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Articulation Agreement Procedure

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure outlines the process to create, approve and monitor the success, of articulation agreements at Melbourne Polytechnic.

(2) Articulation arrangements are to be approved in accordance with the principles contained in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, the Australian Qualifications Framework AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy.

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Section 2 - Scope

(3) This procedure applies to all courses across Melbourne Polytechnic and governs all articulation agreements:

internally between Higher Education (HE) and HE:
internally between Vocational Education and Training (VET) and VET;
internally between VET and HE;
externally between VET and VET; and
externally between VET and HE.
externally between industry / professional credentialing and HE
externally between industry / professional credentialing and VET

(4) It is intended for organisation to organisation use only.

It does not cover individuals seeking Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfers (CT).
All proposals must be given due consideration and accepted/rejected for further work based on set criteria. Consideration must also be given to the potential for pathway agreements.

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Section 3 - Procedure

Articulation Arrangements Process

(5) The following outlines the major steps in the articulation arrangements process. For a detailed summary of the workflow refer to attachment 1.

Propose an Articulation Agreement.

(6) Articulation Agreement proposal may arise from an internal or external source. All proposals must be given due consideration including potential pathways and accepted/rejected for further work based on set criteria.

(7) First Review of the proposal Go No Go decision

External decision maker - Executive Director Academic Operations
Internal decision maker - Any Director, Academic Manager Level, Head of Program or Program Leader

Conduct due diligence on incoming articulation proposal and institution using provided Articulation Mapping Template.

(8) Further information should be requested from the institution about their regulatory history, business model, Quality Assurance, qualification, delivery mode, student cohort, support and achievement of learning outcomes using the Articulation Information and Mapping Template. The scope to the request will be risk based.

Second Review of the proposal Go No Go decision - External Applications

(9) External decision maker - Executive Director Academic Operations

(10) Conduct mapping of learning outcomes between the programs.

(11) Mapping should be undertaken in accordance with the AQF pathways policy and principles.

(12) The mapping will take into account the comparability and equivalence of the learning outcomes, volume of learning, program of study, including content, and learning and assessment approaches of the programs.

(13) Resources and documentation to support and inform the curriculum mapping and assessment of equivalency would include the current training package, course and unit descriptors.

(14) Mapping should take into account all types of knowledge and skills acquisition wherever and however the learning has occurred.

(15) Consideration must also be given to student cohort characteristics to ensure that students can complete the studies based on any advanced standing proposed.

(16) Conducted by HOPs/Program Leaders/Lectures/Teachers.

HOPs, Program Leaders sign off recommendation to proceed in Articulation Information and Mapping Template.

(17) Articulation Officer prepares documentation for governance approval process.

(18) Complete MP Briefing Paper Template - FOR DECISION (coversheet Articulation), mapping, contract schedule and due diligence paperwork

(19) Recommended by Managers

(20) Operational approval by Directors

(21) Executive Director Academic Operations will submit the paper to Education Boards as per the CE Assurance Framework

(22) Any deviation from published entry requirements must be academically defensible and approved by the Curriculum Board for VET articulations and the Higher Education Academic Board for HE articulations. Any advanced standing must ensure that students can meet the Course Learning Outcomes and are able to progress in their studies.

Approval processes for Articulation arrangements

Higher Education

(23) Executive Director Academic Operations recommends

(24) Higher Education Course Committee (HECC) endorses articulation agreements

(25) Higher Education Academic Board approves articulation agreements

VET

(26) Executive Director Academic Operations recommends

(27) VET Board endorses articulation agreements

(28) Curriculum Board approves articulation agreements

Foundation

(29) Executive Director Academic Operations recommends

(30) Foundation Board endorses articulation agreements

(31) Curriculum Board approves articulation agreements

(32) Governance secretariat for the approving board sends approval notification to the Articulation Officer for the Repository and named persons on the paper.

(33) After the approval of the articulation either by the Curriculum Board or Higher Education Academic Board an Action Memo is issued to relevant internal stakeholders to allow them to proceed.

Entry into Articulation Agreement Repository, Register and Website

(34) Internal - Entry into Articulation Repository and Register

(35) External - The relevant external partner is informed of the outcome and progress it to CB for decision and execution of articulation agreements by both parties

(36) Monitoring of Articulation Agreements to support diagnostic analysis when required

(37) All articulating student cohorts into MP programs must be monitored both in terms of student numbers and progression on an annual basis. A significant deviation in student progress from our set standards must be investigated and action taken.

Review of Articulation Agreements

(38) Six months before expiry a comprehensive review of the arrangement must be undertaken. Low student progression may indicate a need for more support at entry or at the partner institution. If student numbers have been low and progression rate has been consistently unsatisfactory then the Articulation agreement should not be renewed.

(39) A material update to a Qualification or Unit of Competency will require a review of articulation agreement to ensure the mapping is still valid.

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Section 4 - Responsibility and Accountability

(40) Executive Director Academic Operations recommends all articulation agreements in:

HE;
VET; and
Foundation Directorate.

(41) Director Higher Education will be responsible for HE Articulation Agreements and accountable for information on the articulation agreement register.

(42) Director Vocational Education and Training is responsible for VET Articulation Agreements and accountable for information on the articulation agreement register.

(43) Director Foundation is responsible for Articulation Agreements in Foundation Directorate and accountable for information on the articulation agreement register.

(44) MP Staff are responsible for creation and currency of articulation agreements.

(45) Program Leader/Heads of Program(s) will be responsible for oversight of articulation agreements involving their courses. This will ensure that the articulation mapping is current at all times;

(46) Articulation agreement recommendation will be the responsibility of Higher Education Course Committee, the Director of VET and Director Foundation.

(47) The Articulation Officer will be responsible for the articulation agreement repository which will house:

All articulation documentation which may include;
1. mapping documents
2. signed agreements
3. application/s to vary the articulation schedule
4. monitoring and review of articulation schedule
5. monitoring progression and completion of all articulated students

(48) The Articulation Officer and the Marketing team will be responsible for publishing and updating the articulation register on the Melbourne Polytechnic website.

(49) The Curriculum Board approves VET Articulation Agreements, while the Higher Education Academic Board approves Articulation Agreements into HE.

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Section 5 - Supporting Documents and Templates

(50) Related Melbourne Polytechnic policies, procedures and templates:

Higher Education

Vocational Education and Training

Foundation

Institute Accredited Courses (IAC)

Related Legislation and Regulation

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

Higher Education

Vocational Education and Training

Foundation

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)

Related Melbourne Polytechnic Strategies

Part A - Definitions

(51) For the purpose of this policy the following definitions apply:

Accredited Program: A VET or higher education course accredited by ASQA or TEQSA, or by an institution registered with the appropriate authority as self-accrediting.
ASQA: Australian Skills Quality Authority, the body that regulates courses and training providers to assure nationally approved quality standards.
Advanced Standing: The credit granted towards a MP program of study for any previous learning.
AQF: Australian Qualifications Framework.
AQF Qualification: An AQF qualification is the result of an accredited course of learning that leads to formal certification that a graduate has achieved learning outcomes as described in the AQF.
Articulation agreement: An agreement within MP or between MP and an external institution that will allow a student to gain admission and/or predetermined advanced standing for their previous studies.
Block credit: Block credit is credit granted towards whole stages or components of a program of learning leading to a qualification (AQF).
Credit: Credit is the value assigned for the recognition of equivalence in content and learning outcomes between different types of learning and/or qualifications. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to achieve a qualification and may be through credit transfer, articulation, recognition of prior learning or advanced standing (AQF).
Credit Transfer: The process that provides students with agreed and consistent credit outcomes for components of a qualification based on identified equivalence in content and learning outcomes between matched qualifications (AQF).
Defined Pathway: A credential pathway that has been defined by MP as governed by the Articulation Agreement Policy.
HE: Higher Education
Higher Education Course Committee (HECC): HECC advises on the development and review of courses in their assigned field of education, including matters of quality assurance, academic risk, industry and professional standards.
Institute Accredited Course (IAC): is an applied learning program that delivers a learning outcome that is not formally recognised under the AQF. An IAC could take the form of a short course, a micro-credential, skills development, or a course of study with multiple subjects.
Learning Outcomes: Learning outcomes are the expression of the set of knowledge, skills and the application of the knowledge and skills a person has acquired and is able to demonstrate as a result of learning.
Pathways: Pathways allow students to move through qualification levels with full or partial recognition for the qualifications and/or learning outcomes they already have. See also credit, credit transfer, recognition of prior learning and articulation (AQF).
Qualification: relates to the formal AQF and comparable qualifications.
Recognition of Prior Learning: An assessment process that involves assessment of an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine the advanced standing outcomes of an individual application for credit (National Quality Council Training Packages glossary) (AQF).
TEQSA: Tertiary Education Qualifications Standards Agency, the national regulator of Australia's higher education sector.
VET: Vocational Education and Training.
Volume of Learning (as defined in the AQF): The volume of learning identifies the notional duration of all activities required for the achievement of the learning outcomes specified for a particular AQF qualification type. It is expressed in equivalent full-time years.