Course Teach-out and Transition Procedures

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 when courses at the Institution are discontinued. These procedures are designed to ensure that students currently enrolled in a discontinued course can either complete their course of study, or transition to a mutually agreed course without any 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. Overview

4.1  A teach-out arrangement is put in place to ensure that students can complete their studies when a course or campus is being discontinued or significantly changed in a way that affects their ability to graduate as originally intended. It may involve continuing to offer certain subjects for a limited time. Sometimes it includes transferring students to equivalent courses at the same or another institution. It ensures that students are not disadvantaged.

4.2  A teach-out is typically triggered when the Institution makes or plans to make substantial changes such as:

  1. the Institution decides to phase out or cancel a course (e.g., due to low enrolments, lack of industry relevance, etc.) as the outcome of the Comprehensive Course Review (CCR) as per the Course Development, Review and Approval Procedures;
  2. when a course is redesigned in a way that makes it difficult for current students to complete under the original structure as the outcome of the CCR or course reaccreditation;
  3. the Institution closes a teaching location or campus;
  4. if TEQSA withdraws accreditation/registration; or
  5. strategic changes.

4.3   The discontinuation of an accredited course may be initiated by the Institution or TEQSA for courses that sit outside the Broad Field of Education (FoE) 08 Management and Commerce and the Narrow FoE 1101 Food and Hospitality.

4.4   A course being discontinued by the Institution must be approved by the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the Academic Board, via the Course and Subject Committee. The proposal to discontinue a course is typically triggered by review processes that identify persistently low enrolment, unsatisfactory learning outcomes, or strategic misalignment with institutional objectives.

4.5   A course being discontinued by TEQSA must be reported to the Board of Directors and Academic Board. TEQSA determines the end date for accreditation.

4.6   A discontinued course or a course that is due to expire is required to be accredited until all students have either completed or transitioned out.

4.7 Reaccreditation for a course in teach out mode cannot exceed two years.

4.8 For courses with self-accrediting authority (SAA) status – those being courses that sit within FoE 08 Management and Commerce and FoE 1101 Food and Hospitality – the Institution may opt to fully reaccredit a course up to a period of five years with no new enrolments.

4.9   When a course is discontinued, all publicly available information about the accredited course must clearly state that no further enrolments are being accepted. Additionally, all marketing material must be updated to reflect that the course is no longer available.

4.10   No further enrolments are permitted in the discontinued course.

4.11   A Teach-out and/or Transition Plan (Plan) must be developed for every course that is due to be discontinued. The Plan must be endorsed by the Course and Subject Committee and approved by the Academic Board prior to implementation to ensure that fair and equitable options are available for affected students. Students are either offered a transition into an equivalent course, if available at the Institution, or they are taught out of their current course.

4.12   Affected students in the discontinued course are notified according to the Plan. This notification includes details about the course discontinuation, the timeline for the teach-out and the options available for students to complete their studies.

4.13   Affected students must be notified at least one trimester prior to the implementation of the Plan.

4.14  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 are made to ensure that students can transition into an equivalent course at another provider.

4.15  All discontinued courses are managed in accordance with the Institution’s legislative obligations for international students concerning provider default as outlined in section 46A of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework.

5. Procedures

Discontinuation initiated by the Institution – all courses regardless of SAA status

5.1   The Academic Board, via the Course and Subject Committee, recommends a discontinuation proposal to the Board of Directors for approval. The discontinuation proposal includes:

  1. Rationale for discontinuing the course.
  2. Teach-out and/or Transition Plan.
  3. Impact on key stakeholders, and proposed supporting strategies.
  4. Strategic consequences and risk mitigation strategies.
  5. Financial consequences, including reduced tuition fees for courses in teach out mode.

5.2   The Board of Directors assesses whether the proposal and Plan(s) is fair and equitable for affected students and do not disadvantage students from completing their studies.

Courses outside FoE 08 and FoE 1101 only

5.3 A course that is due to expire, but is still in teach out mode, is required to be accredited with TEQSA until all students have either completed or transitioned out.

5.4 The Institution must apply to TEQSA to renew a course in teach-out in instances where students will be enrolled past the current accreditation expiry date. All applications, which include a self-assurance report, must be submitted in accordance with the Application guide for renewal of course accreditation in teach out.

5.5 Reaccreditation for a course in teach-out mode cannot exceed two years. Where a longer period of accreditation is required, the Institution is required to apply to renew accreditation of the course using TEQSA’s standard renewal of accreditation process.

5.6   All course resourcing, student support and quality assurance processes, including academic integrity expectations, are maintained during the teach out period.

Courses within FoE 08 and FoE 1101 only – SAA

5.7 The Board of Directors may determine that no new enrolments are accepted for a course within FoE 08 and FoE 1101. The reaccreditation for a course in teach-out mode may be granted up to a maximum period of five years.

Discontinuation Initiated by TEQSA

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

  1. A Teach-out and/or Transition Plan is drafted 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. TEQSA determines the end date for accreditation.
  2. 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.
  3. Affected students are to be notified as soon as reasonably possible the discontinuation of the course and the Teach-out Plan.
  4. Contingency arrangements are made to ensure that students can transition into equivalent courses at another provider.

5.9 Reaccreditation for a course in teach out mode cannot exceed two years.

5.10   All course resourcing, student support and quality assurance processes, including academic integrity expectations, are maintained during the teach out period.

Teach-out Plans and Transition Plans

5.11   The Plans address the following key points:

  1. Number of students involved in the teach-out period.
  2. Proposed duration of the teach-out period which does not exceed two years (e.g., last intake, final subject offerings, anticipated end date).
  3. Student progression, which is monitored over the teach-out period to ensure students complete in time.
  4. Supporting arrangements in place for ensuring students to complete their course ((e.g., advice to students, transition plans).
  5. Risk mitigation strategies.
  6. Planned Governance and compliance approvals.
  7. Communication plans for students and staff on:
    i. how and when information will be communicated;
    iii. arrangements for ongoing communication throughout the teach-out period.

Contingency Transition Plans

5.12   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:

  1. Number of students involved in the transition process.
  2. Proposed plan with recommended study pattern for each student to complete their course as part of the transition process.
  3. Total number of credits the student will received based on the credit transfer arrangement approved by the Course and Subject Committee.
  4. Appropriate support and arrangements are in place for ensuring students complete their course.
  5. Communication with students and staff on:
    i. how and when information will be communicated;
  6. content of communication;

iii. arrangements for ongoing communication throughout the transition period.

5.13   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 PVC (Employability and Registrar) has oversight of the implementation of these procedures.

6.2 The Board of Directors approves the discontinuation of a course.

6.3   The Academic Board is responsible for approving Teach-out and Transition Plans, 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.

6.4   The Course and Subject Committee as a committee of the Academic Board is responsible for the reviewing and endorsing the Teach-out and Transition Plans, the credit transfer arrangement, monitoring discontinuation, transition and teach-out management, monitoring and reporting of all course activity across the Institution.

6.5  The Deans and Program Managers recommend course discontinuation or major changes as an outcome of comprehensive course reviews, and work in collaboration with the PVC (Employability and Registrar) in developing and implementing the Teach-out and Transition Plans.

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

6.7   The Vice President (Finance) is responsible for 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
Subject Development and Review Procedures

7. Change history

Summary of changes Approved by Date approved
  Academic Board 5 April 2019
  Learning and Teaching Committee 22 November 2021
  Course and Subject Committee 10 April 2025
New approval processes added for self-accrediting authority purposes, roles and responsibilities clarified, updated to align with updated TEQSA guidelines. Course and Subject Committee 18 August 2025