retention and Success - VET Learning Support Procedure);
   2. Referral to student services for personal support (counselling, disability support, aboriginal liaison etc.);
   3. One-to-one catch-up sessions with the teacher and ongoing individual mentoring;
   4. Rescheduling of assessments (this may involve requesting changes to unit start and/or end dates);
   5. Reasonable adjustments to teaching and/or assessment strategies;
   6. Consideration of options to transfer to a different course;
   7. Withdrawal from the course.

(11) The Education Manager’s delegate and student agree on the identified strategies and set a date for a follow up meeting to consider the effectiveness of the strategies.

(12) Agreed actions should be documented, signed by both parties and placed on the student file. A copy of the agreed actions should be sent to the employer for all apprentices and trainees; to the relevant school contact for all VDSS students and to the parent/guardian of all students, other than VDSS students, under the age of 18 years.

Course Progress Review and Interventions

(13) Where a student is identified to be at risk of not completing their course within the scheduled timeframe as documented in their Training Plan, or, in the case of an international student, has not completed or demonstrated competency in 50% of more of units in which they are enrolled for the compulsory study period the student will be contacted in writing.

(14) The Education manager or delegate will contact the student inviting them to a Course Progress Review meeting using either the VET Formal Communications with Students template or VET Formal Communications with Overseas Onshore Students template.

(15) A copy of this communication will be issued to the students:

1. employer (if the student is a trainee or apprentice).
2. school (if the student is enrolled in a VDSS program).
3. parent or guardian (for all students under 18 years of age, other than VDSS students).

(16) The communication asking the student to attend a Course Progress Review meeting with the Education Manager or delegate will contain information about:

1. the purpose of the communication;
2. the time, date and venue for meeting with the Education Manager to develop an intervention strategy to help them achieve satisfactory progress;
3. the various learning and personal support services available to the students; and
4. what will happen if they make unsatisfactory progress in the next consecutive compulsory study period, namely that they could be reported to the Department of Education for having made unsatisfactory progress, which may have an impact on their student visa.

(17) The purpose of the Course Progress Review meeting is to develop a documented ‘intervention strategy’ to assist the student to achieve satisfactory progress in the next consecutive compulsory study period. The Course Progress Review Meeting may include discussions about:

1. the suitability of the course in which they are enrolled;
2. opportunities for the student to be reassessed for tasks in units or subjects they had previously failed, or demonstrate the necessary competency in areas in which they had not been previously able to demonstrate competency;
3. information and referrals to learning and personal support.

(18) The Course Progress Review Meeting outcomes will be documented on the VET Student Progress Intervention Strategy Record, signed by both parties and a copy placed on the student’s file. Where practicable, the intervention strategy should be tailored to meet the student's individual needs. The intervention strategy may involve a variety/combination of measures as outlined in clause (17) and may also include:

1. regular meetings with the teacher or other support services for additional tutorial/study assistance;
2. referral for personal counselling;
3. Amendments that need to be made to the individual’s Training Plan.

(19) Where a student fails to attend the Course Progress Review meeting, the student will be deemed to have been provided with an intervention strategy by virtue of the instructions and information detailed in the notification letter.

(20) The intervention strategy will be considered implemented either from the date of its development or, if the student fails to attend the scheduled meeting with the Education Manager, from the date of the notification letter.

(21) Where any specific action is required to be taken by the Education Manager under the intervention strategy, this must occur/commence within four weeks of implementation.

Part C - VU Initiated Withdrawal of Students

(22) Where a domestic student cannot be contacted after at least two separate attempts, and has not engaged with their course for 4 weeks, a formal written notice confirming withdrawal from the course using the applicable VET Formal Communications with Students template, will be sent to the student. A copy of this notification should be sent to the employer for apprentices and trainees; the relevant school contact for VDSS students and the parent/guardian for all students, other than VDSS students under the age of 18 years.

(23) Where a student’s non-engagement involves concerns about conduct (e.g. falsifying attendance, disruptive behaviour of failure to comply with professional standards) the matter should be managed under the Student Misconduct Regulations 2019. Staff should consult with the Student Complaints and Integrity Office before proceeding to ensure the appropriate process is applied.

(24) If the student has successfully completed one or more units in their course before ceasing participation, the student is issued a Statement of Attainment.

(25) Where an overseas student is identified at the end of the second consecutive compulsory study period as not successfully completing or demonstrating competency in 50% or more of the units in which they are enrolled, they will be considered to have made unsatisfactory progress.

(26) The Education Manager will notify the relevant Executive Director of the overseas student(s) who has been identified as having made unsatisfactory progress.

(27) The Executive Director will then provide written communication to the overseas student, using the VET Formal Communications with Overseas Onshore Students template, that the University is required to report their unsatisfactory progress to the Department of Education and that this may have an impact on their student visa.

Part D - Appeal of Decision to Withdraw Student

(28) The written communication of the University’s intention to withdraw students from their course will set out the student’s right to appeal the decision in writing to the Executive Director within 10 working days for a domestic student and 20 working days for an overseas student from the date of the communication. This will provide details of VU support services (e.g. Student Advocacy) that can assist the student with an appeal.

(29) The impacted students may only appeal the decision on the following grounds that:

1. the University failed to determine or record the student’s progress accurately;
2. there exist compassionate or compelling circumstances; or
3. the University did not implement an intervention strategy in accordance with this Procedure.

(30) If a request for an appeal is not received within the prescribed working days from the date of the communication, the Executive Director will notify the student of the University’s intention to withdraw the student’s enrolment in writing.

(31) The Executive Director will also notify the Education Manager. The Education Manager will:

1. initiate the withdrawal form and forward to Student Administration for processing; and
2. in the case of an overseas student, notify Admissions, Enrolments and Graduations Fees to advise the Department of Education via PRISMS that the student has made unsatisfactory progress.

(32) Where a request for an appeal is received, it will be considered by the relevant Executive Director. The student will be given an opportunity to meet with the Executive Director and provide written evidence to support the grounds for their appeal. Where a student wishes to meet with the Executive Director, they will be allowed to bring along a support person or student advocate to the meeting.

(33) If the student wishes to meet with the Executive Director, but has a compelling reason for being unable to attend in person, alternative arrangements can be requested (for example, participation via telephone or video link).

(34) The Executive Director will:

1. consider what the student has said (either in person or in writing);
2. consider any evidence provided by the student;
3. make a determination as to whether the student has made unsatisfactory progress in light of the evidence provided; and
4. provide the outcome of the appeal to the student in writing.

(35) Where the student’s appeal is successful, the outcomes will vary according to the findings of the Executive Director. In particular:

1. If the appeal shows that there was an error in determination or recording of progress, and the student actually made satisfactory course progress (successfully completed more than 50% of the course requirements for that study period), the TAFE will not report the student.
2. If the appeal shows that the student has not made satisfactory progress, but there are compassionate or compelling circumstances for the lack of progress, ongoing support will be provided to the student through VU’s intervention strategy, and the student will not be reported.

(36) Where the student’s appeal is not successful, the Executive Director will notify the student of the outcome in writing within 10 (ten) working days of the conclusion of the review. The notice will include information about the student’s right to seek an external appeal with an external mediation agency, the relevant contact details and the applicable timelines for lodging an external appeal.

(37) The Executive Director will also notify the Education Manager. The Education Manager will:

1. initiate the withdrawal form and forward to Student Administration for processing; and
2. notify Enrolments and Fees to advise the Department of Education via PRISMS that the student has made unsatisfactory progress.

Section 5 - HESF/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(38) Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations 2025: 2.1 Information; 2.3 & 2.4 Training Support; 2.6 Wellbeing; 2.7, 2.8 Feedback, Compliants and Appeals.

(39) National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (Cth): Standard 6.1.7 Overseas Student Support Services; 8 Overseas Student Visa Requirements; 9: Deferring, Suspending or Cancelling a Student’s enrolment; 10 Complaints and Appeals.

Section 6 - Definitions

(40) Compulsory Study Period – The mid-point of each semester and the end of each semester will be considered to be the review point of the compulsory study period for overseas students.

(41) Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances – are generally those beyond the control of the student and which have an impact upon the student’s course progress or wellbeing.  These could include, but are not limited to:

1. serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that the student was unable to attend classes;
2. bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided);
3. major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel and this has impacted on the student’s studies; or
4. a traumatic experience which could include:
   1. involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or
   2. witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime, and this has impacted on the student (these cases should be supported by police or psychologists’ reports);
   3. where the registered provider was unable to offer a pre-requisite unit; or
   4. inability to begin studying on the course commencement date due to delay in receiving a student visa.

(42) Unsatisfactory progress (VET students) – Not successfully completing 50% of course requirements within the review point of the compulsory study period and/or at risk of not completing a course within the timeframe documented in the Training Plan.

(43) VDSS – Is defined nationally as any recognised vocational education or training that is counted as credit towards a senior secondary certificate.