Course Transition Policy

1. Purpose

To provide direction for Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) teaching teams to effectively transition students to replacement nationally recognised training products in line with regulatory requirements.

The policy outlines the responsibilities to meet course transition requirements for transitioning, expired (equivalent and non-equivalent) and deleted nationally accredited training products.

This policy must be read in conjunction with:

• Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015
• Memorandum of Understanding - Subsidised Training, Australian Capital Territory and Canberra Institute of Technology (June 2021-January 2026) and Standards for the Delivery of Training
• Course Transition Procedure.

In the event of any conflict, external regulations take precedence over this policy and procedure.

2. Scope

Where this policy refers to CIT, it includes CIT Solutions.

This policy applies to:

• students enrolled in nationally recognised training products (qualifications, units of competency, skill sets or accredited courses)
• CIT staff delivering and assessing nationally accredited training products
• relevant support areas contributing to students’ transitions to replacement nationally accredited training products or completion of deleted or superseded nationally accredited training products.

This policy does not include courses which are not linked to nationally recognised training products.

3. Principles

Students are entitled to graduate with a qualification that reflects the current skill needs of the relevant industry. If a nationally recognised training product is superseded or deleted, this is a clear indication that industry needs have changed and the previous training product is no longer the most suitable.

All nationally accredited training products undergo quality review for continuous improvement purposes. As an outcome, existing nationally recognised training products are no longer current (the training product has been superseded, removed or deleted from the National Register of VET courses – training.gov.au (TGA).

The Standards for RTOs 2015 provide for a transition period of 12 months for a student to complete a training product for superseded courses, and 24 months for completion of training products where a course is expiring (deleted) from the National Register. From time-to-time, ASQA will advise of an extended timeframe where this is in the best interest of the students and/or industry.

The needs of students and industry are critical to decisions regarding the arrangements to transition students from superseded qualifications into replacement qualifications.

All decisions for additions to and deletions from the Scope of Registration will be made by the Executive Management Committee on advice from the Academic Council, via the Teaching and Learning Quality Committee (refer: Amendment to Scope of Registration Policy and Amendment to Scope of Registration Procedure).

CIT will ensure:

• collaborative approaches will be used across teaching teams and support areas to ensure efficient and timely transition of training products
• efficient and timely completion of transition tasks
• all College Directors, Heads of Department, CIT Solutions, Managers, CIT Apprenticeships and Traineeships and educators will keep abreast of:
  • full changes of qualifications
  • version changes to qualifications
  • other relevant changes to training products
  • subscribing to relevant email alerts from training.gov.au.
• a Transition Plan is implemented for every occasion a nationally accredited training product:
  • is superseded
  • expires or is deleted from the National Register.
• all divisions and departments market and only provide training and assessment in currently endorsed nationally recognised training products.

3.1 Superseded training products and expired VET accredited courses

Where a training product on CIT’s scope of registration is superseded:

• all students' training and assessment is completed, and the relevant AQF certification documentation is issued, or
• students are transferred into its replacement nationally accredited training product, within the specified transition period. This will be a 12-month period (unless otherwise published by ASQA) from the date the replacement training product was released on the National Register.

For training products available to international students on student visas, CRICOS registration will be completed once the new nationally accredited training product is on CIT's scope of registration (refer: Amendment to Scope of Registration Procedure).

International students will receive a new letter of offer and confirmation of enrolment for the new nationally accredited training product.

Where a VET Accredited Course on CIT's scope of registration has expired:

• all students' training and assessment is completed, and the relevant AQF certification documentation is issued
• students are transferred into the replacement qualification
• the qualification is deleted and the specified teach-out period will be a two-year period for qualifications from the date published on the National Register, unless otherwise advised by ASQA
• students studying a Statement of Attainment outcome will be transferred into its replacement within the specified transition period. This will be one year the date the replacement training product was released on the National Register, unless otherwise advised by ASQA
• if the Statement of Attainment is deleted, the teach-out will be one year from the date the published on the National Register unless otherwise advised by ASQA
• if the replacement qualification is offered to international students on student visas, the qualification must be CRICOS registered
• international students will receive a new letter of offer and confirmation of enrolment for the new nationally accredited training product.

CIT will ensure a new student does not, from the date of course accreditation expiry date, enrol and commence training and assessment in the superseded nationally recognised training product.

Students having attained a unit in the most recent superseded qualification, skills set or accredited course will be granted a Credit Transfer for the equivalent unit in the current qualification where the National Register identifies equivalence to the unit in the current qualification.

3.2 Deleted nationally accredited training products

Where a nationally accredited training product is no longer current and has not been replaced by a new nationally accredited training product, meaning it has been discontinued:

• all students’ training and assessment is completed
• the relevant AQF certification documentation is issued within a period of two years from the date the nationally accredited training product was removed or deleted from the National Register.

In the event a skill set (Statement of Attainment) or unit (not attached to a qualification) is removed or deleted from the National Register, and has not been replaced by a new skill set or unit:

• all students' training and assessment is completed
• the relevant AQF certification documentation issued within a period of one year from the date the nationally accredited training product was removed or deleted from the National Register (TGA).

CIT will contact active students using the students' last known details on the CIT student management system (SMS) to inform them of the:

• discontinued nationally accredited training product
• teach out plan for the nationally accredited training product
• final date for awarding the qualification.

CIT will ensure a new student does not, from the date of removal, commence training and assessment in a nationally accredited training product that has been removed or deleted from the National Register (TGA).

3.3. Roles and Responsibilities

3.3.1 Senior Education Leader

The Senior Education Leader is responsible for reporting progress of Transition Plans to the Academic Council and Executive Management Committee.

3.3.2 Academic Registrar

The Academic Registrar is responsible for:

• monitoring the status of nationally recognised training products on CIT's scope of registration and the requirements of the MoU - Subsidised Training between CIT and Skills Canberra
• managing CIT's scope of registration on ASQA's interface
• ensuring written communications with internal stakeholders within 5 working days of the notification alert email from training.gov.au that a nationally accredited training product on CIT's Scope of Registration will be superseded or deleted
• developing a schedule of superseded or deleted courses (in collaboration with the Head of Department Program Services) and enter Final Award dates in the SMS
• managing CIT's Delegation Agreement with ASQA to enable transition
• ensuring that no new students can be admitted (in the SMS) into a product that is deleted or has been removed from the National Register
• ensuring that issuance of certification for all eligible students before the expiry date from the National Register
• ensuring that CIT only markets and promotes currently endorsed nationally accredited training products (Handbook Entry).

3.3.3 College Directors

College Directors are responsible for:

• keeping abreast of changes to nationally accredited training products and subscribing to relevant email alerts from training.gov.au
• keeping abreast of the requirements of the MoU - Subsidised Training between CIT and Skills Canberra
• Approving and monitoring implementation of Transition Plans for superseded nationally accredited training products to be deleted from the National Register Refer Amendment to Scope Policy - 3.1.6
• initiating interventions to address delays in progressing Transition Plans
• reporting progress and achievement of Transition Plans to the Senior Education Leader and Education Design and Delivery Lead.

3.3.4 Head of Department Program Services

The Head of Department Program Services is responsible for:

• monitoring email alerts from training.gov.au when a nationally accredited training product on CIT's Scope of Registration will be superseded or deleted
• supporting teaching areas to develop and implement Transition Plans
• maintaining a schedule of courses in transition and dates for course finalisation in collaboration with the Awards and Programs Manager
• reporting progress towards achieving Transition Plans to the Education Design and Delivery Lead and Senior Educational Leader.

3.3.5 Heads of Department

Heads of Department are responsible for:

• keeping abreast of changes to nationally accredited training products and subscribing to relevant email alerts
• developing the Transition Plan for superseded or deleted nationally accredited training products
• ensuring communications to all active students, employers and other external partners impacted by the nationally accredited training product being superseded or deleted
• ensuring educator teams consider Transition Plans at each team meeting during the transition period
• monitoring implementation of Transition Plans and reporting progress to the relevant College Director
• ensuring that currently endorsed nationally accredited training products are marketed and promoted
• ensuring that all enrolled students are
  • completed and awarded a statement of results, or
  • transitioned into the replacement nationally accredited training product (from the date it appears on the National Register, or
  • moved into a similar product.
• liaising with internal stakeholders impacted by the changes to nationally accredited training products

3.3.6 Educators

Educators are responsible for:

• collaborating in the development and timely implementation of the Transition Plans for superseded nationally accredited training products and deleted nationally accredited training products
• supporting students to transition to new nationally accredited training products or complete the requirements of a deleted nationally accredited training product a month before the final award date
• updating or developing new assessment tools, learning and assessment materials in accordance with the requirements of the new nationally accredited training product and CIT's Quality Assurance System procedures
• adjusting educator competency and currency (Trainer Skills Matrix) in accordance with the requirements of the new nationally accredited training products
• entering all grades into the SMS at least one month before the final award date to allow for compliance reports to be run and testamurs organised.

3.3.7 Senior Manager CIT Apprenticeships and Traineeships

The Senior Manager CIT Apprenticeships and Traineeships is responsible for:

• liaising with internal stakeholders around timeframes and processes to enable the efficient and effective implementation of course transition arrangements
• assisting Heads of Department to identify students to be transitioned
• in cooperation with Heads of Department managing written communications to Australian Apprentices and employers impacted by the nationally accredited training product being superseded
• monitoring the status of:
  • nationally accredited training products on CITs Scope of Registration
  • tuition fees on the AVETARS portal (ACT system to manage Australian Apprentice Training Contracts)
  • the requirements of the MoU – Subsidised Training between CIT and Skills Canberra
  • NSW Smart and Skilled Guidelines and Policies
• monitoring and updating fees and nationally accredited training products on CITs Website
• assisting Heads of Department to ensure all grades are entered by educators before any training contract variations can be actioned in AVETARS and the SMS
• ensuring all eligible funding is obtained before making training contract variations
• liaising with Heads of Department and educators to develop updated training plans on “Ready Skills” (Electronic Tool to support the learning of apprentices and trainees)
• providing updated training plans to all parties once Equivalent Auto CT's have been applied within 8 weeks of transition
• assisting Australian Apprentices completing superseded/deleted nationally accredited training product with Final Completion Sign off with employers and Australian Apprentices one month before the final award date.

3.3.8 Senior Manager International Student Unit

The Senior Manager International Student Unit is responsible for:

• keeping abreast of changes to nationally accredited training products and subscribing to relevant email alerts
• facilitating the CRICOS registration process for each nationally accredited training product in consultation with the Head of Department Program Services
• providing CRICOS registration templates to Heads of Department to enable the CRICOS registration process
• coordinating the approval of the CRICOS registration documentation for each nationally accredited training product
• lodging the CRICOS registration for each nationally accredited training product via asqanet
• issuing international students with Letters of Offer and Confirmation of Enrolments for the new CRICOS registered nationally accredited training products.

4. Documentation

4.1 Related Legislation/Regulation

• Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015
• the Memorandum of Understanding - Subsidised Training (the MOU) with Skills Canberra
• NSW Smart and Skilled Guidelines and Policies
• ASQA General Direction on Learner Transition

4.2 Related Policy and Procedures

• Course Transition Procedure
• Credit Transfer Policy
• Credit Transfer Procedure
• Fees Policy
• Industry and Community Engagement (Training and Assessment) Procedure
• Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure
• Amendment to Scope of Registration Policy
• Amendment to Scope of Registration Procedure
• Course Closure Procedure

4.3 Related Documents

• Related CRICOS information on the intranet
• Related apprenticeship/traineeship information on the intranet
• Related information for domestic students on the intranet.

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definitions of Terms. Specific terms referred to in this procedure are:

6. Policy Contact Officer

Executive Director, Education Futures and Students.

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.

7. Procedures

This policy is implemented through the associated procedures. Authority to make changes to the procedures rests with the policy owner.