• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements
• Conferral of Award
• Posthumous Award
• Surrender of Award
• Revocation of Award
• Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities
• Senate
• Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee
• Appropriate Delegate
• Academic Registrar
• Executive Dean
• Dean, Graduate School
• Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance
• Section 5 - Recording and Reporting
• Section 6 - Appendix
• Definitions, Terms, Acronyms
• Academic Dress

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) The University is registered by TEQSA to self-accredit and offer programs that lead to the award of a qualification (hereafter ‘award’). Through the Program Design Policy, the University ensures that its programs comply with relevant federal legislation and the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The University is empowered by the University of Queensland Act 1998 (the Act) to confer awards. The awards the University confers are set out in the Awards Table.

(2) This Policy describes:

1. the requirements for the conferral of awards set out in the Awards Table; and
2. the conditions under which an award may be surrendered or revoked.

(3) This Policy applies to:

1. all students and graduates of The University of Queensland; and
2. all staff who administer awards and graduation ceremonies under this Policy.

(4) This Policy does not apply to the granting of honorary awards. Refer to the Honorary Awards Policy.

Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements

Conferral of Award

Part A – Eligibility

(5) To be eligible for conferral of an award of the University, a student must:

1. have successfully completed all requirements for the relevant program of study as certified by the Executive Dean or Dean, Graduate School; and
2. have complied with all relevant policies, procedures and rules of the University applicable to students.

­­Part B – Conferral Process and Graduation

(6) Subject to clause 7, awards are conferred by Senate or the appropriate delegate at an official graduation ceremony.

(7) An award may be conferred by Senate or the appropriate delegate-

1. at other times to:
   1. Higher Degree by Research candidates; and
   2. Coursework students in exceptional circumstances as determined by the Academic Registrar; or
2. in such manner as Senate or the appropriate delegate considers appropriate in the circumstances and at the relevant time.

(8) A graduand will be invited by the Academic Registrar to attend an official graduation ceremony.

(9) All graduates attending an official graduation ceremony must wear the appropriate academic dress for the award being received, as per the Academic Dress requirements as set by the Vice-Chancellor in clause 38.

Part C – Academic Statements

(10) The University will provide graduates with the following academic statements:

1. testamur (degree certificate);
2. official academic transcript; and
3. Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).

(11) A class of honours must be awarded in a bachelor’s honours degree or an integrated program which includes a bachelor’s honours component, to be calculated as per the Bachelor Honours Degree Procedure.

Part D – Award Abbreviations (Post-nominal Letters)

(12) The official program abbreviations set out in the Awards Table form the approved post-nominal letters a graduate may use to indicate their award title.

Part E – University Medals

(13) University Medals are awarded in recognition of outstanding academic achievement in accordance with the Award of University Medals Procedure.

Posthumous Award

(14) In addition to clauses 5-13, Senate or the appropriate delegate may confer an award posthumously or at end of life where, on the recommendation of the relevant Executive Dean or Dean, Graduate School, Senate or the appropriate delegate is satisfied that the student had completed, or substantially completed, the requirements of an Award as per clause 5.

(15) Senate or the appropriate delegate may waive the requirement for a deceased student, or student at the end of life, to have substantially completed the requirements of an Award where particularly compelling or compassionate circumstances exist for the student.

(16) The application process for posthumous Awards is set out in the Awards Procedure.

Surrender of Award

(17) A graduate may apply to surrender an award by giving notice, together with all academic statements issued by the University that certify the conferral of the award, to the Academic Registrar stating that the graduate has decided to surrender the award.

(18) After the award is surrendered:

1. the rights of the former graduate in relation to the award will cease from the date of surrender; and
2. the former graduate is not eligible to have the surrendered award conferred at any future time by the University.

(19) Where a former graduate surrenders an award and is at that time or later enrolled in another program at the University, they may be granted credit towards that current program in accordance with the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

(20) The surrender of award process is set out in the Awards Procedure.

Revocation of Award

(21) An award may be revoked by an appropriate delegate if, at the time the award was conferred, the graduate was not entitled to the award because:

1. the graduate did not possess the relevant qualifications for admission; or
2. an administrative error has occurred, and the graduate has not satisfied the program completion requirements for the award; or
3. student misconduct has been substantiated in accordance with the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and the penalty imposed results in the graduate no longer meeting the program completion requirements for the conferred award; or
4. the University becomes aware of any demonstrable and compelling reason for revocation of the award and considers in the circumstances that revocation of the award is appropriate.

(22) After the award is revoked, the rights of the former graduate in relation to the award will cease from the date of revocation.

(23) A former graduate who has had their award revoked may appeal to the Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee (SAAAC) which will review the decision, in accordance with the Awards Procedure, to determine whether to:

1. affirm the decision;
2. set aside the decision; or
3. substitute another decision.

(24) In such cases, the SAAAC will be chaired by a Senate member.

(25) The revocation of award process is set out in the Awards Procedure.

Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Senate

(26) Senate is responsible for conferring awards on the certification of the Executive Dean that the program completion requirements for the respective award have been met by the student(s).

Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee

(27) The Student Academic Administrative Appeals Committee (SAAAC) is responsible for considering requests initiated by a former graduate to review a decision to revoke an award.

Appropriate Delegate

(28) The appropriate delegates must exercise their powers as delegated to them by Senate in accordance with the Delegation to confer Awards under the Act.

Academic Registrar

(29) The Academic Registrar is responsible for:

1. determining the exceptional circumstances for an award to be conferred under clause 7a (ii) as set out in the Awards Procedure;
2. setting the time, the conditions, and other administrative aspects for a student to register their intention to attend and be conferred at a graduation ceremony;
3. setting the time, the conditions, and other administrative aspects for a student to conferred at a time outside a graduation ceremony, and to register their intention to attend a later ceremony, if applicable;
4. establishing the process to verify a student’s eligibility to be conferred the award;
5. managing the administrative aspects of University’s graduation ceremonies relating to students;
6. providing academic statements to graduates; and
7. maintaining the University Awards Table and official records of awards.

(30) Other operational responsibilities relating to graduation ceremonies are detailed in the Awards Procedure.

Executive Dean

(31) The Executive Dean is responsible for:

1. certifying that undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students have satisfied program completion requirements for their respective award and are eligible to graduate;
2. providing advice to Senate or appropriate delegate as required (for example, posthumous awards or revocation of an award);
3. approving the honours classification to be awarded to a coursework student undertaking a bachelor’s honours degree; and
4. nominating students who meet the eligibility criteria for the award of a University medal.

Dean, Graduate School

(32) The Dean, Graduate School is responsible for certifying that higher degree by research (HDR) students have satisfied the program completion requirements for the awarding of the relevant HDR award, and to provide advice to Senate or appropriate delegate as required (for example, posthumous awards or revocation of an award).

Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance

(33) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) is responsible for the monitoring, review and assurance of this Policy.

(34) The Academic Registrar will monitor the conferral of awards and submit reports to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and/or Senate as required.

(35) Academic Policy and Programs will provide assurance that the nominations submitted by the faculties for University Medals meet the requirements set out in the Award of University Medals Procedure.

Section 5 - Recording and Reporting

(36) Records concerning applications and University decisions are filed in the student/graduate’s record in the University’s official records systems in accordance with the Information Management Policy.

(37) The Chairperson of the SAAAC is responsible for retaining the records of proceedings in the relevant records management system.

Section 6 - Appendix

Definitions, Terms, Acronyms

Academic Dress

(38) As per the Academic Dress Requirements.