How to accredit courses in Queensland under the Australian Quality Training Framework (to be used in conjunction with AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses) Accreditation team Version 14
February 2008
Contents Page 3
Part 1 Introduction Definition of terms List of abbreviations and acronyms
6 6
Part 2 The Six Stages in the Course Accreditation Process Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6
Concept Consultation Course Development Course Evaluation Rectification Cycle Course Approval Course Monitoring
7 10 12 14 16 18
Part 3 Support Information Accreditation Moderation Committee Appeals Apprenticeships and traineeships AVETMISS Centre for Training Materials Centrelink related payments Copyright Course code Course records management Delivery of the course Fee schedule for applications related to course accreditation Employability skills Government funding Industry Skills Councils – contact details Legislative requirements Ministerial guidelines Additional lower qualifications identified in course structure Nominal duration Overseas students Qualification level and title Refund policy Unit codes for enterprise units of competency Vocational placement Website address: Department of Education, Training and the Arts
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Part 1. INTRODUCTION The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) 2007 Standards for State and Territory Course Accrediting Bodies set out the requirements for course accrediting bodies in undertaking course accreditation functions. The AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses sets out the standards relevant to course accreditation and need to be read in conjunction with this document. These Standards can be downloaded from the website: http://www.training.com.au/portal/site/public/menuitem.91cdbaeb7a2bc0e2cd9ae78617a62dbc/ The AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses outline obligations of course copyright owners and include a template for course documentation for accreditation as an appendix. The template assists course developers in developing and documenting vocational education and training (VET) courses for accreditation under the AQTF, which lead to an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification or statement of attainment. Supporting the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses is the Users Guide for Accredited Courses. How to Accredit Courses in Queensland under the AQTF, explains the Queensland Training and Employment Recognition Council (TERC) processes for the accreditation of courses. The approved forms are to be used in conjunction with these processes. The processes are outlined in the flowcharts with additional clarification provided in the text. Under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 the TERC holds the authority to accredit vocational education and training courses in this State. In designing this process, care has been taken to ensure that it is: • responsive with regard to meeting industry/enterprise/community needs in an acceptable timeframe • credible in validating industry need and technical accuracy • cost effective in avoiding duplication and re-work where possible • flexible in obtaining industry/enterprise/community input and support • compliant with the AQTF Standards for State and Territory Course Accrediting Bodies. How to Accredit Courses in Queensland under the AQTF identifies and addresses the six key stages related to course accreditation. These are: Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6
Concept Consultation Course Development Course Evaluation Rectification Cycle Course Approval Course Monitoring
Stage 1 Concept Consultation covers the very important research and initial consultation phase. It is the responsibility of the course copyright owner to undertake this research and establish an industry, industry sector, enterprise and/or community need for the course prior to developing a course concept proposal. Stage 2 Course Development includes the validation by the Course Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) of the need for the course, the qualification outcome, course structure and the content of any units of competency developed by the CDAC. An important part of Stage 2 is ensuring that the course documentation, including any competencies developed by the CDAC, is formatted in accordance with the requirements of the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses.
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Careful attention by the course developer to Stages 1 and 2 should expedite Stage 3 Course Evaluation by the Accreditation Team, Training Quality and Regulation, and may eliminate the need for Stage 4 Rectification Cycle. To facilitate Stage 5 Course Approval in a responsive timeframe, a course that has been recommended for accreditation is normally considered by a delegate of the TERC. If a course does not meet the AQTF and AQF standards after two rectification cycles, the application will be forwarded to the TERC with a recommendation that accreditation of the course should be refused. In the case of a refusal, the TERC will provide the applicant with an information notice setting out the reasons for the refusal. Stage 6 Course Monitoring follows the accreditation of the course and is an important responsibility of the course copyright owner or where applicable, the course developer, to ensure that the course maintains its quality and relevance. It is recommended that you read the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses and Users’ Guide for Accredited Courses before you proceed to read this document, as it only describes the process for course accreditation in Queensland. As part of your early research you should also scan the relevant sections of the Training Package Development Handbook on developing units of competency, especially Part 2 (endorsed components). This resource can be downloaded from the website http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/publications_resources/profiles/Training_Package_Deve lopment_Handbook.htm
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HOW TO ACCREDIT COURSES IN QUEENSLAND Six (6) Key Stages STAGE 1 CONCEPT CONSULTATION
NO
Existing Training Package Qualification or Accredited Course?
YES
STAGE 2 COURSE DEVELOPMENT
STAGE 3 COURSE EVALUATION
STAGE 4 RECTIFICATION CYCLE
STAGE 5 COURSE APPROVAL
Seek Registration to Deliver
STAGE 6 COURSE MONITORING
How to Accredit Courses in Queensland
Figure 1
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DEFINITION OF TERMS A comprehensive list of definitions and terminology is included in the User’s Guide for Accredited Courses. Only additional definitions and acronyms have been included in this document. Amendment means changes to an accredited course in accordance with the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000. Course copyright owner means the individual or organisation that owns the licence for the intellectual copyright of the accredited course. Course developer means an individual or organisation acting on behalf of the course copyright owner, as outlined in an agreement between the parties. Minority report means a report prepared by one or more members of a committee who have a different viewpoint to the majority of members. New course means a course that has never been accredited or a pre-existing course that has undergone major revision or review (re-accreditation). Renewal means an extension of the expiry date of an accredited course in accordance with the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000. Training and Employment Recognition Council (TERC) means the statutory body in Queensland identified in the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 as having the authority to accredit courses and register training organisations. Training and Employment Recognition Council delegate means the senior officers of Training, Quality and Regulation, Department of Education, Training and the Arts who hold a delegation from the Training and Employment Recognition Council to approve the accreditation of courses when all requirements are met. LIST OF ADDITIONAL ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AVETMISS
Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard
CDAC
Course Development Advisory Committee
DETA
Department of Education, Training and the Arts
TERC
Training and Employment Recognition Council
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PART 2. THE SIX STAGES IN THE COURSE ACCREDITATION PROCESS STAGE 1 - CONCEPT CONSULTATION Process. The process for Stage 1 - Concept Consultation is shown in Figure 2. Stage 1 links to Section B-3 (Development of the course) in the template for course documentation for accreditation as part of the pre-development phase. Avoiding duplication. Operating protocol 2 (Applications for accreditation) of the AQTF 2007 Standards for State and Territory Course Accrediting Bodies does not permit the accreditation of courses that duplicate, by titles or coverage, AQF qualifications and outcomes of endorsed training packages. http://www.training.com.au/portal/site/public/menuitem.91cdbaeb7a2bc0e2cd9ae78617a62dbc/ This restriction does not apply to the possible overlap with existing accredited courses. This is because the copyright owner of the existing accredited course may not wish to provide a licence to other organisations to use their course, or may set an unrealistic licence fee. Alternatively, existing accredited courses may not fully meet your needs. However, potential course developers are urged to consider the potential savings in time and money of accessing the use of an existing accredited course if it can meet the identified need. Using existing units of competency from training packages/developing new units of competency or modules. In developing a Course Concept Proposal FM-ACC4, the course developer should also consider Standard 2 within the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses. Where no units of competency are available to meet an identified need you will need to develop competency standards and units of competency in accordance with the current Training Package Development Handbook in consultation with, and validated by, appropriate industry, enterprise, education, legislative, community and/or professional groups. Please refer to the Training Package Development Handbook: (http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/publications_resources/profiles/Training_Package_Dev elopment_Handbook.htm), Part 2 - Chapters 1, 2 and 3 for information on developing units of competency and Part 2 – Chapter 5 for information on incorporating employability skills. If you believe your course is purely knowledge based and does not result in measurable competency outcomes approval may be given by the TERC to develop learning outcomes within a modular format. If this is the case, you must discuss this option with the Accreditation Team prior to developing modules. The operational policy for developing modules can be accessed from the Internet at:
http://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/fact_sheets_and_resources/factsheets/accre ditation/modules.html Possible options. While training packages are a key component of the National Skills Framework, where an industry, enterprise, education, legislative or community need can be demonstrated that is not met by a training package, a course may be developed for accreditation. Accreditation of products based on specific needs is still an important element of vocational education and training. The following examples provide an indication of the different circumstances in which a course may be accredited. 1. Combining units from two or more training packages to meet a particular work function or role not accommodated by a single training package. 2. Combining units from training packages/endorsed competency standards with enterprise units to address gaps in training packages/competency standards. 3. Combining units from one training package with different packaging rules to meet a particular work function or role not accommodated within the endorsement of the training package.
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4. Developing enterprise units for niche training, where there is no training package coverage. Concept support. After you have undertaken your research and consultation and have determined that there is an industry, industry sector, enterprise, education, legislative and/or community need that is not currently being addressed by a training package or accessible accredited course you develop a course concept proposal. Where there are suitable existing units of competency you should include these. (Remember that you can contextualise the delivery of these to your own particular context – see coverage of contextualisation advice in the Training Package Development Handbook, Part 2, chapter 2, section 2.12: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/publications_resources/profiles/Training_Package_Deve lopment_Handbook.htm
Units in your course sourced from training packages can be contextualised if necessary to accommodate any specific industry or enterprise requirements. This means that, while the general outcomes of the unit must be maintained, adjustments and modifications can be made by adding detail to the unit of competency to cover the specific context of work. It is important that contextualisation is used only where necessary. Contextualisation should provide additional information relevant to the: • Range Statement, as long as such changes do not diminish the breadth of application of the competency or reduce its portability, and/or • Evidence Guide, in areas such as the critical aspects of evidence or required resources and infrastructure—where these expand the breadth of the competency but do not limit its use. Before proceeding to develop your course you must submit FM-ACC4 Course Concept Proposal to the Accreditation team for support. It is your responsibility to demonstrate a need for your proposed course. Proposed membership of Course Development Advisory Committee (CDAC). The members of your CDAC will be critical in • validating the industry/enterprise/community need for your course • shaping its structure and design including the AQF qualification to which it leads • ensuring that the technical aspects of its content will deliver the outcomes and standards required of industry/employers/licensing bodies • providing assurance to the TERC that the course is worthy of consideration for accreditation. For these reasons it is important that you seriously consider the membership of your CDAC once you have determined that there is no existing course that is suitable and you are able to access through contacting the course owner. Guidelines for Course Development Advisory Committees are attached to FM-ACC5.
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ACCREDITATION TEAM
COURSE DEVELOPER
(Training Division)
Training Packages? Reseach NTIS
Market research Industry
Course Concept Proposal Received Commence Tracking Form FM-ACC9
Research Web Consult with ITAB and/or industry
Undertake preliminary research and consultation
Course Concept Proposal Returned for further support/research
NO
Valid Industry/Enterprise and/or Community Need
Ref: Users Guide for Accredited Courses
Stage 1 Concept Consultation
NO
Is there a Training Package unit or qualification?
Is course available at acceptable terms
Develop Course Concept Proposal FM-ACC4
Liaise with technical experts, as required
Obtain copy of training package qualification or units
Check if there is a suitable Accredited Course
NO
YES
YES
Validate Industry/Enterprise and/or Community feedback
Course Concept Evaluation FM-ACC8
YES
NO Support for Concept?
Obtain copyright licence for the Accredited Course
Seek Registration to Deliver Existing Qualification/ Course or units
Formal Advice to copyright owner- NOT SUPPORTED with reasons
Submit completed form FM-ACC4 to Accreditation Team, Training Division
How to Accredit Courses in Queensland
YES
Formal Advice to copyright owner SUPPORTED IN PRINCIPLE
Figure 2
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STAGE 2 - COURSE DEVELOPMENT Process. The process for Stage 2 - Course Development is shown in Figure 3. Finalise membership of CDAC. It is important to obtain the support of the TERC delegate for the membership of your CDAC prior to commencing the course development stage. Appropriate representation on the CDAC may prevent delays at the time of course evaluation. The Accreditation team will seek advice from additional industry/regulatory representatives and/or technical experts if it believes this has not been adequately covered through the CDAC process. Where possible you should seek to involve the relevant industry or peak industry bodies in your CDAC. Conflict of interest and confidentiality. Course copyright owners are often concerned that members of CDACs or other industry advisors could have a conflict of interest or breach confidentiality as a result of their participation in the CDAC. Processes to manage these situations are covered in the form ACC-6. It is also a requirement under Standard 2.5 of the AQTF Standards for State and Territory Registering/Course Accrediting Bodies that procedures are in place to manage conflict of interest in registration and course accreditation processes to ensure that any commercial, financial or other conflicts of interest do not influence, or could be perceived to influence, the process. The Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000, Section 286 makes it an offence for any person involved in implementing the Act to breach confidentiality. Form FM-ACC6 is provided to enable course developers to obtain written confirmation from members in regard to their obligations under the Act. The same form will be used by the Accreditation Team when obtaining industry/technical advice from other sources.
Course development should be consistent with the Course Concept Proposal for which support has been previously obtained and the AQTF 2007 Standards for Accredited Courses. The course should be documented using the Template for Course Documentation for Accreditation located in Appendix A of the Standards. Part 3 Template for course documentation for accreditation: Section C: Units of Competency. Where the course includes existing endorsed units of competency from training packages do not reproduce these competencies to be forwarded with your submission to the Accreditation team. Where the course includes existing units of competency or modules from an existing accredited course, include these competencies to be forwarded with your submission. All competencies included in the course must be clearly identified by code and title within the course structure (item B 5.1). Documentation to support CDAC participation and endorsement of final product. Due to the important role of the CDAC, detailed minutes of meetings must be kept (see Guidelines for CDACs included in ACC-4). These may be requested by the Accreditation team as part of the course evaluation stage or at anytime during the accreditation period. The form FM-ACC5 CDAC Endorsement Declaration will provide confidence to the TERC that there is adequate industry/technical support for the course and its contents. Dissenting view. If there is a dissenting view by a CDAC member/s a minority report should be submitted with the course application. This will be considered in the evaluation stage in accordance with other evidence provided or additional advice gained by the Accreditation team. Submission of application. Details of the documentation to be submitted and the address for the submission are listed on the application.
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COURSE COPYRIGHT OWNER
ACCREDITATION TEAM
(or where applicable, course developer)
(Training, Quality and Regulation)
Finalise Membership of the CDAC (as per Guidelines for CDACs)
Consider Finalised CDAC Membership
Submit Finalised FM-ACC5 Form to Accreditation Team
Stage 2 Course Development
Ensure CDAC members are aware of their roles and responsibilities
AND
Representative CDAC? Obtain a Conflict of Interest Form FM-ACC6 from each member of the CDAC
Develop Course based on: 1. Course Concept Proposal Supported in Principle & 2. AQTF Standards for Accredited Courses
Incorporate Feedback from CDAC Members
YES
NO
Receive Support in Principle for CDAC Membership
Record Minutes of CDAC Meetings
SUPPORT IN PRINCIPLE
NOT SUPPORTED
Provide further advice to Course Developer regarding membership
Obtain and Record CDAC Endorsement of Course FMACC5
Return signed FMACC5 to Course Developer
Provide Letter of Acknowledgement to Course Developer for Accreditation Application
Submit to Accreditation: Course document, FM-ACC1 Form, FM-ACC5 Form & FMACC6 Form
Figure 3 How to Accredit Courses in Queensland
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STAGE 3 - COURSE EVALUATION Process. The process for Stage 3 - Course Evaluation is shown in Figure 4. In evaluating the course for compliance with the AQTF standards for accreditation and the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) the Accreditation team, Training Quality and Regulation, will check the industry/enterprise/education/legislative/community validation provided through the CDAC declaration. Only in circumstances where the CDAC declaration is determined to not adequately validate the need for the course and appropriateness of the units of competency included for the qualification or course will the Accreditation team seek additional advice. This advice could be from relevant industry peak bodies, government authorities, legislative bodies, community organisations, technical experts in the content areas. In these cases a signed conflict of interest and confidentiality form (FM-ACC6) will also be obtained from the external entities consulted. Where necessary, additional information will be sought from the course developer/course copyright owner. Client Service Standards. Wherever possible the Accreditation team will endeavour to finalise your application within 20 working days from the receipt of your complete, fully correct, and the last revised (if necessary) version of your application.
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ACCREDITATION TEAM (Training, Quality & Regulation Verify application is complete and includes industry/enterprise/community validati on (CDAC declaration)
NO
Application returned for finalisation of required components
Application complete?
YES Evaluate Course / Amendment / Renewal for compliance against the AQTFStandards for Accredited Courses & Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
and / or
Stage 3 Course Evaluation
Consultation with Government authorities
Consultation with technical advisors, where appropriate
and / or
Seek additional information from Course Developer
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES Accreditatition Officer will manage a formal moderation process .
Complete a Course Template Evaluation Checklist FM-ACC11
Complete the recommendation section of the Accreditation Action Form FM-ACC10
RECOMMENDATION
Rectifications Recommended as per Evaluation Sheet
Go to Stage 4 - Rectificati on Cycle
NOT Recommended for Approval
Recommended for APPROVAL
Go to Stage 5 Course Approval
Figure 4
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STAGE 4 - RECTIFICATION CYCLE Process. The process for Stage 4 is shown in Figure 5. Undertaking rectifications to a course. Where rectifications are required that go beyond seeking additional information, the course copyright owner or where applicable the course developer will be forwarded rectification advice that is aligned to the accreditation template identifying the areas to be rectified. A standard timeframe of 20 working days will be allowed to make any required changes. Two formal rectification cycles will be permitted within each application. If the course does not meet the AQTF and AQF standards after the two rectification cycles, the application will be forwarded to the TERC delegate with a recommendation that accreditation of the course should be refused. In the case of an application being refused, the TERC will provide the applicant with an information notice setting out the reasons for the refusal.
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COURSE COPYRIGHT OWNER
ACCREDITATION
(Or applicable, the course developer)
(Training, Quality & Regulation)
20 Working Days (Negotiable)
Stage 4 Rectification Cycle
Changes made as per FM-ACC11 Course Template EVALUATION & RECTIFICATION Checklist
20 Working Days (Negotiable)
Resubmission No. 2
Resubmission No. 1
Amendments made as per FM-ACC11 Course Template EVALUATION & RECTIFICATION Checklist
Provide feedback to Course Developer and attach the completed Course Template EVALUATION & RECTIFICATION Checklist FM-ACC11 after each evaluation
Resubmissions not received within specified timelines
Resubmission No. 2 Received
Resubmission No 1 Recieved
Courtesy Call to Course Developer Reminder
Follow Stage 3 Course Evaluation process
YES Resubmission Received?
YES
NO
NO
Recommended?
Resubmit Course to Accreditation Team, Training, Quality and Regualtion
Recommend TERC to 'NOT APPROVE'
Resubmission No. 1 Rectification advice to CD
Resubmission No. 2 Recommendation to NOT APPROVE to TERC delegate
Go to Stage 5 Course Approval
Figure 5 How to Accredit Courses in Queensland
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STAGE 5 - COURSE APPROVAL Process. The process for course approval is shown in Figure 6. Granting of accreditation. When a course is recommended for accreditation it will normally be considered by the appropriate TERC delegate. This assists in completing the approval process in a responsive timeframe. Following approval for a period of up to five years, the course developer/course copyright owner is provided with an information notice and a certificate of accreditation. The course details are entered on the state and national databases. The national database is the National Training Information Service (NTIS): http://www.ntis.gov.au/ Registration to deliver. Following accreditation of the course/s any training organisation wishing to deliver the course/s and issue nationally recognised qualifications/statements of attainment must be registered under the AQTF. Registration is a separate, additional process to course accreditation that looks at the training organisation’s ability to deliver the course in accordance with the AQTF 2007 Essential Standards for Registration. Information on this process can be obtained from Department of Education, Training and the Arts website at http://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/registration_and_audit/registration/initial/index.html by contacting the Registration team on 1800 600 039 Refusal of accreditation. If the course does not meet the AQTF and AQF standards after the two rectification cycles, or if the applicant does not submit a revised course within a reasonable, identified timeframe (not less than two rectification cycles with a minimum total of 40 working days), the application will be forwarded to the appropriate TERC delegate with a recommendation that accreditation of the course should be refused. In the case of an application being refused, the TERC will provide the applicant with an information notice setting out the reasons for the refusal. Appeal provisions. Under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000, s224(b) a person aggrieved by a decision of the TERC about the accreditation of a course can appeal to a Magistrates Court.
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COURSE COPYRIGHT OWNER
ACCREDITATION TEAM
(Or where applicable, the course developer)
(Training, Quality & Regulation)
Course APPROVED (Receive information notice, stamped accredited copy of course & certificate
Appropriate TERC Delegate considers Course
YES
Is course to be an apprenticeship or traineeship?
Application for Apprenticeship / Traineeship lodged Training Services
YES
NO Approval Granted?
Stage 5 Course Approval
NO
Go to Stage 6 Course Monitoring
Seek Registration to Deliver Accredited Course
AND / OR
NOT YET APPROVED Rectification Required
NOT APPROVED
APPROVED
Approved course entered onto state and national databases
Course NOT APPROVED (Receive Information Notice with Reasons)
Information Advice to Course Developer
Go to Stage 1 Course Consultation
Figure 6 How to Accredit Courses in Queensland
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STAGE 6 - COURSE MONITORING Process. The process for course monitoring is shown in Figure 7. It is the responsibility of the course copyright owner, or where appropriate, the course developer to regularly monitor and evaluate the course to maintain its quality and relevance. Condition/s of accreditation. Accreditation of a course is normally granted with the conditions that the course is amended to include any relevant, new nationally endorsed industry competency standards, within 12 months of their availability and to provide a course ongoing monitoring and evaluation report after 20 months of accreditation. Other conditions of accreditation can be applied at the discretion of the TERC. To ensure the ongoing relevance of the course it is recommended that a CDAC with appropriate representation reviews the course on an annual basis. Amending an accredited course. From time to time it may be necessary to amend your accredited course to continue to meet the needs of your client group/s. If the changes you wish to make fall outside of the customisation options you will need to apply for an amendment to an existing accredited course (Form FMACC2). http://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/training_packages_and_courses/course_accreditation/amend. html Amendments can vary from being quite significant, such as adding an additional stream to the structure of the course, or to simply changing a unit title, amending nominal hours or adding additional delivery modes. Other amendments can include substituting outdated units of competency with new training package units that have been endorsed in the past twelve months. Occasionally a proposed amendment will alter the course to the extent that a new accreditation is required, for example if the alteration will change the AQF qualification level resulting from the course. If you are unsure about the impact of the proposed amendment, please contact the Accreditation team. Renewal (extension) of period of accreditation. An amendment to an accredited course does not change its period of accreditation. If an extension to the period of accreditation is required it will be necessary to apply for renewal (extension) of an accredited course (Form FM-ACC3). A short extension of the period of accreditation is a better option than a new accreditation in some circumstances. For example, if a training package is under development in a similar content area to your accredited course, the training package may remove the need for your accredited course once it has been endorsed, or the training package may include some units of competency that can be incorporated into a new course that you develop for accreditation. Development of a new course for accreditation, when the outcome of a training package development/review process is still not known, may not be cost-effective and a short renewal (extension) until the training package is endorsed may be justified. Industry support. Applications for amendment should have the support of the CDAC members. However, if the change is relatively minor the support of a relevant industry peak body, legislative or community organisation may be sufficient. To renew (extension), the period of accreditation for an accredited course it will be necessary to obtain support from the CDAC members, industry peak body, legislative body or community organisation, to confirm that the course content is still relevant and acceptable for delivery. .
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ACCREDITATION TEAM
COURSE DEVELOPER
Maintain Approved Copy of Course for 30 years & Issue licence to others for term of accreditation (if req'd)
Ongoing Monitoring & Evaluation as per TERC template of equivalent
NO
(Training Division)
Conduct Annual Reviews as per conditions of Accreditation
Receive FM-ACC2 or FMACC3 Forms from Course Developer
YES
Provide Letter of Acknowledgement to Course Developerf
Stage 6 Course Monitoring
Amendment Required?
Develop Amendments (FMACC2) OR Renewal (FMACC3) in consultation with CDAC
Obtain a Conflict of Interest Form FM-ACC6 from each member of the CDAC
Obtain and Record CDAC Endorsement of Course FM-ACC5
Advice of Amendment / Renewal APPROVED
How to Accredit Courses in Queensland
Go to Phase 3 - Course Evaluation
Submit FM-ACC2 or FMACC3 Form PLUS FM-ACC5 to TQ&R
Advise Licence Holders of Amendments
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PART 3 SUPPORT INFORMATION Accreditation Moderation Committee Occasionally concerns are raised about the appropriateness of an existing accredited course. If the TERC determines there are sufficient grounds, it may refer such a course to an Accreditation Moderation Committee. For example, this could occur if concerns were raised regarding the appropriateness of the qualification level or the currency and/or coverage of the content of the course. The members of the Accreditation Moderation Committee would be appointed by the TERC and would normally include an industry peak body representative, or key stakeholder groups. The Accreditation Moderation Committee would provide a report, and recommendations on any actions to be taken, to the TERC for their consideration. Appeals Under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000, s224(b) a person aggrieved by a decision of the TERC about the accreditation of a course can appeal to a Magistrates Court. Apprenticeships and traineeships If the vocational outcome of your course would result in the need for an apprenticeship or traineeship to be declared you should contact the Declaration Officer, Training Services, Department of Education, Training and the Arts for information on the approval process. AVETMISS Under AVETMISS, classification codes are assigned to the course to enable national statistical reporting arrangements related to delivery of the course. Please leave this section of the course accreditation template blank as the details will be ascertained and entered by the Data Management team after the course has been accredited. Centre for Training Materials The Centre for Training Materials is the retail outlet for accredited courses that have been developed using Queensland public funds. It also includes some training package support resources. For further information contact: Centre for Training Materials Cnr Peel and Cordelia Street, South Brisbane, Qld 4101 Phone: (07) 3248 4675 Fax: (07) 3248 4670 Website: ttp://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/training_packages_and_courses/training_materials/index.html
Centrelink related payments When a course has been accredited and the provider is registered to deliver it, students undertaking the course may be eligible for government subsidies, (e.g. Austudy, ABSTUDY, Youth Allowance, Pensioner Education Supplement) if the required criteria have been met. For further information contact Centrelink (Queensland) – Course Approvals, on telephone (07) 3000 3374, fax (07) 3000 3373 or email youth.students.brisbane@centrelink.gov.au
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Copyright Under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (as amended), the general rule is that the author (creator) of an official work is the owner of the copyright in it. When a number of organisations or persons are involved in developing a course concept, it is highly desirable that copyright ownership be clarified through specific contractual arrangements prior to the commencement of the course development. The person(s) or organisation that holds the copyright for the accredited course is the copyright owner. If you own and license your accredited course to a training organisation, you must have a system in place to advise all organisations using the course of all revisions made, including those relating to inclusion of new or revised competency standards. If you wish to include competencies from an existing accredited course within a new course that you are developing, you will need to first obtain the written permission of the copyright owner. Course code A national course code will be allocated by the Accreditation team. This will be the course code identifier on the National Training Information Service (NTIS), which is the national database for recognised training products and registered training organisations. Course records management Course copyright owners are required to maintain a copy of the TERC validated course documents for a period of thirty years from the date of the expiry of the accreditation period. Delivery of the course Training organisations wishing to deliver the course and issue the final qualification/statement of attainment to completing students must be registered to deliver the course in accordance with the AQTF Standards for Registered Training Organisations. Course developers should be mindful of these standards when developing their course for accreditation. Fee Schedule for applications related to course accreditation A Fees Schedule is approved for all Queensland-recognised products and services. Approved fees must be paid before an application is processed. Fees are reviewed from time to time and are subject to change. For the most up-to-date Fees Schedule, please check the training website at: http://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/fact_sheets_and_resources/factsheets/accreditation/fees.html
Payments must be received with the application form. Employability skills Item 4.2 Employability skills in Section B of the accreditation template refers to the eight skill areas which industry consider as important to the workplace. The eight areas are communication, problem solving, planning and organising, learning, team work, initiative and enterprise, self management and technology. The areas are generic and enable people to transfer and apply knowledge and skills from one situation to another. Employability skills replace and supersede the Key Competencies, which were previously identified in course documents and units of competency. Detailed information on employability skills and how to integrate them into the course document and units of competency is included in the Training Package Development Handbook, Part 2 – Chapter 5.
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Government funding Government funding arrangements for the delivery of an accredited course are separate from the accreditation process. Renewal of accreditation for an extended period does not guarantee continuation of government funding for delivery. The responsible course copyright owner/RTO will need to seek approval for continued funding from the relevant funding body. Industry Skill Councils (ISC) contact details The current contact details for Industry Skills Council are located on the Department of Education Science and Training website at: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/policy_issues_reviews/key_issues/nts/lnk/advisory.htm Legislative requirements It is essential that courses developed for accreditation meet legislative requirements (where legislation exists). Some legislation applies to all courses, for example, occupational health and safety, anti-discrimination and VET. Other legislation is specific to an industry or industry sector. You are responsible for making sure that all relevant legislation is addressed in the course For information about industry-specific legislation, contact your relevant industry peak body. Ministerial guidelines Under s168.(1) of the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 a function of the TERC is to make recommendations to the Minister on policy and guidelines about: (ii) accrediting and regulating courses (iv) vocational placements The Ministerial Guidelines link the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 to the Australian Quality Training Framework and the Australian Qualifications Framework.
Additional lower qualifications identified in the course structure From time to time a suite of related courses is developed. This allows for lower qualification exit points prior to achievement of the highest level qualification. Each of the courses in a suite must be accredited and capable of standing alone. Where the suite of related courses is submitted for accreditation at the same time a reduced application fee applies to each of the lower qualifications. Nominal duration Nominal hours - supervised is defined by AVETMISS as: The anticipated hours of supervised learning deemed necessary to adequately present the educational material associated with the delivery of a training program when delivered in a standard classroom delivery mode. Nominal hours - unsupervised should include hours associated with vocational placement. At the course level the nominal duration will be the sum of the nominal duration of the competencies/modules making up the course, vocational placement hours and additional delivery hours that are specific to learning cohort/individual needs. You should identify in Section B, 1.2 of the accreditation template, the nominal hours for supervised learning, vocational placement and specific learning cohort needs and their effect on nominal duration.
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Overseas students Before overseas students can be received into Australia to undertake a course for training, both the course and the training provider must be listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). For further information on CRICOS phone (07) 3237 1883 or email cricosreg@qed.qld.gov.au
Qualification Level and Title Refer to the protocol on defining the form of the qualifications in the section on “Issuing a qualification” within the Australian Qualifications Framework Implementation Handbook: http://www.aqf.edu.au/pdf/han59_77.pdf
Refund policy No refund is applicable for application fees. However, refunds may be granted where an application is received and no activity has been undertaken by the Accreditation team or in other exceptional circumstances as approved by the General Manager, Training Quality and Regulation. Applications for refund must be submitted in writing to the Manager, Accreditation and Vocational Placement, Training Quality and Regulation. An administration fee of $100 may be deducted from any refunds that are granted. Unit codes for enterprise units of competency In selecting unit codes for the units of competency developed through your CDAC process it is important to choose an identifier that won’t easily be confused with an existing national unit code. It is suggested that you restrict your codes to no more than six digits including three or four letters of the alphabet. Vocational placement Vocational placement is where a student is placed in a workplace to receive practical training and experience as an assessable part of a student's course leading to the issuing of a qualification or statement of attainment. Vocational placements complement institutional training delivered by registered training organisations and placement hours are in addition to the nominal hours of the qualification or statement of attainment. For further information on vocational placement please refer to the DET training website at: http://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/partners/training_packages_and_courses/vocational_placement/ Website For further information on vocational education and training in Queensland please refer to the Department of Education, Training and the Arts website at: www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au
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