PURPOSE
This policy sets out the principles guiding Global Leadership Institute (GLI) granting of credit and recognition of prior or concurrent learning that contributes towards satisfying the requirements for an award of the Institute.
SCOPE
All courses
DEFINITIONS
Advanced Standing: recognition of achieving a portion of the required knowledge, skills, and understanding of units in a course, expressed as an equivalent unit or number of credit points toward that course. Advanced standing credits are determined based equivalence of unit content and learning outcomes.
Cross Credit:
specified credit is granted towards particular or specific components of a course;
unspecified credit is granted towards elective components of a course;
block credits are granted towards whole stages or components of a course, such as a trimester or a year of full-time study in that course, rather than specific units. This may be applied to formal articulation agreements at the Institute has with other educational providers.
Credit Point: value of each unit of study that contributes towards the completion requirements for a course.
Credit for concurrent formal learning: granted for relevant concurrent learning (approved in advance by the President or Academic Dean) which, on successful completion, will be credited towards an award of the Institute.
Professional Practice Credential: can be a micro-credential that warrants learning acquired through professional practice.
Formal learning: takes place through a structured program that leads to the full or partial achievement of an officially accredited qualification.
Learning: can include formal learning, learning through work or life experience and learning that takes place through a structured program but odes do not lead to an officially accredited qualification.
Masters admission credit: specified credit pre-approved by Academic Board provide to allow students entering specified master’s courses with qualifications which exceed the minimum entry requirements to shorten the duration of their course or credit on the basis of RPL may be granted in addition to master’s Admission credit.
Micro-credential: award that warrants achievement of clearly articulated learning outcomes that is not sufficient alone to lead to the award of an Australian Higher Education Qualification (AQF) or international qualification with equivalent learning outcomes.
Precedent: reference point for future credit decisions agreed by the Institute in consultation with Academic Board based on evidence that students are not disadvantaged in achieving course learning outcomes.
Preclusion: relates to the substitution of a core unit in a course by another approved unit where the student has already completed the requirements for the exempted unit elsewhere.
Recognition of Prior Learning: process used to assess an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal, and non-formal learning) to determine the credit that may be granted.
PRINCIPLES
GLI adheres to the following principles:
credit towards courses based on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are consistent with the Higher Education Standards Framework and maintain the integrity of the course and qualification.
judgements about a student’s best starting point are based on their past achievements or requirements for units within a course so that the student is not advantaged in achieving expected course learning outcomes;
credit based or RPL may be granted towards a component of a course where a student can demonstrate that they have achieved learning outcomes equivalent to the learning outcomes of that component;
credit based on RPL may be granted for micro-credentials awarded by the Institute or other accredited institutions where the micro-credentials evidence achievement of clearly articulated learning outcomes and standards and the identity of the person receiving the micro-credential is verified. Any two Professional Practice Credentials achieved at a specified AQF level will attract one unit or 10 credit points of unspecified credit at the same AQF level, where the course rules allow, up to a maximum of two units or 20 credit points;
unspecified credit on the basis of RPL cannot be granted towards compulsory components of a course;
Masters admission credit will be granted to students entering specified master’s courses with qualification which exceed the minimum entry requirements. The credit available will be aligned with the entry requirements for 80 credit points for Graduate Diploma courses and 160 credit points for Masters courses. Masters admission credit will be granted automatically at the point of course offer and will not require a separate application for credit;
Credit granted towards a course based on RPL must meet the following requirements:
Informal or non-formal learning must mapped against the learning outcomes of a program, course or
AQF Level;
Students must complete a minimum of one-third of their studies in their current course, or five units (50 credit points), whichever is the greater at the Institute. For Graduate Diploma, a minimum of 30 Institute credit points must be completed. For Graduate Certificate, a minimum of 20 Institute credit points must be completed. For courses that integrate Professional Practice credentials, students must complete specified preparatory and capstone units as approved by the Academic Board.
For students receiving master’s admission credit, the maximum credit available will be up to 50 credit points and based on the shortened duration after the application of master’s admission credit.
Credit based on RPL is granted:
Conditionally on a student meeting additional requirement;
Where credit has been granted towards an institute course and the award has been received;
For formal learning assessed as a ‘fail’, ‘pass conceded ‘or equivalent grade;
For a unit, a student has already attempted and received a finalised grade;
For formal learning undertaken while the student is excluded from a course at the Institute, except where such formal learning is undertaken with the prior approval of the Dean or nominee;
For prior learning acquired more than 10 years before the RPL credit. However, with the approval of the Academic Board, the Institute may impose a shorter time limit for some courses to ensure currency of knowledge and skills appropriate to the discipline. The shorter time limit must be clearly communicated to current and prospective students via public web pages.
Where a preclusion is approved and credit is not awarded, a student will be required to replace the precluded unit(s) with an equivalent number of credit points (units) from specified elective units.
In exceptional circumstances, the Chair of Academic Board may approve exceptions to the requirements of this policy.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Academic Board is responsible for setting the requirements for credit based on RPL. The President, Academic Dean and Program Director are responsible for centrally managing the RPL process and maintaining and applying precedents to approve credit towards courses based on RPL in accordance with this policy.
The President and Academic Dean are also responsible for:
making reciprocal credit based on RPL arrangements with other institutions to establish credit to be granted for courses offered by the Institute.
approving credit towards courses based on RPL in accordance with the principles specified in this policy and the processes specified in this policy and procedure.
maintaining records of reciprocal credit based on RPL arrangements.
Scope
All courses
Key Stakeholder
All staff and students
Proceedure
Following are the procedures for advanced standing, cross credit or RPL:
Applicants who wish to apply for advanced standing, cross credit or RPL must indicate this on the GLI application form and provide certified evidence of completed qualifications along with other relevant documentation (e.g. unit outlines).
Applicants must substantiate completion of studies or work experience cognate to the unit(s) for which exemption is sought.
Decisions on the applications of advanced standing, credit transfer, and RPL are made by the Program Director or delegated representative. All decisions should be informed by careful professional judgment that is transparent and fair.
Credit is assessed based on at least 80% equivalence of content and learning outcomes between the previous learning and a GLI unit.
All applications must be submitted during the application process, and not postmatriculation.
Applicants must demonstrate completion of studies cognate to the unit(s) for which exemption is sought.
Where studies were taken at an international institution, AEI NOOSR Country Education Profiles checks are performed to correlate the course against the AQF.
The applicant will be advised within 20 working days in writing of the results of their application for advanced standing, credit transfer, or RPL. The result will be formally recorded on the student’s file.
If the duration of the course has been changed for an accepted international student because of the application decision, such as granting RPL, it must be reported in accordance with section 19 of the ESOS Act, and in accordance with Standard 2 of the National Code 2018 as follows:
inform the student of the reduced course duration following granting of RPL and ensure the confirmation of enrolment (CoE) is issued only for the reduced duration of the course;
report any change in course duration in PRISMS if RPL or course credit is granted after the overseas student’s visa is granted.
Once a decision has been determined by the Program Director or delegated representative, the Registrar will record the result on the GLI Credit Register as a precedent for future applications.
The Student Grievance and Appeals Policy should be followed if the unsuccessful application is to be disputed.