• Definitions
• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Marketing and recruitment
• Enrolment
• Student support and wellbeing
• Training and assessment
• Student feedback
• Completion
• Section 5 - Non-Compliance

Definitions

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) is dedicated to creating a welcoming, inclusive, responsive, and safe learning environment that embraces the diversity of vocational education and training (VET) students.

(2) The University strives to offer a culturally safe learning environment for First Nations people and to provide a positive student experience throughout all stages of the student lifecycle.

(3) The University acknowledges the importance of students acquiring skills and knowledge consistent with the requirements of the VET course effectively and successfully.

(4) The University ensures that VET students have access to support services, VET lecturers, and other professional staff to assist their progress throughout their student learning journey.

Section 2 - Purpose

(5) This policy offers a structured approach to student engagement and support, aiming to enhance student retention, satisfaction, and success.

(6) This policy describes the phases of a VET student’s lifecycle and provides an overview of related governance documents and support available to help students progress and complete their course.

Section 3 - Scope

(7) This policy covers all domestic and international VET students, as well as staff involved in vocational education or student services throughout the six phases of the VET student lifecycle.

Section 4 - Policy

(8) The VET Student Lifecycle Policy ensures compliance with the following regulations:

1. National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025;
2. National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and Fit and Proper Person Requirements) Instrument 2025;
3. RTO Credential Policy 2025; and
4. Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.

(9) The VET student lifecycle phases are:

1. Marketing and recruitment;
2. Enrolment;
3. Student support and wellbeing;
4. Training and assessment;
5. Student feedback; and
6. Course completion.

Marketing and recruitment

(10) Advertisements and marketing materials from the University or third parties must be clear, accurate, and up to date.

(11) The Marketing Policy outlines how the University ensures compliance with relevant acts and regulations for VET course promotion and student recruitment. It should be read alongside:

1. Web Management Policy and Procedure;
2. Media Policy;
3. Social Media Policy; and
4. Third-Party Partnerships for Educational Provision Policy and Procedure.

Enrolment

Pre-enrolment

(12) Before enrolment, the University informs students about course requirements, training strategy, fees and support services.

(13) The University reviews the suitability of the course for prospective students, taking into account the prospective student’s skills and competencies. After the review, the VET delivery team provides advice to students on the course's suitability.

(14) Applicants may be required to demonstrate they have sufficient language, literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy (LLND) skills. The methods for reviewing LLND are recorded in the training and assessment strategy (TAS) in the Curriculum Management System for each course offered at the University.

1. Students who are given direct entry into a course, such as apprentices and trainees, are given an LLND assessment to indicate any support needs.
2. Students applying for VET Student Loans must be at Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) exit level 3 or higher as part of the entry requirements. For VET Student Loan students, the University uses the LLN Robot, an approved tool according to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
3. Students applying for non-VET Student Loan courses are assessed against the ACSF via validated LLN tools.
4. Students moving to online learning after they commence at the University must complete the VET Student Online and Distance Study Capability Checklist and keep a record on their student file.

(15) Offers may be rescinded if it is determined that the applicant’s LLND is not appropriate for the course. In such cases, alternative pathway options may be provided to the student.

Enrolment

(16) The University recognises that enrolment is a critical component of its relationship with students, involving mutual obligations and shared responsibilities. The University is dedicated to ensuring that all practices related to enrolments are:

1. clear and transparent, with information on courses, units, enrolment, and University governance documents being readily available and accessible to students;
2. timely and accurate, enabling students to apply and adjust their enrolment while considering course requirements and any applicable penalties; and
3. compliant with relevant regulations.

(17) The Enrolment Policy provides comprehensive specifications regarding enrolment processes.

Fees

(18) The University ensures fair and transparent management of student tuition fees for vocational education courses. These governance documents cover fee payments, allocation, refunds, financial penalties, cancellations, and VET Student Loans.

1. Domestic Student Fee Policy;
2. International Student Fee Policy; and
3. VET Domestic Student Progression Procedure.

Student support and wellbeing

Diversity and inclusion

(19) The University acknowledges the diversity of its community and ensures a safe and inclusive learning environment for VET students.

(20) The University acknowledges First Nations knowledge and cultures, recognises First Nations history, heritage, uniqueness, and diversity, and aims to create a culturally safe learning environment for First Nations students.

(21) The governance documents listed below outline how the University supports diversity and inclusion.

1. Anti-Racism Policy;
2. Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy;
3. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy; and
4. First Nations People Policy.

Student cohorts

(22) Vocational education serves a diverse range of students, including school leavers, VET in school participants, international students, First Nations individuals, adults returning to study, apprentices and trainees, and online and remote students, each with distinct characteristics, learning objectives, and needs.

(23) The VET delivery team identifies student cohorts, designs training and assessment strategies to meet their diverse needs, and documents these strategies in the course management system (CMS).

(24) VET lecturers identify the wellbeing needs of student cohorts within the context of the training and assessment before and during the course.

(25) The VET Team Leader, VET lecturers, and other University employees inform student cohorts about available wellbeing support services and additional actions they can take for themselves.

(26) The following governance documents describe how the University addresses the diverse needs of various student cohorts:

1. Child Safety Policy and its associated procedures:
   1. Working with Children Clearance Procedure;
   2. Child Abuse Allegation and Reporting Procedure;
2. VET Course Registration Procedure;
3. International Students - VET Course Progression Procedure;
4. International Students - Welfare of International Students U18 Procedure; and
5. Support for Students Policy.

Training and assessment support

(27) The University offers training support services, lecturers, assessors, and other staff to assist VET students throughout their learning journey.

(28) VET students are informed about how and when they can access trainers, assessors and other staff and queries from VET students are responded to in a timely manner.

(29) Adjustments are made for VET students with disabilities to ensure fair access to training and assessment. The University ensures:

1. Students can disclose their disability if they choose.
2. Appropriate adjustments are made for students with disabilities.
3. If adjustments are not possible, reasons are communicated promptly.

(30) The following governance documents outline the University's approach to determining training and assessment support requirements, providing assistance to students, and ensuring support for students with disabilities:

1. Support for Students Policy;
2. Students with Disability Policy;
3. VET Domestic Student Progression Procedure;
4. Fitness to Study Procedure; and
5. Fitness to Practise Policy and Procedure.

Training and assessment

RPL and credit transfer

(31) The University notifies all VET students of their entitlement to apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL) and credit transfer and offers support throughout the application processes available to them.

(32) The following governance documents detail how the University provides RPL and credit transfer:

1. Academic Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy;
2. VET Recognition Procedure; and
3. VET Assessment System Policy and Procedure.

Training and assessment

(33) The VET delivery team engage with industry, employers, and community representatives to ensure training remains relevant and to update training and assessment strategies.

(34) The VET delivery team provides training and assessment, recorded in the training and assessment strategy, that is structured and reflects industry practice, ensuring VET students acquire skills and knowledge consistent with training package requirements.

(35) VET lecturers ensure the mode of delivery, training techniques, activities and resources engage VET students and support their understanding.

(36) The VET delivery team  ensures that required skills and knowledge from work placements or community-based learning are attained as per the training package requirements.

(37) The VET delivery team ensures students have access to necessary, safe, and sufficient facilities, resources, and equipment for their training and assessment.

(38) The University delivers training and assessment in accordance with the following governance documents:

1. Student Academic Integrity Policy;
2. VET Course Registration Procedure;
3. VET Assessment System Policy and Procedure;
4. VET Recognition Procedure;
5. Work Integrated Learning Policy;
6. VET Work Placement Procedure;
7. VET Student Transition Procedure;
8. VET Domestic Student Progression Procedure; and
9. International Students - VET Course Progression Procedure.

Risk management

(39) The VET delivery team manages risks during training or assessment, including:

1. Students under 18;
2. Use of facilities, resources, and equipment in work-integrated learning or placements;
3. Use of facilities, resources, and equipment in remote communities; and
4. Training and assessment with third parties.

(40) Training and assessment must include a safety hazard mitigation strategy, particularly during assessment events when students are acting more independently than during learning.

(41) Safety hazard mitigation for learning can be managed by complying with the University's work health and safety governance documents, listed below.

(42) Safety hazard mitigation for assessment can be managed though unit requirements or by completing an Assessment risk control plan.

1. Safety hazard mitigation for assessment can be managed through unit requirements when safety hazard risk mitigation is a requirement of the unit, for example performance criteria and performance evidence ask that students identify hazards and mitigate risks before their skills assessment, documented in a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) or a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS), as part of their evidence of competence.
2. An Assessment risk control plan must be completed if no safety requirements are included in the unit. The completed Assessment risk control plan must be included in the assessment tool. For example, business or foundation skills type units don’t assess safety explicitly but managing psycho-social safety in the class is required, as is ergonomic safety and trip hazards and test and tag on office equipment.

(43) The following governance documents outline how the University identifies and manages risk, and implements work, health, and safety systems:

1. Critical Incident and Emergency Management Policy and Procedure, Work Health and Safety Policy, and their associated procedures:
   1. Electrical Safety Procedure;
   2. Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Procedure;
   3. WHS Incident and Investigation Procedure;
2. Child Safety Policy and its associated procedures:
   1. Working with Children Clearance Procedure;
   2. Child Abuse Allegation and Reporting Procedure;
3. Enterprise Risk Management Policy and Enterprise Risk Management Procedure;
4. Information Security and Access Policy;
5. Third-Party Partnerships for Educational Provision Policy and Procedure;
6. Work Integrated Learning Policy, VET Work Placement Procedure, Fitness to Study Procedure, and Fitness to Practise Policy and Procedure.

Student feedback

(44) The University provides VET students with information on providing feedback, making complaints, lodging appeals, and support for application processes.

(45) The outcomes of complaints or appeals are recorded and communicated to all parties involved.

(46) The outcomes of feedback, complaints, and appeals are utilised to inform continuous improvement.

(47) The following governance documents outline how the University addresses feedback, complaints, and appeals:

1. Complaints Policy - Students; and
2. Compliance Management Policy.

Completion

(48) VET students who meet training package requirements receive a testamur.

(49) The following governance documents cover how the University manages VET student completions:

1. Conferral and Certification Policy; and
2. VET Student Transition Procedure.

Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(50) Non-compliance with governance documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees or the Code of Conduct - Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2025 and the Code of Conduct - Students.

(51) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students.

(52) All employees have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.