• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - HESF/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Definitions
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
• Part C - Updating the Active Section of the Register of Awards
• Part D - Updating the Archive Section of the Register of Awards
• Part E - Updating the Dual and Joint Awards Section of the Register of Awards
• Part F - Uploading the Register of Awards
• Part G - Auditing the Register of Awards

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure specifies the key approval stages and responsibilities involved in the management of the Victoria University (VU) Register of Awards.

Section 2 - HESF/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(2) This Procedure ensures that the VU Register of Awards demonstrates compliance with:

1. Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF): specifically the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.
2. Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Cth): specifically Standard 1.5 Qualifications and Certification.
3. Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (Cth): specifically Schedule 5: Application of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy within the VET Sector.
4. Victoria University Act 2010 (Vic): specifically the Governance, Academic and Student Affairs Statute 2013 (Section 27 Register of Awards).

Section 3 - Scope

(4) This Procedure ensures that VU maintains a register of all declared Awards in perpetuity. It includes all HE and VET Awards including those developed under the:

1. Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) since 1 January, 2000.
2. Register of Australian Tertiary Education (RATE) established in 1991 by the Australian Education Council of the Ministers responsible for education in the Australian, state and territory governments. RATE awards were accredited by universities (as part of their self-accreditation status) and state accreditation bodies (for Technical and Further Education [TAFE] and Trade qualifications). Only Universities and TAFE colleges were able to deliver RATE awards which included Diplomas, Associate Diplomas, Advanced Certificates, Certificates and Apprenticeship Certificates. RATE nomenclature was phased out from 1995 and replaced by the AQF in 1999.

(5) This Procedure does not apply to non-academic Awards that are approved by Council ie. Honorary Awards.

Section 4 - Definitions

(6) Active Award

(7) Archived Award

(8) Award

(9) Register of Awards

(10) See Courses Lifecycle Policy.

Section 6 - Procedures

(11) VU's Register of Awards is a perpetual record of all declared VU Awards since VU was established as a dual sector University. It includes awards declared under the:

1. Victoria University Act 1990: Statute 6.1 - Academic Awards, Programs, Courses and Subjects. 
2. Victoria University Act 2005: Statute 6.1 - Academic Awards, Programs, Courses and Subjects.
3. Victoria University Act 2010: Governance, Academic and Student Affairs Statute 2013 (Part 6: Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and Other Awards - Section 27 Register of Awards).

(12) The Vice-Chancellor declares all academic Awards to be offered by the University.

(13) The Council may confer any academic Award as specified in the Register of Awards.

(14) Maintaining the VU Register of Awards ensures that:

1. VU has a perpetual record of all declared academic Awards.
2. All declared Awards are listed in one document with a status of Active or Archived.
3. Graduates receive Award documentation that has consistent and accurate VU Award information.
4. VU Awards are clearly distinguishable from VU Non-Awards.
5. Graduates are able to be re-issued with an Award (if required).

(15) The Register of Awards has three distinct sections: Active, Archive and Dual/Joint (which includes all information on status of these awards).

(16) Academic Quality and Standards (AQS) maintains a Register of Awards Masterfile which underpins the maintenance of the Register of Awards. This document is continually updated and includes historical information on each academic Award and its relationship to specific Award Courses.

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

(17) The Vice-Chancellor will declare a new academic Award as the final stage of the Award Course accreditation/approval process.

(18) The Award declaration date is the same as the First Version date of an applicable Award Course.

(19) Only in exceptional circumstances will changes be made to any details once the Vice-Chancellor has declared the Award.

Part C - Updating the Active Section of the Register of Awards

(20) All new Awards are added to the Active section of the Register of Awards.

(21) A HE Award may be linked to one or more Award Courses. A VET Award, however, is only ever linked to one Award Course.

(22) A single HE Award is added to the Register with the following details:

1. Award Title.
2. Award Abbreviation.
3. Award Credit Points.
4. Award Declaration Date.

(23) A double HE Award is added to the Register with the following details:

1. Two Award Titles separated by a back slash (/).
2. Two Award Abbreviations separated by a back slash (/).
3. Combined Award Credit Points.
4. Award Declaration Date.

(24) A VET Award is added to the Register with the following details:

1. National Code.
2. National Award Title.
3. Award Declaration Date.

(25) All academic Awards are added to the Register according to the following protocols:

1. In descending AQF order ie. Doctoral to Certificate I.
2. In alphabetical order of Award titles.
3. As a HE, and then VET Award, when the titles are exactly the same.
4. Where two HE Awards have the same Award title, but have been approved with different credit points, they are listed in credit point order from highest to lowest declared.
5. Where two, or more, VET Awards have the same Award title they are listed in date order from newest to oldest declared.
6. A double HE Award is listed under the same AQF category as the first named Award Title.
7. A double HE Award is listed after a single Award as the first named Award Title.

Part D - Updating the Archive Section of the Register of Awards

(26) The deactivation of an Award Course will result in AQS transferring:

1. a VET Award from the Active to Archive section;
2. a HE Award to the Archive section only when the final Award Course aligned to the Award has been deactivated.

(27) All VU Awards are added to the Archive section of the Register of Awards according to the same protocols as detailed in Clauses 22-25 (as noted above).

(28) The Award Declaration Date is replaced by the Award Archived Date. The Award Archive Date is same as the deactivation date of the applicable Award Course.

(29) There are some HE Awards that will never be archived as they form the basis to a traditional University course profile eg. Doctor of Philosophy.

Part E - Updating the Dual and Joint Awards Section of the Register of Awards

(30) Dual and Joint Awards are listed in a separate section of the Register of Awards. This section includes details of both Active and Archived Dual and Joint Awards.

(31) An active Dual or Joint Award is added to the Register with the following details:

1. For a Dual Award: Two Award Titles, with the VU Award Title listed first and the Partner Award listed second.
2. For a Joint Award: One Award Title.
3. Name of the Partner.
4. Award Commencement date.

(32) Dual and Joint Awards are added to the Register according to the following protocols:

1. In descending AQF order ie. Doctoral to Certificate I.
2. In alphabetical order of Award titles.
3. As a HE, and then VET Award, when the titles are exactly the same.

(33) An inactive Dual or Joint Award will remain on the Register and will also include an Award conclusion date.

Part F - Uploading the Register of Awards

(34) The Register of Awards is updated by AQS on a monthly basis.

(35) On the last business day of each month, AQS will forward the Register of Awards to Governance and Secretariat. They will upload it onto the VU Intranet on the first business day of each new month.

(36) The Register of Awards is accessible online.

Part G - Auditing the Register of Awards

(37) On an annual basis AQS will align the Register of Awards with Awards information in Course Approval and Management System and update as required.

(38) Nil