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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: 27/02/2015
Custodian: Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President, Academic
Contact: lt@canberra.edu.au
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this procedure the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
Academic Certification Procedure
1. Purpose:
  1. This document sets out the University's procedures regarding the contents, production and issuance of academic certification including testamurs, transcripts and graduation statements.
2. Scope:
  1. This procedure 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. Procedure:
Introduction
  1. Testamurs, AHEGS and academic transcripts are prepared under the authority of the Director, Student Connect by designated staff in Student Connect.
  2. The production and format of testamurs, AHEGS and academic transcripts for students enrolled in joint courses leading to joint awards with third party providers must adhere to the requirements detailed in the Joint Award Courses Policy and Procedures.
  3. The Director, Student Connect will ensure that all ‘academic requirements’ for the qualifications have been completed and that a student does not have any debt to the University before certifying a student is eligible to receive a testamur and  AHEGS.
  4. The student’s name appearing on the testamur, AHEGS and academic transcript will be the full name recorded in the student management system without any titles or abbreviations.
Testamurs
  1. Testamurs will contain the following information:
    1. University name and logo (and, where applicable, third party provider name and logo);
    2. the name of the graduate who is entitled to receive the AQF qualification;
    3. the qualification by its full title;
    4. date of the award or its date of conferral; and
    5. where applicable, the honours classification awarded.
  2. The testamur may include supplementary information to the award where approved by Council;
    1. indicating the course is taught in another specified language;
    2. indicating the course is taught in English and another specified language; and
    3. for courses conducted jointly with third party providers under written agreement (Refer to the Joint Award Courses Policy and Procedures);
    4. collaborative testamurs that are not issued following a joint course/award but represent another arrangement.
  3. The number of testamurs conferred will be:
    1. one testamur for a single qualification;
    2. two testamurs for a double qualification or combined qualification (one for each accredited award);
    3. one testamur for a joint qualification.
  4. Testamurs will be printed on approved parchment with the University seal and will be signed by the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor. The signatures will appear in facsimile form on all testamurs except where the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor elect to hand-sign for certain types of testamurs (such as for awards honoris causa).
Collaborative testamurs
  1. Collaborative testamurs may be issued following the agreement between UC and another education provider at the commencement or development of a course.
  2. A collaborative testamur may reflect the collaborative arrangement of the provision of a degree but does not have to represent a joint award. Joint awards are the representation of a joint course which leads to a joint award (Joint Award Courses Policy and Procedures).
  3. A collaborative testamur must only represent an award in the name of one institution but can present the logo and signature of the relevant third party provider Vice-Chancellor (or equivalent).
Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements (AHEGS)
  1. The AHEGS will comply with the Australian Government Guidelines for the Presentation of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements.
  2. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) may approve any optional information to be included on the AHEGS as specified in the Guidelines for the Presentation of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements. Only information which is centrally recorded, verifiable and relates to activities during the period of candidature from which the student is graduating will be included on the AHEGS. 
  3. The AHEGS will identify the qualification as an AQF qualification by the use of the AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council or by the words ‘The qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework’. (See 2.15 of the AQF Issuance Policy.)
  4. An AHEGS will be issued on the authority of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). A facsimile signature may be used.
  5. The AHEGS is provided to students who graduated from September 2010 onwards.
Academic transcripts
  1. A student or graduate may obtain an academic transcript at any time on provision of photographic identification and payment of the prescribed fee.
  2. One academic transcript is issued free of charge to students on completion of their course.
  3. No academic transcript will be issued to a student who has a financial debt to the University.
  4. An academic transcript will detail a student's entire enrolment record at the University including:
    1. student name as recorded in the student management system and University student identification number;
    2. academic awards conferred and/or awards completed and yet to be conferred;
    3. a record of all enrolled units at the University and their grades, including any failed units, incomplete units and units withdrawn after census dates;
    4. all incomplete courses in which the student has been, or is currently, enrolled;
    5. completed or enrolled major if identified by the student;
    6. a full record of any credit granted for previous formal study or recognised prior learning;
    7. award of the University Medal and other commendations where relevant;
    8. Grade Point Average (GPA), where applicable.
  5. Academic transcripts will be produced on special stationery, including a foil and the University logo.
Surrender of testamurs and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements
  1. The University may require the return of a testamur and the AHEGS in the following circumstances:
    1. the award was improperly obtained; or
    2. on application for a replacement document due to damage or legal name change; or
    3. where an award has been erroneously presented by the University or contains incorrect details
Application for re-issue or replacement of testamurs and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements
  1. The Director, Student Connect may approve the re-issue or replacement of a testamur and AHEGS upon the receipt of an application which includes:
    1. a completed application form;
    2. the originally issued testamur and AHEGS if available;
    3. a Statutory Declaration if the original testamur is not available;
    4. in case of a legal name change, legal documents confirming the reason for the request and linking the new name with the original name;
    5. photographic identification; and
    6. payment of the prescribed fee which is set annually.
  2. Only the information contained in the original AHEGS will be included in a re-issued AHEGS, irrespective of when it is reissued. It is acceptable to use current paper for the printing of a re-issued AHEGS.
  3. All replacement or re-issued testamurs (including those which relate to the antecedent institution, Canberra College of Advanced Education) will be issued in the approved format which is in effect at the time of the re-issue and will include words to indicate that it is a re-issued document.
  4. Re-issued or replaced testamurs will not be presented at a graduation ceremony.
  5. Appeals against a decision not to re-issue or replace a testamur may be lodged with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), via the Director, Student Connect, who will consider the appeal.
Charges for re-issue or replacement of testamurs, academic transcripts and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements
  1. The scheduled fee to cover the cost associated with the printing and re-issuing of a testamur or AHEGS and/or the issuing of an academic transcript will be set annually by Student Connect and approved by the Vice-Chancellor under the delegated authority of the Council. The fees will be included in the University of Canberra Schedule of Fees and Charges and published on the University website.
Record keeping
  1. Student Connect will record in the student management system:
    1. the name of each person admitted to an award together with the title of the award and the date on which it was conferred, in accordance with the University of Canberra Conferring of Awards Rules 2013; and
    2. all details contained in each issued AHEGS to enable the re-issuing of an AHEGS in its original version.
  2. Where the original testamur and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement are surrendered they will be retained in the University’s central records for a period of 12 months.
4. Roles and Responsibilities:
Role Responsibilities
Council
  • Confer degrees, diplomas and certificates in accordance with the University of Canberra Act 1989, Section 7.
  • Approve the format of the testamur.
Academic Board Certify, in accordance with UC Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2013, an award may be made to a student.
Vice-Chancellor Approve the annual fee(s) for issuing academic transcripts and re-issuing testamurs and AHEGS (under delegated authority by Council).
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
  • Approve the optional information to be included on the AHEGS.
  • Certify an AHEGS.
  • Consider a graduate’s appeal against a decision not to re-issue or replace a testamur, academic transcript and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement.
Director, Student Connect
  • Ensure that testamurs, academic transcripts and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements meet the specification outlined in this policy and procedure document.
  • Certify a student has met all academic requirements for the qualification.
  • Ensure that the student has repaid all debt to the University.
  • Arrange printing of the testamurs, academic transcripts and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements from the student management system.
  • Authorise the re-issue or replacement of a testamur or Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement.
  • Ensure testamurs and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements are returned under the conditions set out in this policy and procedure document.
  • Ensure academic blanks, the University seal and other security features of the testamur, academic transcript and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement paper are held in a secure location.
  • Annually recommend to the Vice-Chancellor an appropriate fee for the issue of academic transcripts and the re-issue of testamurs and AHEGS.
  • Ensure all appropriate records are maintained on the student management system. 
Student
  • Notify the graduation officer if he/she is attending the graduation ceremony.
  • Ensure that their mailing address is correct if they graduate in absentia.
  • Check that the testamur, academic transcript and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement have the correct details.
  • Clear any outstanding debt(s) to the University.
  • Pay the fees associated with the re-issue of the testamurs or Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements and issue of an academic transcript.
5. Governing Policy and Legislation:
6. Supporting Information:
7. 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).