• Section 1 - Rationale, Principles and Scope
• Section 2 - Testamurs
• AQF Issuance Policy Requirement
• Replacement testamurs
• Reissue of a testamur in a changed name
• Section 3 - Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)
• Reissue of an AHEGS in a changed name
• Section 4 - Academic Record (Transcript)
• Section 5 - Suspension or release of all Academic Records

Section 1 - Rationale, Principles and Scope

(1) While the University is a self-accrediting institution under an Act of the NSW Parliament, it is also required to be compliant with the Australian Qualifications Framework 2011 (AQF) and it's Academic Qualifications Issuance Policy, which sets down standards for formal academic records issued by education providers. Compliance with the AQF is a threshold standard for accreditation with the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA).

(2) The three principal formal documents issued to Students and Graduates of the University are:

1. the Testamur, a legal document issued to graduates by the authority of the Council under the University's Common Seal;
2. the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS), a Commonwealth-directed standard document issued to graduates by authority of the Executive Principal Student Experience (or equivalent) that lists the descriptions of the University, the Award, its AQF level, and the units of study for the whole of the graduate's candidature at the University until graduation for that award; and
3. the Academic Record (Transcript), a formal document issued by authority of the Executive Principal Student Experience (or equivalent) to Students and Graduates on request at any time during candidature or after graduation, that details the Student's/Graduate's entire UNE enrolments and results.

(3) There is a fourth, unofficial, document - the Certificate of Participation - issued to departing on-campus overseas students as part of their 'Farewell Ceremony' from the University. This document gives no candidature information, only the dates of the overseas student's attendance at the University campus.

(4) The aim of this policy is to formalise the broad content of, and appropriate signatories to, formal UNE academic records in alignment with the requirements of the AQF Issuance Policy.

Section 2 - Testamurs

AQF Issuance Policy Requirement

(5) In accordance with the AQF Issuance Policy, testamurs for AQF awards will contain the following information:

1. the name of the issuing organisation;
2. the name of the graduate;
3. the qualification by its full title;
4. date of the award or its date of conferral;
5. authorised persons to sign the qualification; and
6. authentication or security devices to inhibit attempts at fraud.

(6) Date of Issue. The University uses the Date of Conferral for original Testamurs (which is either the date of the graduation ceremony or the date of the Council meeting when the conferral is in absentia). In the case of replacement Testamurs, these carry the same date as the original Testamur with an annotation on the front stating that this version is a copy of an original with the date of the approval for the reissue. (see also paras 13-15).

(7) Authorised persons. The authorised persons whose signatures appear on the Testamur are:

1. the Chancellor as representative of the Council under whose authority the award is conferred; and
2. the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer as the University officer ultimately responsible for the eligibility for conferment.

(8) The signature and names of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer will only be replaced when the Council has agreed to appoint new persons to those positions either permanently or Interim or pro tempore (after which the Interim or pro tempore signature and name will be replaced with that of the permanent appointee).

(9) The signatures shall appear in facsimile form on all Testamurs except where the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer elect to hand-sign for certain types of Testamurs (such as for awards honoris causa).

(10) Joint Testamurs with other institutions. Other signatures and names may appear on Testamurs in accordance with Council agreements and General Rules 60, but these will not supplant the authorised signaturees and must be subordinate to them. Replacement Testamurs in the original form may not always be possible for these forms of Testamur depending on the status of agreements and the resulting passage of time. In these cases the replacement Testamur may take the form of the then current University Testamur.

(11) Authentication/security. The Testamur shall use the following security devices:

1. Physical Testamur
   1. watermarked parchment paper of a type and standard and using fonts as determined by the University from time to time;
   2. the University Common Seal in either embossed or affixed wafer form as determined by the University from time to time;
   3. an individual security number on each issued Testamur; and
   4. the UNE logo and Tudor Rose in hologram form affixed to the front of the Testamur.
2. Digital Testamur
   1. certified digital Testamur signing certificate issued through the secure My eQuals portal.

(12) At the direction of the Council the Testamur may also carry the AQF logo on testamurs for AQF-compliant UNE courses. The position of the logo on the Testamur will be determined by the Council from time to time.

Replacement testamurs

(13) It is the policy of the University that only one Testamur should exist for a UNE qualification held by a UNE Graduate. The University will replace a lost or partially destroyed Testamur using the Testamur design and signatures current at the time of the replacement version.

(14) To obtain a replacement Testamur the graduate must supply either the original Testamur or a statutory declaration that the original is destroyed or no longer available. In addition, the Graduate must pay the replacement fee.

(15) The replacement Testamur will carry a date of reissue and an annotation advising that this is a replacement Testamur.

Reissue of a testamur in a changed name

(16) Only in exceptional circumstances will the University reissue a Testamur on a change of name. The decision to grant a request is made on its merits by the Executive Principal Student Experience, or delegate. The requirements for replacement Testamurs will apply but the annotation will not report the original name.

Section 3 - Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)

(17) The AHEGS was first issued by UNE in 2009 as part of an Australia-wide initiative by the Commonwealth Government. It provides information on a graduate's higher education qualification, the university at which the qualification was obtained, and information on the Australian higher education system in one easy-to-read document.

(18) The format and content of the UNE AHEGS will accord with guidelines issued by the Commonwealth. From 2012 the AHEGS will include information on TEQSA and the AQF and, from the end of 2013, must, if required, carry the AQF logo on AQF-accredited UNE qualifications.

(19) The University will supply a Graduate with one free digital copy of the AHEGS, normally together with the Testamur. Physical copies of AHEGS will be supplied by request to Student Experience on payment of a fee. As a graduation statement the University will issue an AHEGS to a graduating student only. Students who have not completed a UNE award may apply for an Academic Record (Transcript).

(20) Redacted AHEGS. The University will not issue an edited or abridged AHEGS. The University will correct proven errors.

(21) Certification Date. The University uses for the AHEGS the Date of Conferral for the degree. This date will not change irrespective of later reissues of the AHEGS for that course.

(22) Authorised person. The authorised person whose signature will appear on the AHEGS is the Executive Principal Student Experience (or equivalent). The signature shall appear in facsimile form.

(23) Authentication/security. The AHEGS shall use the following security devices:

1. Physical statements
   1. watermarked paper of a type and standard and using fonts as determined by the University from time to time; and
   2. the AQF logo for AQF-accredited UNE courses only.
2. Digital statements
   1. certified digital AHEGS signing certificate issued through the secure My eQuals portal.

Reissue of an AHEGS in a changed name

(24) The provisions of paragraph 16 apply also to the AHEGS. The fee for a replacement AHEGS shall not apply when a replacement Testamur fee has been paid.

Section 4 - Academic Record (Transcript)

(25) All Students and former Students are entitled to request at any time a formal copy of their Academic Record (Transcript) providing the appropriate fee is paid.

(26) The Academic Record (Transcript) shows a Student's entire enrolment record at the University including:

1. all courses to which the Student was admitted and whose enrolment passed a statutory census date;
2. all awards conferred and their conferment date:
3. all units in which the Student was enrolled that passed a statutory census date;
4. the academic results for those units including grade and marks (if appropriate); and
5. formal academic notes including:
   1. scholastic achievements such as the New England Award and UNE awards, prizes, medals and scholarships;
   2. grants of advanced standing;
   3. periods of intermission (leave of absence);
   4. periods of exclusion for inadequate academic progress; and
   5. expulsion or periods of exclusion for disciplinary reasons.

(27) Redacted Academic Record (Transcript). The University will not issue an edited or abridged Academic Record (Transcript). The University will correct proven errors.

(28) Date of issue. The date of the Academic Record (Transcript) shall show the date of its production from the student database.

(29) Authorised person. The authorised person to release an academic record is the Executive Principal Student Experience (or equivalent). The Academic Record (Transcript) does not have a signature.

1. Digital academic records are certified by Executive Principal Student Experience or delegate.

(30) Authentication/security. The Academic Record (Transcript) shall use the following security devices:

1. Physical Transcript
   1. watermarked paper of a type and standard and using fonts as determined by the University from time to time;
   2. security measures within the paper that identify copies; and
   3. micro printing.
2. Digital Transcript
   1. certified digital Transcript issued through the secure My eQuals portal.

(31) AQF logo. The AQF logo shall not appear on a UNE academic record.

Section 5 - Suspension or release of all Academic Records

(32) The University reserves the right to suspend the release of a Testamur, AHEGS and/or an Academic Record (Transcript) to a Student, Graduand or Graduate who has an encumbrance against their name for failure to pay a fee, fine or charge and/or return of University property. The University will release all types of academic record once the payment and/or return of property issue has been settled to the University's satisfaction.