Award Finalisation and Graduation Policy

Intent

To provide the requirements associated with Award finalisation and graduations.

Principles

• To ensure the integrity of and rigour in the conferral of Awards offered by JCU
• To ensure graduates have a positive and memorable experience at the completion of their Award
• To ensure that Award titles unambiguously identify qualification types, level and field of study/discipline
• To establish the requirements for graduates to receive the certification documentation to which they are entitled

Scope

All approved Awards and Honorary Awards eligible for conferral by JCU at all onshore and offshore campuses.

Definitions

The definitions used in this policy are found in the Glossary of Terms for Policies in the Student and Teaching and Course Management chapters of the Policy Library.

Policy

1. Students who have met the academic requirements for course completion of the Award in which they are admitted, or for course exit through a related exit award, and have complied with other conditions are confirmed as graduands in accordance with the Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure and Higher Degree by Research Requirements.
2. Once confirmed, graduands will have their Award conferred by the University Council, or by the Chancellor outside of Council meetings.
3. Graduates are entitled to use the official Award Title once the Award has been conferred by the University Council.
4. Award titles are the representation of the qualification type, level, field of study/discipline and program of the qualification consistent with the Australian Qualifications Framework and requirements of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy. Refer to Awards Titling Procedure.
5. Official certification documentation will be issued in accordance with the Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure.
6. A graduate will have access to a Digitised Copy of their testamur and Australian Higher Education Graduate Statement (AHEGS) and may elect to receive original copies:
   1. Immediately after conferral; or
   2. at a Graduation Ceremony.
7. Certification Documentation will be reissued in exceptional circumstances in accordance with the Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure.
8. The conferral of an Award is considered public information in accordance with the Information Privacy Policy. The University may publish or provide confirmation in relation to a graduate’s name, Award/s conferred and their conferral date/s.
9. The University Council may revoke an Award that has been conferred, in accordance with the Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure.
10. Certification Documentation must be returned if the Award has been revoked by University Council or otherwise is required to be surrendered in accordance with the Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure.
11. An Award will be conferred posthumously in accordance with the Posthumous Award Procedure.
12. An Honorary Award is not an AQF qualification. It is approved and conferred in accordance with the Honorary Award Requirements Procedure.
13. The University will recognise academic excellence by setting criteria and approving academic awards, including University and Academic medals, in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure.
14. The Graduation Ceremony will be conducted in accordance with the Graduation Ceremony Procedure.
15. The University Secretary/Marshall or Ceremonies Coordinator may prevent a graduate from being able to participate in a Graduation Ceremony if reasonable grounds of a risk or threat have been identified.

Related policy instruments

Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure

Awards Titling Procedure

Higher Degree by Research Requirements

HDR Conferral Procedure (in development)

Enrolment Policy – Coursework Students

Posthumous Award Procedure

Honorary Award Requirements Procedure

Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure

University Seal Procedure (in development)

Academic Dress Policy

Academic Dress Procedure (in development)

Graduation Ceremony Procedure (in development)

Higher Doctorate Degrees

University Awards

Information Privacy Policy

Related documents and legislation

AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy

Administration

NOTE: Printed copies of this policy are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History

Approval date - the date the approval authority approved the establishment, minor or major amendment or disestablishment

Implementation Date - the date the policy was published in the Policy Library and is the date the policy takes effect