E/10.2 Academic award documents
Policy Owner |
Director, Student Administration |
Approval Date |
15/04/2021 |
Approval Authority |
University Academic Board |
Date of Next Review |
30/04/2026 |
10.2.1 Purpose
10.2.2 Application
10.2.3 Roles and responsibilities
10.2.4 Official academic award documents
10.2.5 Digital documents
10.2.6 Replacement and substitute award parchments
10.2.7 Variations to policy application
10.2.8 Definitions
10.2.9 Delegations
Related Documents
Modification History
10.2.1 Purpose
QUT issues several types of official academic award documents which verify the studies and qualifications of individual students and graduates. This policy describes these official academic award documents and the management of the process for their issuance.
10.2.2 Application
This policy applies to accredited courses completed at QUT and its predecessor institutions.
10.2.3 Roles and responsibilities
Position |
Responsibility |
|---|---|
|
Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar |
|
|
Director, Student Administration |
|
10.2.4 Official academic award documents
QUT issues three types of official academic award documents in respect of award courses:
- academic record
- Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)
- award parchment.
Academic record
An academic record details all academic activity undertaken by a student or graduate at QUT and predecessor institutions including courses, units, and other enrolment information concerning a student’s academic status.
Students and graduates of the University may request an academic record at any time during or upon completion of their studies on a fee-for-service basis.
Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement
An Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) is issued to graduating students upon conferral of a particular higher education award. The statement describes a higher education qualification in an understandable way, with a description of the nature, level, context and status of studies completed. Its purpose is to assist in both national and international recognition of Australian qualifications and to promote international mobility and professional recognition of graduates.
Graduates receive one statement for each award they complete. In the case of double degree courses, two statements are provided (one for each degree) in line with the provision of one parchment for each degree.
If an error has been identified in the original Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement, a replacement statement will be issued free of charge. A fee may be charged in other cases, including requests for additional copies.
The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement will adhere to the guidelines set out by the Australian government.
Award parchment
Award parchments are issued to graduates who have completed their course requirements and who have had an award conferred (E/10.1.1). Award parchments are issued under the QUT seal (A/1.4).
University Academic Board may approve the recording of one study area on award parchments. Information about which study areas are approved for inclusion on award parchments can be found on QUT’s website (Award courses (C/3.1)).
Two award parchments are issued for double degree awards (one for each degree component).
In exceptional circumstances, the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar may approve a proposal to dual-badge award parchments for a particular course. A dual-badge award parchment presents both institutions’ logos, seals and other distinguishing details. This approval should occur prior to the formal approval of the specified course.
The parchment does not list individual units studied (these appear on the academic record and the AHEGS). Non-Award study does not receive an award parchment.
Award parchments are provided upon conferral of an award and generally upon attendance at a graduation event. A complimentary digital copy of an award parchment is provided to graduates and issued within 10 working days from conferral of an award. Students who graduated prior to September 2019 may request a digital award parchment on a fee-for-service basis.
10.2.5 Digital documents
Where digital versions are provided by QUT they will consist of all verified components of the award documents, with an additional annotation stating that the digital reproduction has been officially certified and approved by the institution.
QUT uses ‘My eQuals’, a depository used by Australian and New Zealand universities as a digital platform to securely store, view and share academic award documents.
10.2.6 Replacement and substitute award parchments
Conditions under which award parchments may be replaced or substituted
Replacement or substitute parchments will be issued free of charge where the original was lost or damaged in transmission by the University, or defective upon initial issuing by the University. In all other cases, a fee will be charged.
Where the original parchment has been lost by the graduate, a statutory declaration must be submitted by the graduate, providing a statement to that effect.
Where the original parchment was defective or has been damaged, it must be returned to the University. If this cannot be done, a statutory declaration must be submitted providing a statement to that effect.
Where the original parchment requires a change of name, the graduate must provide documentary evidence of the new name.
Form of replacement or substitute parchments
All replacement and substitute parchments will be produced using the QUT proforma current at the time of issue and will incorporate the signatures of the incumbent authorised persons in accordance with the QUT seal policy, Award parchments (A/1.4.5).
The student's name on replacement and substitute parchments will be the same as on the original parchment unless they have requested a change of name.
Replacement parchments will carry no endorsement where the original parchment can be replicated in every respect. The University cannot guarantee to provide replicas in every instance. However, where there has been any change in the proforma itself, the QUT seal, or the signatories, and no stock of the original is available, a replacement parchment will be endorsed in accordance with established practice.
Substitute parchments will carry an endorsement in every case, in accordance with established practice.
10.2.7 Variations to policy application
In exceptional circumstances, the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar may approve variations to the application of this policy.
10.2.8 Definitions
An Academic record may be described by other terminology such as academic transcript.
An Award Parchment may be described by other terminology such as testamur, or graduation certificate.
An endorsement is provided where an original document cannot be replicated in every respect, to identify that the document is a replacement or substitute.
A 'replacement' parchment replaces a parchment issued originally by the Queensland University of Technology.
A 'substitute' parchment substitutes a parchment issued originally by predecessors of Queensland University of Technology. Substitute parchments will not be issued for parchments issued originally by Education Queensland or bodies not currently associated with higher education.
A predecessor of Queensland University of Technology includes Brisbane College of Advanced Education, Brisbane Kindergarten Teachers' College, Kedron Park Teachers' College, Kelvin Grove Teachers' College, Kelvin Grove College of Teacher Education, Kelvin Grove College of Advanced Education, North Brisbane College of Advanced Education, Queensland Institute of Technology, and the [Queensland] Teachers' Training College.
10.2.9 Delegations
Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (C036 and C135) (QUT staff access only).
Related Documents
MOPP A/1.4 QUT seal
MOPP C/3.1 Award courses
MOPP E/10.1 Conferral, graduation and academic dress
Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (QUT student access only)
HiQ Website
Accessing Qualifications Online (QUT student access only)
Modification History
| Date | Sections | Source | Details |
| 30.05.22 | E/10.2.4, E/10.2.6 | University Academic Board | Revised to remove the detail of award parchment signatories and refer to the QUT seal policy |
| 15.04.21 | All | University Academic Board | Revised, modernised and renamed policy incorporating E/10.2 Award parchments and rescinded policy E/10.5 Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) |
| 19.02.11 | All | Vice-Chancellor | Policy revised to include approved name change for Office of Teaching Quality to Learning and Teaching Unit |
14.11.08 |
E/10.2.3 |
University Academic Board |
Revised policy to clarify conditions for replacement or substitute award parchments |
12.09.08 |
E/10.2.2 |
University Academic Board |
Revised policy relating to dual badging (endorsed by Academic Policy and Procedures Committee 25.08.08) |
|
08.06.06 |
E/10.2.1, E/10.2.2 |
Student Business Services Department |
Minor editorial amendment consistent with delegation of authority to the Registrar to confer awards (approved by University Academic Board 24.03.06) |
| 01.07.05 | E/10.2.2 | University Academic Board | Amended requirements for parchment details to include graduand's student number (effective from September 2005) |
| 14.11.03 | All | University Academic Board |
New policy (effective from 01.01.04) |