Credit Transfer Policy

1. Purpose

To ensure eligible prospective and enrolled students can gain recognition through credit transfer of previous study at an Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

This policy should be read in conjunction with Credit Transfer Procedure.

2. Scope

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

This policy covers Credit Transfer for Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) courses.

Under the principles of National Recognition credit is granted for any unit successfully completed at another RTO when the unit has:

• exactly the same code and title, even if it is not from the same Training Package
• been mapped from another Training Package/curriculum and recoded, however the learning outcomes remain the same and published on the National Register (taining.gov.au - TGA)
• been updated from a superseded unit and is equivalent in the revised Training Package and published on the National Register.

Applications for credit transfer can be made for all units offered by CIT, irrespective of delivery mode or location. However, in some cases, licensing or regulatory requirements may prevent a unit being awarded through a credit transfer process.

Credit Transfer may also apply to arrangements of pre-defined credit for successful completion of part or full qualifications awarded from another institution.

This policy applies to:

• all prospective and enrolled students
• CIT staff including administrators and educators involved with the commencement, delivery and completion of VET qualifications.

2.1 About Credit Transfer

A key pillar of the national vocational education and training (VET) system is that nationally endorsed qualifications, skill sets and units of competency are recognised and portable across the country - regardless of where they were issued. Students must not be required to repeat any unit or module in which they have already been assessed as competent, unless a regulatory requirement or license condition (including an industry licensing scheme) requires this.

Credit transfer is one of several processes for establishing credit. It provides a means for students to gain credit in an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) qualification based on completed components of another AQF qualification or other formal learning.

Credit Transfer must be granted for studies completed at an RTO.

A Credit Transfer involves neither delivery nor formal assessment by CIT of the student’s skills and knowledge.

Providing credit transfer is recognising the equivalence in content and learning outcomes between different types of learning and/or qualifications previously undertaken and completed successfully.^[1] It is the responsibility of the individual requesting a credit transfer to declare any previous study for which they may wish to claim credit transfer and provide documentation to support their claim for credit transfer.

If a student provides an authentic formal academic transcript or Unique Student Identifier (USI) evidence of successfully completing a nationally recognised training product at an RTO, CIT will provide credit transfer for the unit or module.

Credit transfer for previous studies is not recognition of prior learning (RPL). RPL is an assessment-only pathway of determining the competence of a person. Refer: Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure.

When reviewing applications for credit transfer, suitably experienced staff at CIT will be guided by the need to:

• ensure the integrity of CIT qualifications are maintained
• comply with all relevant ACT and national regulatory frameworks
• increase accessibility of education for students
• ensure the applicant has a reasonable prospect of completing the qualification.

CIT will comply with requirements of regulatory bodies where the extent to which credit transfer is available is specified or limited.

For International Students on student visas any reduction in the course duration will be reported to the Department of Education via the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS) under section 19 of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act.

¹ ASQA https://www.asqa.gov.au/rtos/users-guide-standards-rtos-2015/chapter-2-enrolment/clause-35-accept-and-provide-credit-learners

3. Principles

CIT is committed to:

• providing accessible information to students regarding credit transfer processes
  • on the CIT website
  • as part of the student induction
  • as part of the enrolment process
• facilitating the credit transfer process at no cost to the student
• facilitating Credit Transfer in line with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Qualifications Pathways Policy, the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO) 2015
• preserving the integrity of qualifications and statements of attainment issued by CIT
• adoption of an evidence-based approach to Credit Transfer
• ensuring decisions on credit transfer maintain the integrity of qualifications
• ensuring credit transfers for electives are guided by the job outcome sought, local industry requirements and the complexity of skills appropriate to the AQF level of this qualification.

3.1 Applying for credit transfer

CIT will:

• allow applications for credit transfer where applicants have been admitted into a CIT course; however, do not need to be enrolled in a course at CIT to apply for credit transfer
• provide opportunities for the student to apply for Credit Transfer as part of the enrolment processes and understand additional credit transfers may be applied for during the student’s enrolment
• ensure applicants are aware they can seek assistance and submit applications at CIT Student Services and/or CIT teaching areas
• consider only applications for credit transfer for nationally accredited training products that have been assessed by another RTO
• not consider applications for credit transfer for 100 per cent of units/subjects in a course. At least one subject must be achieved by either enrolment or Recognition of Prior Learning
• not accept applications for credit transfers where CIT does not have the unit available in the student management system (SMS)
• validate any qualification, statement of attainment or record of results by directly accessing the applicant’s USI transcript online or by contacting the issuing organisation to confirm the authenticity of the certification documentation.

3.2 Granting credit transfer

CIT will:

• grant a credit transfer in instances where the unit has exactly the same code and title, even if it is not from the same training package
• grant credit transfer for a superseded unit from the previous training package which has been deemed equivalent
• grant credit transfer where the unit has been reviewed (mapped) and this has resulted in minor changes to the unit code or title e.g. ‘A’ code to ‘B’ code, and the review indicates that the outcomes of the unit have remained substantially the same
• not grant credit transfer if the learning outcomes of the completed unit are judged as not substantially the same as the learning outcomes for which credit is being sought. The learning outcomes can be utilised as part of an RPL process.

3.3 Non-aligned units of competency

Where one unit of competency does not have the same national code but meets all the requirements of another unit of competency, Credit Transfer may be granted following rigorous mapping by the relevant Head of Department and with the approval of the Head of Department Education Quality.

3.4 Responsibilities

3.4.1 Manager Awards and Programs

The Manager Awards and Programs is responsible for ensuring all:

• course information is current in the SMS and units are checked for compliance and added to the course CAPP reports in a timely manner for credit transfer
• course information on the CIT website is compliant, current so potential and current students can make an informed choice regarding credit transfer.

3.4.2 Manager Information and Recognition

The Manager Information and Recognition is responsible for:

• ensuring all marketing information includes current information regarding Credit Transfer processes
• ensuring applications for credit transfer NOT relating to alternative electives:
  • are assessed in a timely manner
  • include validation and authentication of academic transcripts where necessary
  • confirm granting of credit transfer
  • authorise updating the student enrolment record and results.
• assessing applications for credit transfer where the units subject to the application do not have the same national code and submitting recommendations to the Head of Department Education Quality for approval
• confirming consideration of applications relating to alternative electives.

3.4.3 Heads of Departments

Heads of Departments are responsible for:

• assessing applications for credit transfer where the units subject to the application do not have the same national code and submitting recommendations to the Head of Department Education Quality for approval
• confirming consideration of applications relating to alternative electives.

3.4.4 Skills Recognition Processing Team - Student Experience Officers

Skills Recognition Processing Team members are responsible for:

• providing an initial assessment of the application and supporting documentation
• referring to the Heads of Departments any requests for credit transfer relating to an alternative elective outside the units listed on the CIT handbook entry
• screening the academic transcript to ensure minimum details are provided and assessing the validity of the application.

4. Documentation

4.1 Related Legislation/Regulation

• Canberra Institute of Technology Act 1987
• Education Services for Overseas Student (ESOS) Act 2000
• Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015
• Australian Qualifications Framework: Qualifications Pathways Policy

4.2 Related Policy and Procedures

• Credit Transfer Procedure
• Academic Advice and Issuance Certification Policy
• International Students on student visas compliance with the ESOS Act policy and procedure
• Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure

4.3 Related Documents

• Credit Transfer Mapping template
• CIT Pathways
• Skills Recognition "The Facts How to Apply" Brochure
• Credit Transfer: An explanation (Australian Qualifications Framework)
• Credit Transfer (Australian Skills Quality Authority)

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definitions of Terms. The following terms are provided in the context of this policy.

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.