• Section 1 - Overview
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Procedures
• General
• Early Alert Strategy
• Progression Alert
• Show Cause — Unconditional Enrolment, Conditional Enrolment or Exclusion
• Maximum Period of Candidature
• Admission After Exclusion
• Appeals
• Records Management
• Authority and Compliance
• Section 4 - Definitions

Section 1 - Overview

(1) These procedures provide for the implementation of the Student Support Policy, and must be read in conjunction with that Rule.

(2) These procedures articulate the University's practices as they apply to Student visa holders in compliance with the Education for Overseas Student Act 2000 (Cth) and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018.

Section 2 - Scope

(3) These procedures apply to all Students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate coursework courses.

Section 3 - Procedures

General

(4) The primary goal of these Procedures is to provide Students who are at risk of not maintaining satisfactory academic progress with access to appropriate support and resources to assist them to improve their academic performance.

(5) A student is deemed to demonstrate satisfactory progress in their course if they attain the minimum requirements as described in clause 9 of the Student Support Policy.

(6) Student progress will be reviewed at the end of each period of enrolment to ensure satisfactory course progress in accordance with clause 9 of the Student Support Policy.

(7) Students must respond to any correspondence, in accordance with the instructions in the notice, regarding their course progression.

(8) Whenever a Student contacts a Student Advisor or meets with a Course Coordinator to discuss the implementation of an Academic Improvement Strategy the date and details of the Academic Improvement Strategy must be recorded on the Student file.

(9) A Student who has conditions placed on their enrolment in a course and who is permitted to transfer to another course may have conditions imposed on their enrolment in the new course by the new Course Coordinator.

(10) The Manager International Compliance must be notified when a Student visa holder has been identified in any of the categories of course monitoring stages.

(11) The Administering Body will check Student visa holders' study load at the beginning of each period of enrolment.

(12) Unit Coordinators will obtain a class list at the commencement of each period of enrolment for their unit to identify Student visa holders.

Early Alert Strategy

(13) The purpose of the Early Alert Strategy is to identify Students who might benefit from additional support to assist them towards successful completion, as early as possible in their academic career. 

(14) The specified support and intervention activities will vary according to:

1. the needs of the individual Student;
2. whether the Student is in their first year of study or more advanced in their academic career;
3. whether the Student is a Student visa holder; and
4. the nature of the course and delivery format.

(15) As far as practicable during each period of enrolment, Student Success will monitor each Student's course progress to identify students at risk of disengagement under the Early Alert Strategy.

(16) An email will be sent to those students to advise them:

1. they may be at risk of not maintaining satisfactory academic performance in the current period of enrolment which may affect their course progress;
2. how this may affect their Student visa (if applicable);
3. of support services available to assist them in their studies; and
4. to contact a Student Support Officer in Student Experience for assistance, which may include actions listed in clause 18(e).

(17) If a Unit Coordinator identifies a Student as potentially at risk during a period of enrolment, the Unit Coordinator will provide counsel, where possible, to the student that they are at risk of not making satisfactory progress and refer them to one or more of the actions listed in clause 18(e).

Progression Alert

(18) At the end of each period of enrolment the Administering Body will send each Student identified as at risk of not maintaining satisfactory course progress a notice advising:

1. that they have been identified as not meeting course progression requirements;
2. why they have been identified as not meeting course progression requirements;
3. the consequence of not meeting course progression requirements;
4. how this may impact their Student visa (where applicable); and
5. that they should immediately contact a Student Support Officer (Student Experience) or the relevant Course Coordinator, to discuss an Academic Improvement Strategy which may include the Student:
   1. participating in an academic skills program;
   2. participating in individual case management;
   3. participating in a peer mentoring program;
   4. discussing the development of a Study Access Plan with the Student Access and Inclusion Office;
   5. attending counselling;
   6. receiving assistance with personal issues that are influencing progress;
   7. receiving course or career advice;
   8. a reduction in course load;
   9. suspension from the course through intermission;
   10. taking an exit pathway from the course, where available;
   11. a combination of any of the above.
6. UNE International will forward School and course-based reports of identified Student visa holders with a progression alert to each Head of School, and request that the relevant Course Coordinator formally contact the identified Student and advise the Student to contact them immediately to put in place an Academic Improvement Strategy.
7. Student visa holders must contact their relevant Course Coordinator to discuss their studies and complete an Academic Improvement Strategy (in conjunction with the unit coordinator/s of the failed unit/s, if appropriate). The Academic Improvement Strategy must be agreed and signed by the Course Coordinator and Student and recorded on the Student file. This is a requirement of the ESOS Act 2000.
8. Where it is believed that a reduction in course load will assist a Student visa holder in meeting satisfactory course progression:
   1. the Course Coordinator will consult with the Manager International Compliance if a Student is not expected to complete their course before their visa expires and will provide a written revised date for anticipated course completion; and
   2. the Student must contact the Manager International Compliance to discuss how a reduced load may affect their electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) and consequently their Student visa.

Show Cause — Unconditional Enrolment, Conditional Enrolment or Exclusion

(19) A Student who is identified as not meeting satisfactory course progression at the end of three consecutive periods of enrolment will be required to submit a case showing cause why they should not have conditions placed on their future enrolment or be excluded from the University for a period of time.

(20) The deadline for a Student to show cause is detailed in the notice and shall be ten (10) working days from the date of the notice.

(21) Where no show cause response is received by the due date, the Student is notified that they are excluded from the course for a period of 12 months.

(22) in exceptional circumstances, the Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning from the relevant Faculty may accept a late show cause response.

(23) The Student's show cause response must include:

1. reasons why they did not maintain satisfactory course progress;
2. reasons why they should be permitted to continue with their studies without conditions or not be excluded for a period of time; and, if applicable,
3. the strategies they have put in place to prevent these circumstances recurring.

(24) At the time of submission Students should support their case with appropriate documentary evidence. 

(25) A Student may present their submission in person, provided the Student has made a written submission with documentary evidence. An independent UNE Representative may accompany the Student.

(26) The Course Coordinator will:

1. evaluate the case submitted by a Student who has been asked to show cause, including the Student's academic record and the Student's submission;
2. assess the probable impact:
   1. on past academic performance of the reasons submitted by the Student, including but not limited to, medical, personal, cultural, and/or compassionate reasons; and
   2. on future academic performance of any matters that may continue into the next period of enrolment, and of any remedial actions or strategies taken or proposed by the Student.

(27) The Course Coordinator will then decide whether to:

1. permit the Student to continue without conditions; or
2. permit the Student to continue with conditions placed on their enrolment and academic performance in the next period of enrolment, which may include:
   1. restricting the maximum number of units or credit points in which a Student can enrol with the requirement that the Student successfully complete a nominated percentage of their enrolment; or
   2. specifying a unit or units in which a Student can enrol with the requirement that the Student successfully complete the nominated units; or
3. exclude the Student from the course for a period of not normally less than one year and not normally more than three years.

(28) Where it is believed that a reduction in course load will assist a Student visa holder in meeting satisfactory course progression then clause 18(h) must be followed.

(29) If a condition has been placed on a Student's re-enrolment there must be an automatic consequence for non-compliance, which is normally a period of exclusion.

(30) The Course Coordinator will advise the Administering Body of their decision on the Student's show cause submission.

(31) The Administering Body will advise the Student of the outcome of the decision within ten (10) working days of the University receipt of the Student's submission. The notice will also inform the Student of their right of appeal under the Assessment Appeals Policy.

(32) A Student who has shown cause and had conditions placed on their enrolment and academic performance in the next period of enrolment, which may include on future enrolment, may not appeal for lifting of the conditions.

(33) When conditions are placed on a Student's re-enrolment the Administering Body will monitor the Student's compliance with the conditions.

(34) If a Student is excluded and has enrolled in units for the following period of enrolment and accessed the appeals process, they must be allowed to remain enrolled while the appeal is ongoing. If the appeal upholds the University's decision, the Student will be withdrawn from their units for that period of enrolment, where this can be done without the Student incurring a financial penalty. If it is not possible to withdraw the Student without financial penalty the Student will be permitted to remain enrolled in their units for that period of enrolment. At the end of that same period of enrolment the Student will either be asked to show cause or have the exclusion applied.

(35) If a Student is excluded and has enrolled in units for the following period of enrolment and not accessed the appeals process the Administering Body either withdraws the Student from the units and records the exclusion on the Student's file or requests Student Experience to process this action.

(36) If a Student visa holder is excluded they will be notified in writing, by the Administering Body, of the University's intention to report the Student to the Commonwealth Government for not achieving satisfactory course progress, and:

1. if the Student appeals and the appeal is not upheld, the Administering Body will notify the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training via PRISMS as required under Section 19 of the ESOS Act 2000; and
2. the Student will be notified in writing of the cancellation of their studies in accordance with the ESOS Act 2000. The Student is required to immediately contact the Department of Home Affairs to understand the impact this action may have on their Student Visa.

Maximum Period of Candidature

(37) Each course of the University has a limited period for its completion, specified in the course rules or the General Rules.

(38) For Student visa holders, the expected completion time is that which is stated in their Confirmation of Enrolment, issued by the University for Student visa purposes. Extension of the completion date and the Confirmation of Enrolment are possible in limited circumstances.

(39) A Student who will not complete their course within the maximum period allowed for that course must apply to the Course Coordinator for an extension of time.

(40) The Course Coordinator may grant an extension of time of up to one year (or part-time equivalent) beyond the normal maximum period of candidature for a Student to complete a course. For Student visa holders the Course Coordinator should consult with the Manager International Compliance when making their decision.

Admission After Exclusion

(41) Students excluded from a course may re-apply for admission after the exclusion period in accordance with the Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy.

Appeals

(42) A Student may appeal a decision under these procedures in accordance with the Assessment Appeals Policy. Appeals based solely on claims of non-receipt of University notices or correspondence shall not be heard.

Records Management

(43) Electronic records of all correspondence and decisions related to Students under these procedures are to be retained in accordance with the University Records Management Rule.

Authority and Compliance

(44) The Procedure Administrator, pursuant to the University's Course Progression Rule, makes these procedures.

(45) University Representatives and Students must observe these procedures in relation to University matters.

(46) This Procedure operates as and from the Effective Date.

(47) Previous procedures on course progression are replaced and have no further operation from the Effective Date.

Section 4 - Definitions

(48) Administering Body means the area of the University assigned responsibility for aspects of the administration of a Student's course progression.

(49) Effective Date is the date on which this procedure will take effect.

(50) In person means physically co-located or present by electronic means.

(51) Student — means an Admitted Student or an Enrolled Student, at the relevant time.

1. Admitted Student means a Student who has been admitted to a UNE course of study and who is entitled to enrol in a unit of study.
2. Enrolled Student means a Student who has been admitted to a UNE course of study at UNE or elsewhere and who is enrolled in a unit at UNE.