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Monitoring Course Progression Procedure

Purpose
Scope
Definitions
Actions
Higher Education Program Progression Monitoring
TAFE Course Progression Monitoring
Responsibilities
Policy Base
Associated Documents
Forms/Record Keeping
Implementation

Purpose

This procedure describes how the University of Ballarat will:

  • systematically monitor, record and assess the program progression of each international student for each course of the program they are enrolled in;
  • be proactive in notifying, supporting and counselling students who are at risk of failing to meet program progression requirements.

For international students, this procedure also describes the circumstances in which the University of Ballarat will report students via PRISMS if students do not meet program progression requirements.

This procedure ensures the University of Ballarat’s compliance with Standard 10 of the National Code.

Scope

This procedure articulates the University’s practices as they apply to International Students in compliance with the ESOS Act 2000 and Standard 10 of the National Code 2007.

Definitions

At Risk: An ‘At Risk’ student is a student who for any reason, is considered as not, or potentially not, meeting program or course progression requirements.
Intervention Management Tool:

A method, tool or process that allows the following processes:

  • Recording of submission of assessment tasks and the grade awarded,
  • Identifies if the student is above or below the designated ‘At Risk’ level,
  • Recording of communication with student.
Intervention Strategy: Any documented action targeted at addressing the needs of an ‘at risk’ student.

Partner Provider

(PP):

 Educational institute providing programs and courses of the University of Ballarat through an approved Education Agreement.
PRISMS: The Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS) is the system used to process information given to the Secretary of DEEWR by registered providers.
Program: A full-time registered program of education or training registered on CRICOS for the attainment of a testamur or certificate. Defined as course in the ESOS Act. Also known as Course in TAFE sector.
Program/Course Progression/Progress: The measure of advancement through academic merit or skill based competencies towards the completion of a program/course as per course/unit/module guidelines.
Satisfactory Progress: Satisfactory completion of the academic merit or skill based competency requirements as per course/unit / module guidelines.
Student: A person who holds an Australian Student Visa, and is an 'overseas Student' as defined by the ESOS Act.
Study Period: Teaching period up to but not exceeding six months as defined by timetable or study plan. This procedure follows a semester as the study period.
Unsatisfactory Progress: At a minimum where student has failed or is not deemed competent in 50 % or more of units/courses attempted in a study period as per program/course outline.
A TAFE student may only repeat a unit twice before not meeting academic progress for individual units which may affect their overall academic progress for the study period.

Actions

The University’s academic approved program/course/module guidelines specify the progress requirements for each program/course/module that forms part of a program or course. These guidelines are communicated to staff and students via the Student Handbook and the UB Program Finder.

Actions required to meet this procedure are outlined in the following sections:

Higher Education Program Progression Monitoring.

TAFE Course Progression Monitoring.

 

Higher Education Program Progression Monitoring

  STEPS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? COMMENTS
1. Interim Monitoring: As far as practicable all students' progress will be assessed on completion of the first assessment task in each course, in each semester/study period of program. School / PP  
2. Record and Analyse assessment task. School / PP  
3. Students whose results are below required standard or have not lodged an assessment task are sent a communication from the School. School / PP
  • Schools to develop their own Intervention Management Tool for communication & intervention strategies for the monitoring at the interim & end point of the program study period . Refer to UB's Intervention Strategy - Monitoring Course Progression Guidelines for assistance in meeting ESOS Legislation compliance. Note: only one contact with student required for interim monitoring.
4. Assess all students’ Program Progression at the end point of each semester/study period for the program. School / PP  
5. Course completed and grade assessed via Ratification Committee / Process. School / PP
  • A supplementary assessment may be offered to the student as per Ratification Committee process.
6.

Determine outcome:

a)Student satisfactorily progresses, or

b)Students progress is unsatisfactory but has not met the exclusion level (student at risk),

Intervention Strategy - Monitoring Program/Course Progression Guidelines to be implemented, or

c)Students progress is unsatisfactory – leading to the decision to exclude or suspend. This decision is usually made by the

Academic Progress Committee within each School.

The student must be notified of this decision and enrolment continued with until Internal / External appeals processes are finalised where applicable. (Refer to Statute 5.5 for information regarding the Appeals process).

 School / PP
  • End of study period Intervention Strategy - Student must be contacted by the School/PP to arrange a meeting to discuss an Intervention Strategy. If the student does not arrange a time for the meeting, at least one more contact must be made preferably in a different format from first contact. All correspondence in regard to intervention strategy meetings is to be held in student's file.
  • An Intervention Strategy must be implemented by the School or PP if a student, at a minimum, has failed 50% or more of the courses attempted in a semester. Refer to UB's Intervention Strategy - Monitoring Course Progression Guidelines for assistance in meeting ESOS Legislation compliance.
  • Students who have failed less than 50% of courses studied e.g one course out of four, are to be advised to contact Course Coordinator or Academic Coordinator to discuss their course result (refer point 3).
  • The student may appeal the decision to exclude or suspend his or her enrolment in accordance with Statute 5.5. Information on the appeal process must be included in the 'Failure to Meet Program Progression' letter sent to the student by the School. The student has 20 working days from date of receiving the letter to do so.
  • Correspondence to students in regard to appeals and appeal outcomes must be sent to student's UB student email account followed by Australia Post to current postal address. Postage can be regular, express or registered post.
7. If the student has been excluded, the student must be reported via PRISMS of the student not achieving satisfactory program progress as soon as practicable. School / ISP
  • Reporting of student is to occur when:
    1. the student does not access the Appeals process within the 20 day working period,
    2. withdraws from the process
    3. is unsuccessful in having the decision overturned through the Appeals process.
  • DEEWR must be notified via PRISMS at the appropriate point noted above. The student will be sent a Section 20 Notice of Intention to Report letter generated by PRISMS which advises the student to contact DIAC.
  • Refer to the Reporting International Students via PRISMS Guidelines for documentation to be forwarded to ISP at time of request to report student.

TAFE Course Progression Monitoring

  STEPS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? COMMENTS
1. Students are to complete first Student Progress Report no later than mid-semester (end of first term in semester). Teachers / Course Co-ordinator  
2. School to complete Review of Progress section in Student Progress Report. School  
3.

Determine outcome:

Student satisfactorily progresses, or

Students progress is unsatisfactory but has not met the exclusion level (at risk),

Intervention Strategy - Monitoring Program/Course Progression Guidelines to be implemented, or

Students progress is unsatisfactory – leading to the decision to exclude or suspend. This decision is usually made by the

Academic Progress Committee within each School.

The student must be notified of this decision and enrolment continued with until Internal / External appeals processes are finalised where applicable. (Refer to Statute 5.5 for information regarding the Appeals process).

 School
  • Intervention Strategy - Student must be contacted by the School/PP to arrange a meeting to discuss an Intervention Strategy. If the student does not arrange a time for the meeting, at least one more contact must be made preferably in a different format from first contact. All correspondence in regard to intervention strategy meetings is to be held in student's file.
  • An Intervention Strategy must be implemented by the School or PP if a student, at a minimum, has failed 50% or more of the courses attempted in a semester. Refer to UB's Intervention Strategy - Monitoring Course Progression Guidelines to assist with meeting ESOS Legislation compliance.
  • The intervention strategy is recorded in the Student Progress Report.
  • The student may appeal the decision to exclude or suspend his or her enrolment in accordance with Statute 5.5. This information must be included in the 'Failure to Meet Program Progression' letter sent to the student. The student has 20 working days from date of receiving the letter to do so.
5. Reassess all students’ Course Progress no later than on completion of each semester.
Initiate the Second Student Progress Report.		 Teachers / Course Co-ordinators Follow points 2 & 3 as stated above.
6. If the student has been excluded, the student must be reported via PRISMS of the student not achieving satisfactory program progress as soon as practicable. School/ISP
  • Reporting of student is to occur when:
    1. the student does not access the Appeals process within the 20 day working period,
    2. withdraws from the process
    3. is unsuccessful in having the decision overturned through the Appeals process.
  • DEEWR must be notified via PRISMS at the appropriate point noted above. The student will be sent a Section 20 Notice of Intention to Report letter generated by PRISMS which advises the student to contact DIAC.
  • Refer to the Reporting International Students via PRISMS Guidelines for documentation to be forwarded to ISP at time of request to report student.
  • Correspondence to students in regard to appeals and appeal outcomes must be sent to student's UB student email account followed by Australia Post to current postal address. Postage can be regular, express or registered post.

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities for action are included under Actions.

Policy Base

Associated Documents

Forms

Forms/Record Keeping

Title Location Responsible Officer Minimum Retention Period
Completed Assessment Tasks Grades Software or equivalent Teacher/Lecturer/
Tutor		 7 years
Evidence of assessing a students course progress at the end of each study period Grades Software or equivalent Teacher/Lecturer/
Tutor		 7 years
Intervention Strategy agreement Student File School/PP 7 years
Students Study Plan as a result of intervention strategy Student File School/PP 7 years
Notification letters / emails of the intention to report sent to students Student file School 15 years
Evidence of an appeals Student file School 15 years
Evidence of student being reported to DEEWR Student file ISP 7 years
Student Progress Report Student file School 7 years
Student Experience Survey Student file School 7 years

Implementation

The Monitoring Course Progression Procedure will be implemented throughout the University of Ballarat via:

  1. an Announcement Notice under ‘UB Communicate’ on the ‘myUB Gateway’ website and through the University of Ballarat Policy - ‘Recently Approved Documents’ webpage to alert the University-wide community of the approved Procedure;
  2. inclusion on the University of Ballarat Policy, Procedure and Forms website; and
  3. University of Ballarat ESOS Committee members and Partner Providers will be notified by Manager, International Providers & ESOS Compliance.
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Intervention Strategy - Monitoring Course Progression Guidelines 
 Reporting International Students via PRISMS Guidelines