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1. Governing policy

The Course Teach-out and Transition Procedures (“procedures”) apply to the Course and Subject Policy. They set out a step-by-step process for teach-out arrangements and transition plans in the event that courses at the Institution are discontinued. These procedures are designed to ensure that students currently enrolled in a course that is being discontinued can either complete the course of study, or transition to a mutually agreed course at no disadvantage.

2. Scope

These procedures apply to all the Institution’s courses (both award and non-award) and all staff and students at the Institution.

3. Definitions

See Glossary of Terms.

4. Course discontinuation principles

4.1 The discontinuation of an accredited course may be initiated by the Institution or initiated by TEQSA.

4.2 An Institution initiated discontinuation of a course must be approved by the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the Academic Board.

4.3 For a TEQSA initiated discontinuation of a course, all discontinuations must be reported to the Board of Directors and Academic Board.

4.4 When a course is to be discontinued, publicly available information regarding the accredited course must clearly articulate that no further enrolments are available for this course. All marketing material must reflect that this course is no longer available.

4.5 No further enrolments will be allowed in the discontinued course.

4.6 A Teach-out and/or Transition Plan must be approved by the Academic Board to ensure fair and equitable options are available for students currently enrolled to complete the course.

4.7 Affected students in the discontinued course are notified as per the Teach-out and/or Transition Plan of the course discontinuation, the timeline of teach-out and their options to complete the course. As per the Teach-out and Transition Plan students are either offered a transition into an equivalent course, if the Institution has one, or they are taught out of their current course.

4.8 Affected students should be notified at least one trimester prior to the implementation of the Teach-out and/or Transition Plan.

4.9 In cases, where affected students are unable to complete their studies through a Teach-out Plan and/or the Institution does not have an equivalent course for students to transition into, contingency arrangements will be made to ensure that students are able to transition into the equivalent course at another provider.

5. Course discontinuation/teach-out and transition procedures

5.1 For an Institution initiated course discontinuation, the Academic Board recommends a discontinuation proposal to the Board of Directors for approval. The discontinuation proposal includes:

a. Rationale for discontinuing the course.

b. Teach-out and/or Transition Plan.

c. Impact on key stakeholders.

d. Strategic consequences.

e. Financial consequences.

5.2 The Board of Directors assesses whether the discontinuation proposal and Teach-out and/or Transition Plans are fair and equitable for affected students and do not disadvantage students from completing their studies.

5.3 When a course is forced into teach-out mode due to a regulatory decision made by TEQSA the following procedures will be followed:

a. A Teach-out and Transition Plan must be drawn up and approved by the Academic Board in the context of the regulatory decision and circumstances. This is dependent on any restrictions put in place by TEQSA.

b. Affected students are notified as per the Teach-out and Transition Plan of the course discontinuation, the timeline of the teach-out and their options for completing the course.

c. Affected students are to be notified as soon as reasonably possible (as per paragraph 4.5 above) of the discontinuation of the course and the Teach-out Plan.

d. Contingency arrangements will be made to ensure that students can transition into equivalent courses at another provider.

5.4 The Teach-out Plan addresses the following key points:

a. Number of students involved in the teach-out period.

b. Proposed duration of the teach-out period which does not exceed two years.

c. Student progression, which is monitored over the teach-out period to ensure students complete in time.

d. Arrangements in place for ensuring students to complete their course.

e. Communication with students on:
i. how and when information will be communicated;
ii. content of communication;
iii. arrangements for ongoing communication throughout the teach-out period.

5.5 When a Teach-out Plan is not appropriate or unfairly disadvantages the students when discontinuing a course or if the Institution does not have an equivalent course to transition students into, then a contingency transition arrangement is made with a similar provider delivering the equivalent or similar course. The contingency transition plan addresses the following key points:

a. Number of students involved in the transition process.

b. Proposed plan with recommended study pattern for each student to complete their course as part of the transition process.

c. Total number of credits the student will received based on the credit transfer arrangement approved by the Learning and Teaching Committee.

d. Appropriate support and arrangements are in place for ensuring students complete their course.

e. Communication with students on:
i.how and when information will be communicated;
ii.content of communication;
iii. arrangements for ongoing communication throughout the transition period.

5.6 Students may lodge a complaint regarding any aspect of the teach-out plans via the Complaints and Appeals Policy and Complaints and Appeals Procedures.

6. Roles and responsibilities

6.1 The Registrar has executive oversight of the implementation of these procedures.

6.2 The Academic Board is responsible for monitoring academic quality and standards across the Institution. Academic Board provides advice to the Board of Directors on academic matters, including advice on course discontinuation and transition arrangements.

6.3 The Learning and Teaching Committee as a committee of the Academic Board is responsible for the credit transfer arrangement, transition and teach-out management, monitoring and reporting of all course activity across the Institution, including discontinuation and transition arrangements.

6.4 The Chief Quality Officer is responsible for monitoring all course and accreditation activities across the Institution and preparing submissions to TEQSA.

6.5 The Registrar is responsible for managing the teach-out and/or transition process.

6.6 The Vice President (Finance) is responsible considering and approving the financial consequences of the course discontinuation.

7. Related documents
Complaints and Appeals Policy
Complaints and Appeals Procedures
Course Development, Review and Approval Procedures
Course and Subject Policy
Discontinuation Proposal
Subject Development and Review Procedures

Approved by Learning and Teaching Committee 12 March 2021