• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Matching proposals with the University's objectives
• Notifying an intention to propose a pathway
• Determining Advanced Standing/Guaranteed Entry
• Referral of a Formal Proposal for Approval
• After Approval
• Reviewing and Re-Accrediting Pathways
• Section 5 - Guidelines
• Part A - Establishing pathways with Australian VET sector providers
• Part B - Establishing pathways with overseas providers

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) This Policy defines the objectives of providing students with clearly articulated pathways into a course or courses of the University from those of other educational institutions, by means of the award of advanced standing and/or guaranteed entry. It also outlines the processes to be followed in the development, approval and recording of pathways.

(2) The Policy applies to agreements with both higher education providers or vocational education and training providers, whether Australian or overseas providers, and whether public or private.

(3) The Policy does not cover the development and approval of articulation pathways for UWS students transferring to other institutions from UWS.

(4) This Policy is to be read in conjunction with the Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

Section 2 - Definitions

(5) The following definitions apply for the purposes of this policy.

1. Articulation pathway - a formally approved admission route into a course of study at UWS, with pre-determined advanced standing for units completed at another education provider and/or with guaranteed entry into the UWS course.
2. Articulation pathway agreement - an agreement between the University and another education provider that a student, who has successfully completed all, or a specified part, of a course in one of them and who gains admission to a related course offered by the other, will be granted specified advanced standing in the new course and/or be guaranteed enrolment in it.
3. Advanced standing - credit, expressed in the form of a specified number of credit points, towards an award course, granted on the basis of previous, successfully completed studies or prior learning. For definitions of types of advanced standing, refer to the Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.
4. Guaranteed entry - a guarantee of admission to a UWS course referred to in the relevant pathway agreement, provided the student meets any other published requirements for admission, such as a required level of English proficiency.
5. Articulations Pathway Coordinator - one of the officers, as appropriate, identified in the "Procedures" section of this Policy, under the heading, "Notifying an intention to propose a pathway."
6. Education providers, etc. - Australian universities and other Australian higher education providers (recognised as such by law), Australian VET (vocational and education) sector providers and recognised overseas education providers that the University has evaluated and whose academic courses and units the University considers are of an equivalent quality to those delivered by the University.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(6) The University is committed to providing and expanding clear pathways to assist students, who have previously successfully completed some studies elsewhere and who otherwise qualify for admission, to enter an appropriate course of the University with the maximum amount of advanced standing warranted by their previous studies.

(7) The University will, therefore, enter into agreements with other, selected education providers to define and publicise the advanced standing, together with any guarantee of entry to a course. The award of any advanced standing to a particular student will be subject to the provisions of the Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

(8) Articulation arrangements shall conform with the University's strategic objectives and result in clear benefits to the University and its students.

(9) Consistent with the provisions of the Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy, the University will endeavour to ensure that students granted advanced standing and/or guaranteed entry to a course under this Policy, are academically equipped to undertake the relevant University course.

(10) In order to ensure that articulation pathways are publicly available to existing and intending students, the University will publish on its website the advanced standing determined under all articulation agreements.

(11) In order to assure the quality of the articulation pathways covered by agreements, the University will periodically monitor and evaluate their effectiveness and review their currency.

(12) In appropriate cases the University will provide students awarded advanced standing under this Policy with an appropriate program to be completed in the University.

Section 4 - Procedures

Matching proposals with the University's objectives

(13) When proposing or negotiating an articulation pathway or associated agreement with other education providers, staff of the University will demonstrate the alignment of the proposed articulation agreement with the University's objectives.

(14) Domestic articulation agreements will be approved for a period of two years and will be reviewed during the second year to determine whether the arrangements remain current or require updating. International articulation agreements will be approved for a period of three years and will be reviewed in the third year to determine whether the arrangements remain current or require updating.

Notifying an intention to propose a pathway

(15) Any University staff wishing to propose an articulation pathway or an articulation pathway agreement must, before committing the University to any arrangement, notify and consult with one of the following Articulations Pathway Coordinators, as appropriate:

1. in the case of an intended pathway from another Australian higher education provider, the Associate Dean (Academic) of the relevant College of UWS;
2. in the case of an intended pathway from an Australian, VET sector education provider, the Relationships Manager, UWS/VET, who will notify the Associate Dean (Academic) of the relevant College of UWS; or
3. in the case of an intended pathway from a recognised overseas education provider, the Director International or Associate Director of UWS International, who will consult with the Associate Dean (Development and International) of the relevant College and notify the Associate Dean (Academic) of the relevant College of the University.

Determining Advanced Standing/Guaranteed Entry

(16) The advanced standing, if any, to be given to students and any guarantee of entry in an articulation pathway will be determined by the relevant Heads of Program and by the relevant Heads of School and Associate Deans. In determining those matters, they will consult, as appropriate, with the content specialist of the other education provider.

Referral of a Formal Proposal for Approval

(17) Once the proposed advanced standing and any guarantee of entry have been endorsed by the relevant Heads of School, the proposers of a pathway, or a pathway agreement, will, in consultation with the relevant Articulations Pathway Coordinator, prepare a formal proposal, using a standard template.

(18) The formal proposal will be transmitted by the appropriate Articulations Pathway Coordinator to the relevant College Education, Assessment and Progression Committee. If the Committee supports the proposal, it will recommend it to the Courses Approvals and Articulations Committee.

After Approval

(19) The Executive Officer to the Courses Approvals and Articulations Committee will notify the Colleges, other relevant officers, and UWS International or the Relationships Manager, UWS/VET, as appropriate, when the articulation agreement has been approved by Academic Senate.

(20) Final approved articulation agreements will be noted in the relevant course documentation in TRIM and recorded in accordance with the Records Management Policy.

(21) The appropriate Articulations Pathways Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that articulation arrangements are published on the website.

Reviewing and Re-Accrediting Pathways

(22) Before the terms of an articulation pathway and any associated agreement has expired, or whenever the University's or other education provider's course changes significantly, the pathway and the agreement will be reviewed to ensure that the contents remain current and that the articulation agreement remains aligned with the University's strategic objectives. If the agreement does not require amendment, it is submitted for re-approval to the relevant Associate Dean (Academic) for renewal. Agreements with overseas providers also require the approval of the relevant Associate Dean (Development and International).

(23) If the relevant Associate Dean decides that the agreement should be amended or re-negotiated, he or she will refer it to the appropriate Articulation Pathways Coordinator who will commence the re-negotiation process.

Section 5 - Guidelines

Part A - Establishing pathways with Australian VET sector providers

(24) All prospective articulation pathway initiatives must be discussed with the appropriate Articulation Pathways Coordinator in the first instance. For VET sector pathways this is the Relationships Manager UWS/VET (referred to as 'RM' in these Guidelines).

(25) The RM will make contact with key stakeholders from the VET provider and UWS to discuss the general pathway opportunity and to confirm mutual interest and feasibility

(26) The RM will arrange a meeting with key stakeholders including content specialists from the University and the VET provider. When possible negotiations and mapping to determine the advanced standing to be given are finalised at this meeting. Mapping which affects more than one College or School will need careful consideration and appropriate consultation.

(27) The RM manages the credit mapping process and provides advice to ensure consistency and equity across Articulation Agreements.

(28) Academic staff and the VET provider negotiate the advanced standing to be given under the terms of the agreement and determine any other conditions. The information will be incorporated into an electronic proposal by the RM and circulated to stakeholders for comment. Key stakeholders include the Head of Program, Head of School, the Associate Dean (Academic), and the VET provider contact.

(29) The RM will arrange for approval by the relevant College Education, Assessment and Progression Committee and the Courses Approvals and Articulations Committee (CAAC).

(30) The RM will present the articulation proposal at the CAAC meeting. If CAAC endorses the proposal it will be forwarded to Academic Senate for final approval. If amendments are required the RM will amend the proposal accordingly and re-submit it to a subsequent CAAC meeting.

(31) The RM will advise all stakeholders (including the College Marketing Officers ) that an agreement has been approved. The RM will prepare and send a formal communication as required by the local provider. The RM will file the final approved articulation agreement in TRIM and prepare information for the website.

(32) The RM will update all necessary data sites such as the Admission Pathways database and e-forms database (from mid 2008) and will liaise with key managers in RO to ensure that the new Pathway is understood and included in appropriate automated processes.

(33) The RM will arrange for information to be published on the UWS Pathways website and will advise stakeholders that the information has been published.

Part B - Establishing pathways with overseas providers

(34) All prospective articulation pathway initiatives with overseas providers must be discussed with the International Liaison Officer in UWS International (UWSI) in the first instance.

(35) The Associate Dean (Development and International) of the relevant College will ensure that a standard template is completed (containing information listed in the UWSI checklist), in consultation with the appropriate UWSI staff member.

(36) The draft agreement must be submitted for approval by the Director International.

(37) UWSI in consultation with the Associate Dean (Development and International) manages the credit mapping process and provides advice to ensure consistency and equity across Articulation Agreements. Mapping which affects more than one College or School will need careful consideration and appropriate consultation.

(38) Once the mapping is complete the formal proposal is transmitted by UWSI to the relevant College Education, Assessment and Progression Committee.

(39) Following approval by the College, the Associate Dean (Development and International) or UWSI forwards the proposal to the Executive Officer to the Courses Approvals and Articulations Committee (CAAC) for inclusion in the agenda for the following meeting.

(40) If CAAC endorses the proposal it is forwarded to Academic Senate for final approval. If amendments are required the proposal is amended accordingly and re-submitted to a subsequent CAAC meeting.

(41) UWSI advises all stakeholders of the approved agreement. UWSI prepares a formal agreement for approval by the Office of University Legal Counsel and sends a formal communication as required by the overseas provider. UWSI files the final approved articulation agreement in TRIM and prepares information for the website entry.

(42) UWSI arranges for information to be published on the UWS Pathways website and advises stakeholders that information has been published.

(43) UWSI is responsible for ensuring that students given guaranteed entry and advanced standing in a course are aware of the English language requirements of the particular course.

(44) UWSI is responsible for ensuring that students entering UWS by an articulation pathway accept, in writing, the advanced standing granted, as mandated in the ESOS requirements.