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Academic Records Issuance Policy

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) Western Sydney University issues several types of official statements that provide the academic records of individual students. This policy defines the different documents and sets out the ways in which their content may be used in order to ensure that the information provided by the University regarding individual student records is fit for purpose and is consistent.

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Section 2 - Definitions

(2) For purposes of this policy, definitions that apply can be found in the Policy DDS Glossary, in addition to the following:

  1. Certificate means the document issued by Western Sydney University to students who have completed an Undergraduate Preparation Program or Foundation Studies Program.
  2. Statement of Learning Activities means a document confirming that a person has attended specified learning activities that are not offered as part of a University or Western Sydney University - The College (The College) award or program.
  3. Statement of Attainment means a document that may be issued to students who have completed a subject or subjects from an accredited program but discontinued prior to completion.
  4. University Seal means the official seal of the University.
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Section 3 - Policy Statement

Commitment to Accuracy and Authenticity

(3) The University is committed to ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of all University issued documents that record details of students' academic information, in the interests of the University, its students and graduates. That objective is reinforced by legislation and agencies that empower, review and support public institutions and their reputations.

(4) Falsification of the University testamur, academic transcript, the Australia Higher Education Graduate Statement (AHEGS) or any other issued academic record damages the reputation of the University, its students and graduates at national and international levels. Students who falsify documents covered by this policy will be dealt with under the Student Misconduct Rule and persons who falsify documents covered by this policy may be prosecuted under the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).

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Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Supply of Academic Records

(5) Academic records are produced under the authority of the Director, Data Integrity, Quality and Operations, who has responsibility for the style and format of such records.

(6) Academic Transcripts are provided at the request of individual students on a fee for service basis.

(7) The AHEGS is provided free of charge to students upon conferral of an award. Individual students may request additional copies of their AHEGS on a fee for service basis. The AHEGS will not be provided for non-award programs or for programs where the award has not been conferred or has been otherwise withheld.

(8) Appropriate academic records may also be provided to external organisations (for example, to professional accreditation bodies, the Universities Admission Centre (UAC), other educational institutions and for employment purposes), where the student has provided appropriate written authority for the University to do so or where such disclosure falls within the Privacy Policy.

(9) Academic records may also be required to be provided under specific legislation including the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, and to police services or other law enforcement agencies under subpoena, police search warrant or other similar written official request. The Privacy Policy directs the University's response in such situations.

(10) In accordance with the Enrolment Policy, academic records will not be supplied to students who are financially indebted to the University.

(11) The University will maintain in the student management system:

  1. a register of all Australian Qualifications Framework awards it is authorised to issue, and
  2. a register of all AQF qualifications issued to graduates.

(12) These registers will contain sufficient information to correctly identify the:

  1. holder of the qualification
  2. AQF qualification by its full title, and
  3. date of issue/award/conferral

Part B - Content and Format of Academic Records

General Information

(13) The AQF guidelines, endorsed by the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, govern the format and content of documents issued by accrediting authorities to ensure authenticity and consistency. In addition, the Department of Education/Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has provided a document, Guidelines for the Presentation of the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement, which informs the relevant provisions in this policy.

(14) It is expected that updates to the AQF and Department of Education/Department of Employment and Workplace Relations guidelines will occur over time and may require changes to academic records issued by the University.

(15) A list of approved protocols and standards for the University program titles, abbreviations and post-nominal letters is available as Associated Information.

(16) Academic records will be printed on official University stationery, appropriate to the document type.

(17) Registers of formats and stationery used for academic records, including copies of the actual paper used, will be maintained by Data Integrity, Quality and Operations within the Office of Student and University Planning for each official document. Each register will document the dates when specific formats are in operation and when changeovers occur.

(18) Copies of academic records should not be accepted as official University documents.

(19) Academic records are to be printed using the English (Roman) character set with standard English punctuation marks.

(20) The following information is not to be included on academic documents:

  1. date of birth, and
  2. title (Mr, Ms, Dr etc)

Testamur

(21) A testamur is provided to a student upon conferral of each award for which they have qualified.

(22) A testamur:

  1. is issued under the University's Seal, in accordance with the Western Sydney University (University Seal and Authentication) Rule
  2. is issued when an award is conferred by the Board of Trustees (or delegate as per the Academic Governance Policy) and signed by the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and President and Vice-President, People and Advancement
  3. includes a unique University registration number, and
  4. includes the graduate's full name as recorded in the student management system, full title of the qualification awarded, the name of any applicable majors, any class of honours or award with distinction, and the date of conferral

Academic Transcript

(23) An academic transcript is provided at the request of individual students and/or graduates on a fee for service basis. This transcript includes records for all programs and subjects attempted at the University.

(24) Academic Transcripts will contain the following information:

  1. personal identification, which is limited to the student name and address as recorded in the student management system and University student identification (ID) number
  2. academic awards conferred and/or awards completed and yet to be conferred
  3. a record of all registered subjects completed at the University, including any failed subjects, and all instances of repeated subjects undertaken, including marks (where available) and grades
  4. credit point values for all successfully completed subjects where the subject has a credit point value greater than 0
  5. all incomplete award which the student has been, or is currently, enrolled
  6. statements regarding completion of requirements for a recognised group of subjects, for example, a major or concentration
  7. a full record of any Credit for Prior Learning (Credit) for previous formal study or recognised prior learning
  8. level of awards where these are relevant, i.e. Bachelor Honours, Distinction, etc
  9. award of the University Medal where relevant
  10. thesis title of any research higher degree award, and
  11. GPA, where applicable, calculated according to the Graduation Policy

AHEGS

(25) The AHEGS provided upon conferral of an award will be for the program for which the student is currently graduating.

(26) The AHEGS will be provided to students graduating from 2011 onwards and will not be available for awards where admission of commencing students ceased prior to 2001.

(27) The AHEGS may contain the following information:

  1. personal identification which is limited to the student name as recorded in the student management system and University student ID number
  2. academic award conferred and statements regarding completion of requirements for a recognised group of subjects, for example, a major or concentration related to the award
  3. level of awards where these are relevant, i.e. Bachelor Honours, Distinction, etc
  4. award of the University Medal where relevant
  5. details of the program for which the student has gained the award such as admission requirements, normal duration of study and language of instruction
  6. description of external examination arrangements for research higher degrees
  7. program features such as professional placements, industry-based learning and overseas study
  8. further or advanced higher education programs for which this award typically serves as preparation
  9. details of external accreditation of the program
  10. description of Western Sydney University as the Awarding Institution
  11. where the program is a jointly-badged award with another institution, or is delivered by another institution, brief details of this arrangement
  12. Credit granted for a particular subject/s in recognition of prior formal learning where Credit is specified, or credit point value granted for Unspecified Credit
  13. a record of all registered subjects completed at the University as part of the award conferred, including any failed subjects, and all instances of repeated subjects undertaken, including marks (where available) and grades
  14. credit points achieved where the subject has been successfully completed and has a credit point value greater than 0
  15. GPA, where applicable, calculated according to the Graduation Policy
  16. thesis title and thesis short description for research higher degree study
  17. specific details of particular program-related achievements of the graduate (additional program details) where this information is available
  18. award of official prizes based on meritorious performance in academic or academic-related activities where this information is held
  19. details of scholarships and prizes received for academic merit where this information is available, and
  20. description of the Australian Higher Education System as specified under the AQF

Certificate

(28) A certificate is issued to students who have successfully completed the Western Sydney University Undergraduate Preparation Program or Foundation Studies program delivered by The College.

(29) The certificate is not an award of the University but confirms that the student has completed the required components at the specified level(s).

(30) The certificate will include:

  1. personal information, including student name as recorded in the student management system;
  2. program name, and
  3. date of issue

Completion Letter

(31) A completion letter is a document stating that the student is entitled to be awarded a specified qualification (subject to successful completion of all program requirements and authorisation by the relevant School Academic Committee (SAC), or equivalent). It may be issued by the University, upon request, on a fee for service basis by Data Integrity, Quality and Operations in the Office of Student and University Planning.

(32) A completion letter is intended only as interim confirmation that a qualification is completed, and so may only be issued to a student during the period after completion of their qualification requirements and before the award is conferred by the University. It is not an official conferral of the award by the University.

(33) Under special circumstances a student who has graduated may request a completion letter as further evidence that they have completed their program and have been awarded their degree.

(34) Completion Letters contain the following information:

  1. personal information, including student name as recorded in the student management system and University student ID number
  2. date student met all program requirements
  3. program code
  4. award title
  5. campus location
  6. study mode (full-time or part-time)
  7. program start date (first day of first term as per the University academic dateline)
  8. program end date (final day of final term as per the University academic dateline)
  9. language in which the program was delivered
  10. conferral date (for graduated students only), and
  11. CRICOS code if applicable (for international students only)

Statement of Attainment

(35) A statement of attainment may be issued to students who do not complete an award but have completed a subject or subjects from a Western Sydney University award or program.

(36) The Statement of Attainment will include:

  1. personal information, including student name as recorded in the student management system and University student ID number;
  2. subjects undertaken by their full title, and
  3. date of issue

(37) The Statement of Attainment must be in a form that ensures it cannot be mistaken for a testamur or a full AQF qualification. It must include the statement “A Statement of Attainment is issued when an individual has completed one or more accredited subjects.”

Statement of Learning Activities

(38) Such statements may be issued by the relevant School following the completion of specified learning activities that are not offered as part of a University or Western Sydney University - The College award or program. This includes statements issued after completion of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs.

(39) A statement of learning activities will include:

  1. personal information, including student name as recorded in the student management system
  2. learning activities and date completed, and
  3. date of issue

Part C - Verification of Information on Academic Records Requested by Third Parties

(40) It is in the University's interest and that of its students and graduates that the academic achievements and qualifications claimed by applicants for educational, professional, business and other service roles are genuine.

(41) Employers, professional bodies, licensing and regulatory bodies and others may wish to verify that information on academic records is accurate. Awards may be verified through the Award Verification Service or upon application to the Graduation Team. The Privacy Policy and Privacy Management Plan direct the University's response in such situations.

Part D - Replacement Academic Records

(42) Where an original testamur, transcript, AHEGS or certificate has been lost, damaged or destroyed, or where the recipient's name has changed, a replacement may be issued by the University, upon request, on a fee for service basis by Data Integrity, Quality and Operations in the Office of Student and University Planning.

(43) A new testamur will be identified as a replacement by inclusion of the following: "Replacement ..... issued ... (dated)" and signed by the Vice-President, People and Advancement.

(44) A graduate issued with a new document as a result of a change of name will have all key administrative records held by the University amended to reflect the new name.

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Section 5 - Guidelines

(45) Process for Appealing against Content of AHEGS

(46) Protocols and Standards for University Award Title Words and their Abbreviations