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Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

Purpose

(1) This Policy outlines The University of Queensland’s (UQ) position regarding Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and Work Experience, and provides a framework for managing the engagement of students in work-related learning experiences for educational benefit.

(2) Defined terms used in this Policy and the associated Procedure are set out in Section 7 below.

Scope

(3) This Policy applies to all WIL and Work Experience opportunities.

(4) This Policy applies to Students, Staff, Host Organisations, Supervisors (UQ and/or Host), Third-Party Providers and UQ.

(5) Adherence to this Policy enables UQ to manage risks of strategic significance, including our duty of care to students, and to comply with relevant laws, regulations, government policies/standards, and professional standards.

(6) This Policy does not apply to students volunteering either within UQ or for other not-for-profit organisations.

Objectives

(7) This Policy provides standard definitions and terms, based on legal and academic frameworks and requirements, to ensure consistency of understanding, management, and continuous improvement of WIL and Work Experience across UQ.

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Section 2 - Principles

(8) The provision of comprehensive opportunities to develop workplace awareness, capabilities, and industry insights is central to enhancing the employability of all UQ graduates. UQ is committed to increasing access to WIL, work experience, enrichment activities, and experiential learning opportunities in a range of domestic, global, virtual and multi-cultural settings.

(9) WIL and Work Experience opportunities are intended to provide students with authentic experiential learning that will enhance their employability, benefit their education, and meet any accreditation requirements relating to practical knowledge and skills, where required.

(10) Maintaining effective communication between students, the Host Organisation, any relevant Third-Party Provider and UQ is essential.

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Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

The University of Queensland

(11) UQ is responsible for ensuring, as far as reasonably practicable and within the circumstances in its control, that:

  1. students are appropriately prepared for and supported throughout their WIL and Work Experience; and
  2. formal agreements are in place with all Host Organisations and Third-Party Providers (as appropriate), ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation and adherence to policy expectations, unless an exemption has been authorised.

(12) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) has overall responsibility for the approval and management of this Policy and the Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Procedure. 

(13) The Director, Student Employability, has overall responsibility for implementation of this Policy and the Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Procedure, including regular reviews of implementation and reporting any recommendations for improvements to process, quality assurance and compliance, and risk management to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and/or Academic Registrar, where necessary.

(14) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) may authorise an exemption from compliance by UQ with this Policy and the Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Procedure. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) will take into account all relevant circumstances in deciding whether to authorise an exemption.

Student

(15) It is the responsibility of the student to:

  1. conduct themselves professionally, within their expected scope of practice, in accordance with any legal and/or policy requirements of the Host Organisation, including being prepared to commence their WIL activity by fulfilling all pre-placement requirements stipulated by the Host Organisation within expected timeframes and completion of all mandatory training; and
  2. comply with relevant UQ policies and procedures, including the Student Code of Conduct Policy or Higher Degree by Research Candidature Charter Policy, Travel Policy, and external regulatory requirements (including visa requirements).

Host Organisation

(16) It is the responsibility of Host Organisations to comply with any relevant agreement with UQ relating to the WIL or Work Experience (including any Student Placement Agreement). This Policy and any associated Procedure do not limit or restrict any of the Host Organisation’s obligations under any agreement with UQ.

Third-Party Provider

(17) It is the responsibility of any Third-Party Provider to comply with any relevant agreement with UQ relating to the sourcing of WIL or Work Experience. This Policy and any associated Procedure do not limit or restrict any of the Third-Party Provider’s obligations under any agreement with UQ.

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Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance

(18) The Director, Student Employability, will undertake regular reviews of legal, risk management, and quality assurance issues, in partnership with Governance and Risk Division, Associate Deans (Academic), and the Dean, Graduate School.

(19) These reviews will:

  1. assess compliance with this Policy and demonstrate/confirm its effectiveness;
  2. identify, assess, and promptly address any deficiencies; and
  3. ensure ongoing relevance of this Policy.
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Section 5 - Recording and Reporting

(20) The Director, Student Employability, will provide regular implementation review reports to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and/or Academic Registrar, including recommendations for improvements to process, quality assurance and compliance, and risk management.

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Section 6 - Employment Relationship

(21) WIL and Work Experience opportunities are to provide students with work-related learning experiences for their educational benefit. These opportunities are not intended to create, or facilitate the creation of, an Employment Relationship between the student and the Host Organisation, or between the student and UQ.

(22) Despite clause 21, UQ accepts that circumstances may arise where students wish to have work performed as part of an Employment Relationship recognised by UQ for credit towards a WIL course, shorter form credential or other defined program milestone.

(23) UQ may choose to recognise work performed as part of an Employment Relationship for credit towards a WIL course, shorter form credential or other defined program milestone, provided that:

  1. the student is able to demonstrate that the employer has provided written consent to the work, or information related to the work, being provided to UQ for consideration of recognition for credit; and
  2. any written consent provided by the employer acknowledges and agrees to the provision of its confidential information, intellectual property or information that is subject to legislation relating to privacy (including without limitation the Privacy Act 1988 and Information Privacy Act 2009.

(24) The decision to recognise work performed as part of an Employment Relationship for credit is a discretionary and operational matter for the relevant Faculty or the Graduate School, acting within the boundaries of relevant UQ policies and procedures and taking into account all relevant information.           

(25) If a student is remunerated for work under an Employment Relationship, the student will not be covered by UQ's insurance policies (including any travel insurance policy) for the purposes of that Employment Relationship or any WIL undertaken as part of that Employment Relationship.

(26) UQ is not responsible for any Employment Relationship entered into by a student. If an Employment Relationship ceases for any reason (in particular, prior to the student completing the credit requirements for their course or shorter form credential), UQ will not be in a position to challenge the termination.

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Section 7 - Appendix

Definitions

Term Definition
Employment Relationship A relationship of employment between a student and their employer, in which the student is entitled to receive remuneration for work performed.
Host Organisation An organisation at which a UQ student undertakes a WIL or Work Experience placement opportunity.
Third-Party Provider An organisation that identifies WIL and Work Experience opportunities with a Host Organisation, that may be undertaken by UQ students.
Volunteering Time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain. Volunteering should directly or indirectly benefit people outside a volunteer’s family or household or else benefit a cause. UQ expects that volunteering activities in Australia would be with a not-for-profit organisation with a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
Work Based Learning Experience WIL or Work Experiences that are physically or virtually located within a Host Organisation.
Work Experience An arrangement undertaken by a student under which an organisation will provide experience to the student as part of the student's education, but not as a mandatory or assessable part of a student's course, shorter form credential or program. Work Experience is regulated under the Education (Work Experience) Act 1996 and is subject to specific restrictions and conditions. UQ expects that the work-related learning opportunities will provide greater educational benefit for the student than operational benefit for the Host Organisation. UQ should authorise the arrangement in advance.
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Learning experiences that explicitly integrate theory with practice within a purposefully designed curriculum to foreground employability. WIL must be either assessable by UQ (for credit) or otherwise a requirement of an academic course, shorter form credential or program.

For (Higher Degree by Research (HDR)) students, WIL opportunities must be unrelated to the HDR project thesis and authorised as a requirement of the program by the Dean, Graduate School.
Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Policy and Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Procedure This Policy and the Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Procedure.

Related Legislation, Policies and Procedures

(27) Legislation and other resources:

  1. Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000
  2. Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
  3. Corrective Services Act 2006 (Qld)
  4. Disability Services Act 2006 (Qld)
  5. Aged Care Act 1997
  6. Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
  7. Fair Work Act 2009
  8. TEQSA Risk Assessment Framework
  9. TEQSA guidance for WIL

(28) University policies and procedures:

  1. Delegations Policy
  2. Privacy Management Policy
  3. Working with Children Policy
  4. Insurance Coverage and Management of Claims Procedure
  5. Health and Safety Incident and Hazard Reporting Procedure
  6. Vaccinations and Immunisation Procedure and supporting Guideline
  7. Assessment Policy and supporting Procedures and Guidelines
  8. Examinations Procedure
  9. Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Policy
  10. Annual Programs, Plans and Courses Quality Assurance Procedure
  11. Academic Program Review Procedure
  12. Fitness to Practise Policy and supporting Procedure and Guideline
  13. Student Fees Policy
  14. Incidental Student Fees and Charges Procedure
  15. Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and supporting Procedure
  16. Student Grievance Resolution Policy and supporting Procedure and Guideline
  17. Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and supporting Procedure and Guideline
  18. Managing Complaints about the Conduct of Research - Higher Degree by Research Candidates Procedure
  19. Intellectual Property Policy and supporting Procedure
  20. Volunteers Policy
  21. Unpaid Work Experience Registration Form.