Issuing and Revocation of Certificates Policy

Issuing and Revocation of Certificates Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline how Gold Coast Learning Centre will ensure it issues qualifications and statements of attainment (as appropriate) to persons whom it has assessed as competent in accordance with the requirements of a Training Package or National accredited course, in accordance with regulatory requirements. This policy ensures compliance with the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.

This procedure describes the processes whereby GCLC controls and manages the issue and revocation of certificates to students on completion of a course or partial completion of a course.

Scope

Gold Coast Learning Centre has a responsibility as a Registered Training Organisation to issue to students whom it has assessed as competent in accordance with the requirements of the training package or VET accredited course, a VET qualification or a statement of attainment (as appropriate).
The Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 (Standard 3).
GCLC has further responsibilities to revoke or recall certificates in certain circumstances. This procedure applies to all students and persons employed by GCLC for the provision of training and assessment services and the administration of training records and documents.

Definitions

Qualification/ Certificate documents include a qualification certificate, record of results.
Statement of attainments may accompany a record of results.

Responsible parties

The admin team is responsible for the management, control and issue of this policy.

Policy Statement

Qualifications Issuance GCLC entities issue AQF certification documentation only to a Student whom it has assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product as specified in the relevant training package or VET accredited course.
GCLC has robust controls in place to ensure qualifications, statements of attainment and records of results are not issued unless the Student has completed all requirements. Certification is only issued to Students after they have fully demonstrated competence, with a Completion Form Checklist completed on each Student file prior to documentation issuance.

Australian Qualifications Framework Requirements

GCLC ensures:

• Students receive the certification documentation to which they are entitled.
• AQF qualifications are correctly identified in certification documentation.
• AQF qualifications are protected against fraudulent issuance.
• Certification documentation is used consistently across the education and training sectors.
• Students and others are confident that the qualifications they have been awarded by GCLC are part of Australia’s national qualifications framework.

Qualifications Pathways

• GCLC also accepts and provides credit transfers to students for units of competency and/or modules (unless licensing or regulatory requirements prevent this) where these are evidenced by:
  
  • AQF certification documentation issued by any other RTO or AQF authorised issuing organisation; or
  • An authenticated VET transcripts issued by the Registrar.
• GCLC ensures it maximises the credit transfers Students can gain for learning already undertaken, by:
  
  • Enhancing Student progression into and between AQF qualifications;
  • Recognising the multiple pathways Students take to gain AQF qualifications and that learning can be formal, non-formal or informal; and
  • Supporting the development of pathways in qualifications design.

Unique Student Identifier (USI)

GCLC ensures that it meets the requirements of the Student Identifier scheme always, including:

• Verifying with the Registrar, a USI provided to it by an individual before using that USI for any purpose;
• Ensuring that GCLC entities do not issue AQF certification documentation to an individual without being in receipt of a verified USI for that individual, unless an exemption applies under the Student Identifiers.
• Ensuring that where an exemption applies, it will inform the Student prior to either the completion of the enrolment or commencement of training and assessment, whichever occurs first, that the results of the training will not be accessible through the Commonwealth and will not appear on any authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Registrar; and
• Ensuring the security of USIs and all related documentation under its control, including information stored in its student management systems.
• To avoid possible delays in issuing certification, GCLC has processes in place to verify a Student’s USI on enrolment or as soon as possible thereafter – well in advance of when certification is expected to be issued.
• GCLC does not include the Student’s USI on any issued documentation, consistent with the Student Identifiers Act 2014.

Issued Documentation Requirements

All AQF certification documentation issued by GCLC meets the following requirements:
Issuing AQF Qualifications Requirements
All GCLC Students who have completed a program of learning that leads to the award of an AQF qualification are entitled to receive the following certification documentation on award of the qualification:

• A certificate; and
• A record of results.

Students who complete part of the requirements of an AQF qualification in which they are enrolled are also entitled to receive a record of results. Students are entitled to retain testamurs and records of results once they have been issued.

• GCLC does not deliver or assess any part of a qualification in a language other than English.
• GCLC certificates for all AQF qualifications issued identifies the qualification as an AQF qualification by using the words ‘The qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework.
• GCLC ensures sufficient information is provided on a testamur and record of results to ensure that the documentation can be authenticated and to reduce fraudulent use.

GCLC certificate documentation contains sufficient information to identify correctly the:

• Relevant GCLC entity issuing organisation;
• Student who is entitled to receive the AQF qualification;
• Awarded AQF qualification by its full title;
• Date of issue/award/conferral;
• GCLC representative authorised to issue the documentation; and
• Authenticity of the document. GCLC also includes the following information on its certificates, in addition to the requirements of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy, as required by the Standards for RTOs 2015:
• The name, RTO code and logo of the GCLC entity issuing organisation;
• The code and title of the awarded AQF qualification; and
• The NRT Logo in accordance with the current conditions of use.

Issuing Statements of Attainment Requirements

• All GCLC Students who have completed an accredited unit(s) are entitled to receive a Statement of attainment, where all related fees are paid in full.
• GCLC entities’ statements of attainment:
• Correctly identify the person entitled to receive the statement of attainment, the accredited units by their full title and the date issued.
• Are in a form that ensures it cannot be mistaken for a testamur for a full AQF qualification.
• Include the statement: ‘A statement of attainment is issued when an individual has completed one or more accredited units’.

Students are entitled to retain the statement of attainment once it has been issued.

• GCLC also includes the following information on its statements of attainment, in addition to the requirements of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy, as required by the Standards for RTOs 2015:
• The name, RTO code and logo of the GCLC entity issuing organisation;
• A list of units of competency (or modules where no units of competency exist) showing their full title and the national code for each Unit of Competency;
• GCLC representative authorised to issue the documentation;
• GCLC representative authorised to issue the documentation;
• The GCLC entity issuing organisation’s seal, corporate identifier or unique watermark; and
• The words ‘A statement of attainment is issued by a Registered Training Organisation when an individual has completed one or more accredited units’.

The following elements are also included on the GCLC statements of attainment as applicable:

• The words ‘These competencies form part of [code and title of qualification(s)/course(s)]’; and
• The words, ‘These competencies were attained in completion of [code] course in [full title]’.

Fraud Prevention

• GCLC confirms its responsibility for authentication and verification of a Student’s certification and statement of attainment documentation. All GCLC entities documentation includes the GCLC seal, logo.
• GCLC does not allow third parties to create qualifications or statements of attainment on behalf of any GCLC entity. GCLC may include additional relevant information on AQF certification documentation, including the name and/or logo of a third party involved in the training and assessment. Whenever used, GCLC ensures such information is accurate and does not introduce confusion about which organisation is issuing the certification.
• Issuance Timelines GCLC ensures AQF certification documentation is issued to a Student within Thirty (30) calendar days of the Student being assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product if the training program in which the Student is enrolled is complete, and providing all agreed fees the Student owes to the RTO have been paid.
• GCLC issues AQF certification documentation directly to the Student, not to another party, such as an employer without the express written permission of the student.

GCLC Certificates Register entities:

• Retain registers of AQF qualifications they are authorised to issue and of all AQF qualifications issued; and
• Provide reports of Records of qualifications issued to ASQA on a regular basis as determined by ASQA.
• GCLC retains records of qualifications and statements of attainment issued for 30 years.

Reissue of Certificate Documentation GCLC ensures that current and past Students are able to access records of their achievements. All GCLC Students who hold a verified USI, and whose results have been reported into the USI system, will be able to access their records through the USI system.
Where a Student’s achievements have not been recorded through the USI system, GCLC has certificate issuance register to ensure that this student can access re-issues of their testamur documentation via a Request for Reissue Form.
A small fee per request might apply to all re-issue of documentation requests. All documentation re-issues occur within twenty-one (21) calendar days of receipt of the Request for Reissue Form with accompanying fee payment. All fess are published in the student handbook and subject to an annual review.

Procedure

Issuing of Certificates
The trainer and assessor is to download and submit to the admin team.

• Completed units report from Catapult
• or to include location of completed assessments on GCLC Group drive stating folder name clearly.
• Qualification requirements from training.gov.au
• USI number of the student completing
• Completion Form
• Once the level of certification to be issued is determined, i.e. or statement of attainment, appropriate document is to be printed by admin, and all information must be recorder in the certificate issuance register.

Certificates, together with the completion report are to be presented to the manager for verification and signature.
Signed certificates are to be copied. A copy is to be placed in the students file. Original certificates are to be mailed to the student within 30 calendar days of completion.

Revocation of Certificates

GCLC may require the return of a certificate, a record of results or a statement of attainment in the following circumstances:

• In cases where an alleged fraud or dishonesty has been substantiated: the CEO may revoke the qualification and require the return of the qualification, the record of results or the statement of attainment (whichever applies) if shown to the manager satisfaction that the qualification was improperly obtained.
• When a request for replacement of an original GCLC, record of results or statement of attainment is submitted: in cases where a GCLC graduate makes an application for a replacement certificate due to damage or legal name change, the graduate is required to return the original documentation prior to the replacement documentation being issued.
• Due to an error: that is, where the GCLC, record of results or statement of attainment was presented erroneously or contained incorrect details, GCLC will request the documentation be returned.

Reissue/replacement of Certificates

Replacement certificates, records of results or statements of attainment may be approved if the applicant provides evidence that the original documents have been:

• Lost or stolen: in cases where the original documents have been lost or stolen a statutory declaration affirming and detailing the loss or theft of the document must accompany the application. Graduates must sign an agreement that if the original
• Damaged: in cases where the original documents have been damaged, the damaged documents must be returned with the application. Replacement award documentation cannot be issued if the original is still in the possession of the applicant.
• Change of name: in cases where a student has changed their name, and wishes to reflect this on their award documentation, the applicant is required to return the original documents, together with proof of their change of name. Accepted forms of proof include certified copies of the applicant’s name birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce degree, passport or change of name decree.

The CEO may approve the reissue or replacement of a testamur, record of results or statement of attainment upon the receipt of a written application which includes:

• Details of the certificate to be replaced including qualification, date of issue and certificate number.
• The originally issued document(s) if available, or a Statutory Declaration if the original document(s) is/are not available, and
• In the case of a change of name, legal documents confirming the reason for the request and linking the new name with the original name
  
  • Pictorial identification, and
  • Payment of the prescribed fee.

Note:

1. The prescribed fee is reviewed annually and published in the Student Handbook.
2. Replacement documents may take up to 21 days to approve, prepare and print.
3. Appeals against a decision not to reissue or replace a qualification testamur, record of results or statement of attainment may be lodged with the RTO Manager within 30 calendar days using complaints and appeals form published on GCLC website.
4. Re-issued certificates are to display the original certificate number, new date and the words “Reissued in lieu of original dated……”
5. In the AQF register a line is to be inserted under the original information recording the new date of issue. In the adjacent column “H” the words “Reissued in lieu of original dated (insert date)……” is to be noted.

Standard 3

The RTO issues, maintains and accepts AQF certification documentation in accordance with these Standards and provides access to learner records Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015

Standard 4

Accurate and accessible information about an RTO, its services and performance is available to inform prospective and current learners and clients Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015

Standard 7

The RTO has effective governance and administration arrangements in place.

Standard 8

The RTO cooperates with the VET Regulator and is legally compliant at all times.