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  1. Academic
Authority Source: Academic Quality Standards Committee
Approval Date: 18/12/2023
Publication Date: 22/01/2024
Review Date: 18/01/2027
Effective Date: 19/01/2024
Custodian: Pro Vice-Chancellor, Future Students
Contact: Director.SC@canberra.edu.au (Director, Student Connect)
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this procedure the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
Academic Certification Procedure
1. Purpose:
  1. This document sets out the University of Canberra's (University) procedures regarding the contents, production and issuance of academic certification, including testamurs, transcripts and graduation statements.
2. Scope:
  1. This Procedure covers all University awards within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), and academic certification provided to students in respect of those awards and the courses leading to those awards.
  2. The Procedure also covers academic certification issued to students who complete one or more units, which may lead to an AQF qualification, without completing the award, honorary degrees and collaborative testamurs.
3. Procedure:
Introduction
  1. Testamurs, AHEGS and academic transcripts are prepared under the authority of the Director, Student Connect by designated staff in Student Connect, and are issued in a format that reduces fraudulent reproduction.
  2. The production and format of testamurs, AHEGS and academic transcripts for students enrolled in joint courses leading to joint awards with third-party providers must adhere to the requirements detailed in the Joint Award Courses Policy and Joint Award Courses Procedure.
  3. The Director, Student Connect will ensure that all academic requirements for the qualifications have been completed and that a student does not have any debt to the University before certifying a student is eligible to receive a testamur and AHEGS.
  4. The name appearing on the testamur, AHEGS and academic transcript will be the full name recorded in the student management system without any titles or abbreviations.
Testamurs
  1. Testamurs will contain the following information:
    1. University name and logo (and, where applicable, third-party provider name and logo);
    2. the name of the graduate who is entitled to receive the AQF qualification;
    3. the qualification by its full title;
    4. where applicable, the major/s completed
    5. date of the award or its date of conferral; and
    6. where applicable, the honours classification awarded; and
    7. the name(s) of the person(s) of the University who are authorised to issue the documentation.
  2. The testamur must include supplementary information to the award where approved by Council:
    1. indicating the course is taught in another specified language;
    2. indicating the course is taught in English and another specified language; and
    3. for courses conducted jointly with third-party providers under written agreement (refer to the Joint Award Courses Policy and Joint Award Courses Procedure); and
    4. collaborative testamurs that are not issued following a joint course/award but represent another arrangement.
  3. The number of testamurs conferred will be:
    1. one testamur for a single qualification;
    2. two testamurs for a double qualification or combined qualification (one for each accredited award); or
    3. one testamur for a joint qualification.
  4. Testamurs will be issued with the University seal and will be signed by the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor. The signatures will appear in facsimile form on all testamurs except where the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor elect to hand-sign for certain types of testamurs (such as for honorary degrees).
Collaborative Testamurs
  1. Collaborative testamurs may be issued following an agreement between the University and another education provider at the commencement or development of a course.
  2. A collaborative testamur may reflect the collaborative arrangement of the provision of a degree but does not have to represent a joint award. Joint awards are the representation of a joint course which leads to a joint award (Joint Award Courses Policy and Joint Award Courses Procedure).
  3. A collaborative testamur must only represent an award in the name of one institution but can present the logo and signature of the relevant third-party provider Vice-Chancellor (or equivalent).
Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements (AHEGS)
  1. AHEGS will comply with the Australian Government Guidelines for the Presentation of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements.
  2. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) may approve any optional information to be included on the AHEGS as specified in the Guidelines for the Presentation of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements. Only information which is centrally recorded, verifiable and relates to activities during the period of candidature from which the student is graduating will be included on AHEGS.
  3. AHEGS will identify the qualification as an AQF qualification by the use of the AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council or by the words: ‘The qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework’ (See Clause 2.1.5 of the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.)
  4. AHEGS will be issued on the authority of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic. A facsimile signature may be used.
  5. AHEGS are provided to students who graduated from September 2010 onwards.
Academic Transcripts
  1. A free digital transcript is issued at the time of course completion and a free hard copy is provided at the graduation ceremony. At other times, additional transcripts can be purchased digitally (via My eQuals) or in hardcopy. An academic transcript is issued free of charge to students on completion of their course.
  2. An academic transcript will not be issued to a student who has a financial debt or any other encumbrance with an effect involving a transcript block with the University.
  3. An academic transcript will detail a student's entire enrolment record at the University, including:
    1. student name as recorded in the student management system and University student identification number;
    2. academic awards conferred and/or awards completed and yet to be conferred;
    3. a record of all enrolled units at the University and their grades, including any failed units, incomplete units and units withdrawn after census dates;
    4. all incomplete courses in which the student has been, or is currently, enrolled;
    5. completed or enrolled major if identified by the student;
    6. a full record of any credit granted for previous formal study or recognised prior learning;
    7. award of the University Medal and other commendations where relevant;
    8. Grade Point Average (GPA), where applicable; and
    9. Weighted Average Mark (WAM), where applicable.
Order of Names
  1. The default order of names on academic certification documentation is given name, middle name, family name.
  2. For testamurs only, students may nominate a different name order for cultural reasons.
  3. Name order changes are to be advised during the name check process prior to conferral.
  4. Name order changes will not be accepted following conferral (with the exception of legal name changes where supporting documentation is provided).
  5. Where a student elects a different name order from the default, the family name will be indicated in capitals.
Surrender of Testamurs and AHEGS
  1. The University may require the return of a testamur and AHEGS in the following circumstances:
    1. the award was improperly obtained; or
    2. on application for a replacement document due to damage or legal name change; or
    3. where an award has been erroneously presented by the University or contains incorrect details.
Application for Re-issue or Replacement of Testamurs and AHEGS
  1. The Director, Student Connect may approve the re-issue or replacement of a testamur and AHEGS due to loss, damage or change of name, upon receipt of documentation which includes:
    1. a completed application form;
    2. the original testamur and AHEGS if available;
    3. a Statutory Declaration if the original testamur is not available;
    4. in case of a legal name change, legal documents confirming the reason for the request and linking the new name with the original name;
    5. photographic identification; and
    6. payment of the prescribed fee which is set annually.
  2. Only the information contained in the original AHEGS will be included in a re-issued AHEGS, irrespective of when it is reissued.
  3. All replacement or re-issued testamurs (including those which relate to the antecedent institution, Canberra College of Advanced Education) will be issued in the approved format which is in effect at the time of the re-issue and will include words to indicate that it is a re-issued document.
  4. Re-issued or replaced testamurs will not be presented at a graduation ceremony.
  5. Appeals against a decision not to re-issue or replace a testamur may be lodged with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, via the Director, Student Connect, who will consider the appeal.
Charges for Re-issue or Replacement of Testamurs, Academic Transcripts and AHEGS
  1. The scheduled fee to cover the cost associated with re-issuing a testamur or AHEGS and/or issuing an academic transcript will be set annually by Student Connect and approved by the Vice-Chancellor under the delegated authority of the Council. The fees will be included in the University of Canberra Schedule of Fees and Charges and published on the University website.
Record Keeping
  1. Student Connect will record in the student management system:
    1. the name of each person admitted to an award together with the title of the award and the date on which it was conferred, in accordance with the University of Canberra Conferring of Awards Rules 2022; and
    2. all details contained in each issued AHEGS to enable the re-issuing of an AHEGS in its original version.
4. Roles and Responsibilities:
Who Responsibilities
Council
Academic Board
Vice- Chancellor
  • Approve the annual fee(s) for issuing academic transcripts and re-issuing testamurs and AHEGS (under delegated authority by Council).
Deputy Vice- Chancellor. Academic
  • Approve the optional information to be included on the AHEGS. Certify an AHEGS.
  • Consider a graduate’s appeal against a decision not to re-issue or replace a testamur, academic transcript and AHEGS.
Director, Student Connect
  • Ensure that testamurs, academic transcripts and AHEGS meet the specification outlined in this policy and procedure document.
  • Certify a student has met all academic requirements for the qualification. Ensure that the student has repaid all debt to the University.
  • Arrange issuing testamurs, academic transcripts and AHEGS from the student management system.
  • Authorise the re-issue or replacement of a testamur or AHEGS.
  • Ensure testamurs and AHEGS are returned under the conditions set out in this Policy and Procedure document.
  • Ensure academic blanks, the University seal and other security features of the testamur, academic transcript and AHEGS paper are held in a secure location.
  • Annually recommend to the Vice-Chancellor an appropriate fee for the issue of academic transcripts and the re issue of testamurs and AHEGS.
  • Ensure all appropriate records are maintained on the student management system.
Student
  • Notify the graduation officer if they are attending the graduation ceremony. Ensure that their mailing address is correct if they graduate in absentia.
  • Check that the testamur, academic transcript and AHEGS have the correct details.
  • Clear any outstanding debt(s) to the University.
  • Pay the fees associated with the re-issue of the testamurs or AHEGS and issue of an academic transcript.
5. Governing Policy and Legislation:
  1. The following are the governing policy and legislation for this Procedure:
    1. University of Canberra (Courses and Awards) Statute 2010
    2. University of Canberra Act 1989
    3. University of Canberra Conferring of Awards Rules 2022
    4. University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2023
6. Supporting Information:
  1. The following information supports this Procedure:
    1. Academic Certification Policy
    2. AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy
    3. Australian Qualifications Framework
    4. Course Policy
    5. Guidelines for the Presentation of an AHEGS
    6. Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards 2021
    7. Joint Award Courses Policy
    8. Joint Award Courses Procedure
7. Definitions:
Terms Definitions
Academic transcript An academic transcript will detail a student's entire enrolment record at the University. It may be issued at any time during progress towards a qualification and will also be issued on graduation.
Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) A supplementary statement to qualification certification documentation that provides information to enhance understanding of the qualification by students, employers, industry, professional associations and internationally. The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) is issued only on award of a qualification. 
Graduation ceremony Graduation ceremony is a ceremony for the conferring of awards authorised to be held under rule 8 of the Conferring of Awards Rules 2022.
Joint award A joint award is an award granted and conferred on completion of a joint course under a formal agreement between two or more institutions.
Honorary Award An honorary award is not an AQF qualification. It is usually awarded by an issuing organisation to recognise a person’s public service or service to the organisation, or in recognition of distinguished contribution by the person in a field of academic endeavour (The Australian Qualifications Framework).
Posthumous Posthumous in relation to an award means awarded after the death of the student.
Testamur A testamur is an official certification document that confirms that a qualification has been awarded to an individual. (AQF Glossary of Terminology).