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Awards Regulations - Awards and Testamurs Procedure

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Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure describes the process by which students who have successfully completed the requirements for an Award of Victoria University (VU) have their Award conferred by the issuance of a Testamur.

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Section 2 - Accountability

Accountable / Responsible Officer

Role
Accountable Officer Vice-President (Infrastructure and Students)
Responsible Officer Director, Student Administration
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Section 3 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all Higher Education (HE) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) students who have completed an Award course and are entitled to receive the following at the time of conferral:

  1. Testamur; and
  2. Academic Transcript; and
  3. Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements (AHEGS) (for HE graduates only).
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Section 4 - Definitions

(3) Testamur

(4) Digital Version – Includes the same information as a hard copy Testamur but is provided to the student digitally, via a secure login. Students can share the login with potential employers or others as they choose.

(5) Register of Awards – A historical document held in perpetuity which includes all active and archived awards since VU became a university in 1992.

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Section 5 - Policy/Regulation

(6) See Awards Regulations 2017.

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Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Roles/Responsibilities

Roles Responsibility
Business Support and Reporting Runs weekly reports from the Student Management System (VU Connect) of potentially completed students.
Assessments and Completions Arranges for issuing of VET qualifications within 30 days of the completion of the requirements of the course.

Produces all official evidence of qualification to Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Standards, including the graduates: Transcript (Record of Results): AHEGS (HE only) and Testamur.

Maintains the University's Graduation Register via the University Student Management System (VU Connect).

Responsible for activities associated with revoking an Award.
College or Victoria University Polytechnic Approves or rejects the student's eligibility to graduate from the Award program using the online web completions form, within specified timelines.

Colleges can only access their own courses for approval. In the case of double degrees each College must assess the relevant Award. The Graduate Research Centre assesses all research degree students.
Academic Quality and Standards Maintains Register of Awards.

Manages the course approval process and maintains all details of approved Awards.

Part B - Identifying Students for Completion

(7) VU identifies those students who have potentially fulfilled the course requirements based on the course completion rules. Each College representative assesses eligibility by checking the student's academic report on the online completions system and formally approves or rejects eligibility.

(8) Students approved for completion are conferred an Award of the University, as defined within the Register of Awards. VET Awards are conferred on the 22nd of each calendar month (excepting December which is the 15th.) HE Awards are conferred at the next graduation ceremony round (August and December).

(9) All eligible students receive email notification of their successful completion and conferral of the Award.

Part C - Conferring an Award and Producing a Testamur

(10) On completion of the requirements for a:

  1. single Award course students will be eligible to receive a Testamur for that Award;
  2. double Award course students will be eligible to receive a Testamur for each Award;
  3. dual Award students will be eligible to receive a Testamur from VU and the partner institute.

(11) Students who are enrolled in a nested Self Accredited Award, and who are continuing their studies towards a higher qualification, will be eligible to receive evidence of completion of the first Award, by way of a Notification of Completion.

(12) Students who are not continuing their studies towards a higher Award must withdraw and by exiting their studies will be eligible to receive a Testamur for the completed qualification.

(13) All University Awards are conferred by Council and are certified by the issuance of a Testamur.

(14) Testamurs are issued to Graduands at a designated University ceremony or in absentia.

(15) VU maintains a Graduation Register of all Testamurs issued to graduates. The records are retained for a minimum period of 30 years. This register contains sufficient information to identify correctly the:

  1. holder of the Award;
  2. Award by its full title (and code for externally registered VET Awards); and
  3. date of issue/conferral.

(16) AQF certification documentation related to VET qualifications will be issued within 30 calendar days of all requirements being met.

(17) Students are not eligible to receive a Notification of Completion, Academic Transcript, AHEGS or Testamur if they have:

  1. Outstanding fees;
  2. an invalid Unique Student Identifier (USI) (VET students only).

(18) If a HE graduand does not return the graduation attendance form, the Testamur will be held by the University until the graduate arranges to collect it.

(19) The title of the Award which appears on the Testamur is as recorded on the schedule and Register of Awards.

(20) The name printed on the Testamur is the student's legal name as recorded on the Student Management System at the time of printing the Testamur.

Part D - Replacing a Testamur

(21) A Testamur will be replaced, in certain circumstances, for a fee. The relevant form must be completed and an authorised statutory declaration submitted at the time of application.

(22) A testamur will be replaced only if the original was damaged, lost, stolen, destroyed or never received. Graduates will be required to return the original (where applicable) and provide supporting documentation.

(23) The name on the replacement testamur must appear exactly as it did on the original version. If a graduate provides evidence after issue of the award certificate that their legal name at the date of conferral was different to that appearing on the award certificate, the graduate may request that the award certificate be re-issued in the correct name.

(24) VU will not re-issue a testamur in a different name unless there are exceptional circumstances, supported by appropriate documentation, such as:

  1. gender re-assignment;
  2. witness protection;
  3. other circumstances determined to be ‘exceptional’ by the Director, Student Administration. Note that a change of name due to marriage or divorce is not considered an exceptional circumstance.

Part E - Revoking and Surrendering a Testamur

(25) An Award must be formally revoked under the authority of University Council following an investigation that the Award has been incorrectly conferred on a recipient:

  1. for which that recipient was not qualified; or
  2. because of fraud or dishonesty; or
  3. as a result of administrative error.

(26) A memorandum outlining the reason for the revocation is prepared for the Vice-Chancellor's consideration by the Assessments and Completions Unit. The Vice-Chancellor, after conducting an investigation, will recommend revocation, if appropriate, to University Council. The process for conducting the investigation and providing the graduate with an opportunity to respond is detailed in Part 5 of the Awards Regulations 2017.

(27) If revocation occurs, the graduate is advised to return all official artefacts associated with the issuing of the Award. The details of the revocation will be noted on the Graduation Register and the student record.

(28) In situations where a student has completed an Award which articulates directly into a higher AQF level Award there is no requirement for the student to surrender the Testamur at the time of enrolment, or when the higher Award is conferred.

Part F - Authenticity

(29) The use of the University Seal deems that the Award has been conferred by Council. For hard copy testamurs the seal will appear in raised relief on the front of the secure stationery. A unique identifier is also printed on the Testamur. This number is recorded on the register of all awards conferred in accordance with the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.

(30) Digital versions of the Testamur may be issued instead of/in addition to a hard copy testamur. A digital version has the same status as a hard copy version but is provided to the student via a secure login. Students can share the login with third parties as they choose.

(31) Testamurs must include all information as specified in the Awards Regulations 2017, Part 6.

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Section 7 - Guidelines

(32) Nil