• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy
• Policy Statement
• Policy Principles
• Policy Topics
• Granting skills and learning recognition
• Granting RPL
• Providing suitable evidence
• Request for Review of Decision
• Section 4 - Responsibility and Accountability
• Section 5 - Procedure(s) and/or Overarching Policies
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy outlines the principle for awarding or granting Credit Transfer (CT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for individual units of competency whilst maintaining academic standards at Melbourne Polytechnic.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Policy applies to:

1. Current, enrolling and prospective students applying for Credit Transfer and RPL for VET and Foundation units of competency on Melbourne Polytechnic’s Scope of Registration

(3) This Policy does not apply to:

1. the awarding of Melbourne Polytechnic qualifications. This is covered by the Granting of Awards Policy and Granting of AQF Qualifications Approval Procedure.
2. the granting of credit for Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) subjects or VCE Vocational Major units. The process for this is outlined in the relevant Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Administration Handbook.

Section 3 - Policy

Policy Statement

(4) Melbourne Polytechnic is committed to providing:

1. recognition of existing skills, knowledge and experience
2. alternative pathways to achieving an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification, without any duplication of learning
3. access to diverse and inclusive pathways to lifelong learning, formal qualifications and improved employment outcomes.

Policy Principles

(5) The Policy will adhere to the following principles:

1. Prospective and enrolling students are informed of the opportunity to apply for Credit Transfer and RPL prior to enrollment and will be supported throughout the process of they take up this opportunity
2. Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning are only granted if the unit of competency is on Melbourne Polytechnic’s Scope of Registration and where licensing and regulatory requirements allow this.
3. Credit Transfer is only provided where evidence that relevant units of competency have already been successfully completed and can be authenticated.
4. RPL must comply with the assessment requirements of the relevant training package or VET accredited course and be conducted in accordance with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence stated in Standard 1.4 Clause 2 (a) and (b) of the Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations Instrument.
5. Decisions will:
   1. be evidence-based, equitable and transparent;
   2. be applied consistently and fairly, with decisions subject to appeal and review;
   3. recognise that the learning is relevant and current, and has a relationship to the learning outcomes or competencies of the qualification;
   4. be academically defensible and take into account the students’ ability to meet the learning outcomes or competencies of the qualification successfully;
   5. be decided in a timely way so that students’ access to qualifications is not unnecessarily inhibited;
   6. allow for outcomes to be used to meet prerequisites or other specified requirements for entry into a program of study leading to a qualification or for the partial fulfillment of the requirements of a qualification; and
   7. be formally documented for the student, including reasons for decisions and outcomes.
6. Recognition of prior learning applications must be assessed by vocationally qualified and current teachers under the Teaching Staff Qualifications (VET and Foundation) Policy. 

Policy Topics

Informing prospective and current students

(6) Information on Credit Transfer and RPL for prospective, enrolling and current students, including how to apply and how fees are calculated, will be provided on Melbourne Polytechnic’s central Skills and Learning Recognition webpage. This site will also include information relating to potential visa and fee implications for international students.

(7) Individual course information webpages will note that skills and learning recognition is offered to eligible applicants and/or provide links to the central Skills and Learning Recognition webpage for further information.

(8) Prospective and enrolling students will be advised of the opportunity to apply for skills and learning recognition on enrolment; opportunities will continue to exist for current students to apply throughout their learning program.

(9) All records of the evidence, authentication and outcome will be retained in accordance with Melbourne Polytechnic's Records Management Policy.

Granting skills and learning recognition

(10) Credit Transfer will be granted where an applicant provides authenticated evidence that they have already successfully completed:

1. a unit with the identical code and title
2. an equivalent unit of competency: that is, a unit equivalent in content and learning outcomes as defined by the training package/accredited course. This applies even where the unit may have passed through multiple iterations, provided that all intermediary units are equivalent

(11) A Melbourne Polytechnic VET or Foundation qualification (including a Skill Set) may only be awarded where the applicant has been assessed as satisfactory in at least 20% of that qualification at Melbourne Polytechnic or through one of its Third-Party Providers. For that reason:

1. a maximum of 80% of units granted as Credit Transfer that were completed at an organisation other than Melbourne Polytechnic or one if its Third-Party providers can contribute toward a Melbourne Polytechnic award
2. 100% of units assessed as satisfactorily meeting RPL requirements by Melbourne Polytechnic can contribute toward a Melbourne Polytechnic award.

Granting RPL

(12) An applicant will be assessed as achieving RPL when they can provide evidence demonstrating they have developed competency through formal, informal and/or non-formal learning, including training, workplace and/or life experience.

Providing suitable evidence

(13) All evidence submitted to support a recognition of prior learning application must be able to be authenticated. For example, Melbourne Polytechnic must be able to confirm that it:

1. was issued/belongs to the person submitting it
2. is the person’s own work
3. is an accurate representation of the original.

(14) Applicants are required to provide their evidence in the format/s requested and any permissions requested to assist with authentication. Skills recognition will not be granted unless authentication is obtained. The Executive Director Education Excellence may provide an exemption to this requirement in exceptional circumstances.

Request for Review of Decision

(15) Where an applicant is dissatisfied with the decision relating to skills and learning recognition, they should discuss their concerns with the relevant Program Lead in the first instance (within 5 working days).

(16) If the issue remains unresolved, the applicant can lodge an appeal in accordance with the Student Complaints and Appeals Policy.

Section 4 - Responsibility and Accountability

(17) The VET and Foundation Academic Board are responsible for:

1. monitoring and reporting skills and learning recognition practices to the Education Quality Committee
2. assuring there is evidence of assessment consistent with course and regulatory, accreditation and funding requirements
3. reviewing the performance of this Policy and its associated procedure in their area of operation
4. overseeing progress and outcomes of quality improvement activities.

(18) The VET, Foundation and International Academic Operations Directors are responsible for:

1. ensuring this Policy and procedure are followed across all offerings, including international programs and international partners
2. monitoring the Skills and Learning Recognition webpage and directing the Marketing and Communication team to make periodic updates, as required

(19) The International Office is responsible for:

1. ensuring all contracts with international partners clearly outline Melbourne Polytechnic’s requirements with respect to this Policy and associated procedures

(20) Student Acquisitions is responsible for:

1. providing information to prospective and enrolling students on Credit Transfer and RPL, including how to obtain further information and/or apply.

(21) Marketing and Communications team is responsible for:

1. maintaining the Skills and Learning Recognition webpage in line with the direction and requests from the Directors VET and Foundation, or authorised delegates
2. establishing course webpage templates that enable inclusion of skills recognition information and/or links.

(22) Student Hub is responsible for:

1. providing general information on Credit Transfer and RPL to prospective, enrolling and current students

(23) Academic Registry is responsible for:

1. processing results for Credit Transfer
2. assisting teaching departments to determine the authenticity of AQF academic transcripts where difficulties arise at the local level
3. providing reports on Credit Transfer and RPL activity as requested by senior management, Committees and Boards.

(24) The Curriculum Unit is responsible for:

1. setting the standard for assessment design and development across VET and Foundation Directorates
2. working collaboratively with teaching areas to develop exemplar RPL assessment tools for teaching areas to use as examples when developing assessment instruments.

(25) The Professional Teaching Practice Team is responsible for:

1. providing professional learning to build staff expertise in implementing quality skills and learning recognition assessments and conducting competency conversations

(26) The VET Academic Quality Team is responsible for:

1. providing expert advice and support on matters relating to the 2025 Standards for RTOs and other relevant regulations
2. undertaking reviews and audits as specified in the Melbourne Polytechnic Annual Quality Audit Plan

(27) Academic Managers are responsible for:

1. managing and supporting the implementation of this Policy and associated procedures in their area of responsibility

(28) Education Managers are responsible for:

1. ensuring this Policy and associated procedures are followed across all offerings within their responsible department.
2. Responding promptly to Credit Transfer and RPL queries and applications from current, enrolling and prospective students
3. Directing students to the appeals policy and procedure to address requests for re-assessment contributing to quality assurance and continuous improvement processes

(29) Teachers are responsible for:

1. conducting RPL assessments in a manner that is valid, reliable, flexible and fair
2. ensuring the evidence assessed as satisfactory is valid, sufficient, current and authentic
3. completing assessments in a timely manner, ensuring feedback is provided and decisions documented and communicated to the applicant within required timelines.

(30) Applicants are responsible for:

1. applying for Credit Transfer and RPL
2. providing valid, sufficient, current and authentic evidence in a timely manner to support their application
3. preparing for and undertaking RPL interviews at agreed times
4. providing information and links to assist with verification when submitting evidence to support their applications.

Section 5 - Procedure(s) and/or Overarching Policies

(31) Credit Transfer (VET and Foundation) Procedure

(32) For all other related Melbourne Polytechnic policies, procedures, templates, legislation, regulation and supporting documents, refer to the Associated Information tab of this Policy.

Section 6 - Definitions

(33) For this Policy, the following definitions apply:

1. Authentication: determining if evidence provided is a true and accurate representation. For example:
   1. Was it issued/does it belong to the person submitting it?
   2. Is it the person’s own work?
   3. Is it an accurate representation of the original?
2. Credit Transfer: credit is granted for a unit of competency already successfully completed at Melbourne Polytechnic or another Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or AQF documentation issuing organisation, such as a university. Such credit is also applied for successfully completed units of competency that are equivalent in content and learning outcomes as defined by the training package/accredited course. This applies even where the unit may have passed through multiple iterations, provided that all intermediary units are equivalent. Credit Transfer can also be granted in the case of non-equivalent units of competency where an analysis determines a combination of studies have been undertaken that meet the requirements of the requested unit
3. Evidence: information gathered to support a judgement of competence against the relevant unit of competency. Evidence can take many forms and be gathered from several sources
4. Formal learning: refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction and is linked to the attainment of an AQF qualification or statement of attainment (for example, a certificate, diploma or university degree)
5. Informal learning: refers to learning that results through experience of work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure activities (for example the acquisition of interpersonal skills developed through several years as a sales representative)
6. Non-formal learning: refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction, but does not lead to the attainment of an AQF qualification or statement of attainment (for example, in-house professional development programs conducted by a business)
7. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): a process that assesses the competency of an individual that may have been acquired through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to determine the extent to which that individual meets the requirements specified in a unit of competency
8. Training product: Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification, skill set, unit of competency, accredited short course [or] module
9. Unit of competency: the specification of the standards of performance required in the workplace as defined in a training package.