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  1. Academic
Authority Source: Council
Approval Date: 27/02/2015
Publication Date: 13/03/2015
Review Date: 15/12/2017
Effective Date: 13/03/2015
Custodian: Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President, Academic
Contact: lt@canberra.edu.au
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this policy the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
Academic Certification Policy
1. Purpose:
  1. This policy sets out the University's principles regarding the contents, production and issuance of academic certification including testamurs, transcripts and graduation statements.
2. Scope:
  1. This policy covers all University of Canberra awards within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), and academic certification provided to students in respect of those awards and the courses leading to those awards.
  2. The document also covers academic certification issued to students who complete one or more units, which may lead to an AQF qualification, without completing the award, honorary degrees and collaborative testamurs.
3. Principles:
  1. Courses and awards at UC comply with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
  2. The University issues testamurs for the conferral of qualifications within the AQF and honorary degrees. The University may also issue Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements (AHEGS) to students who complete an AQF qualification.
  3. All students, including those who complete only some of the requirements for a qualification, are entitled to receive an academic transcript.
  4. Testamurs and AHEGS will be issued in the following circumstances:
    1. where students graduate at an approved ceremony; or
    2. where students do not attend a graduation ceremony and receive their award in absentia; or
    3. posthumously; or
    4. where honorary degrees are conferred (only a testamur will be issued for honorary degrees).
  5. The standard specifications for testamurs, academic transcripts and AHEGS will be as prescribed by the AQF and the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021. The format of the testamur is approved by Council.
  6. The testamur, AHEGS and academic transcript will contain sufficient information to authenticate the document and reduce fraudulent use.
  7. The University will apply the Australian Qualifications Framework standard 2.1.4 (“If any part of the qualification has been delivered and/or assessed in a language other than English, a statement that this has occurred will be included on the testamur, the record of results or the graduation statement”). The language of instruction must appear on the transcript of results and the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS), but is an optional requirement for the testamur.
  8. Testamurs and AHEGS may be forfeited or required to be surrendered in circumstances set out in paragraph 3.28 of the Academic Certification Procedures.
  9. The release of a testamur, AHEGS and/or academic transcript to a third party will only be in accordance with the Privacy Policy.
  10. A collaborative testamur will only be issued where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) or Agreement (MoA) has been signed to confirm the arrangement.
  11. The University maintains a register [UC Courses and Awards (Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates Rules) 2013] of all AQF qualifications it is authorised to issue and also a record of all awards it issues to graduates.
4. Legislation:
This Policy is governed by:
5. Supporting Information:
Related documents
6. Definitions:
Terms Definitions
Academic transcript An academic transcript will detail a student's entire enrolment record at the University. It may be issued at any time during progress towards a qualification and will also be issued on graduation.
Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement A supplementary statement to qualification certification documentation that provides information to enhance understanding of the qualification by students, employers, industry, professional associations and internationally. The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement is issued only on award of a qualification (AQF Glossary of Terminology).
Graduation ceremony Graduation ceremony is a ceremony for the conferring of awards authorised to be held under rule 8 of the UC Conferring of Awards Rules 2013.
Joint award A joint award is an award granted and conferred on the basis of completion of a joint course under a formal agreement between two or more institutions.
Honorary Award An honorary award is not an AQF qualification. It is usually awarded by an issuing organisation to recognise a person’s public service or service to the organisation, or in recognition of distinguished contribution by the person in a field of academic endeavour (AQF Glossary of Terminology).
Posthumous Posthumous in relation to an award means awarded after the death of the student.
Testamur A testamur is an official certification document that confirms that a qualification has been awarded to an individual. (AQF Glossary of Terminology).