• Section 1 - Introduction
• Section 2 - Compliance
• Section 3 - Intent
• Section 4 - Relevant Definitions
• Section 5 - Procedures
• University Medal – Eligibility Criteria
• Chancellor's Medal – Eligibility Criteria
• Medal Selection
• Award Selection Committee
• Presentation of Medals

Section 1 - Introduction

(1) Each year the University awards medals to the most meritorious students from the Higher Education (HE) sector. There are two categories of medals: the University Medal and the Chancellor's Medal.

(2) The University Medal will be awarded to the undergraduate HE student/s with the highest overall Grade Point Average (GPA) over 6.5, subject to the eligibility criteria defined in this document.

(3) The Chancellor's medals are awarded to the HE student/s with the highest overall Grade Point Average (GPA) over 6.5 in each Faculty, who is not the recipient of the University Medal, subject to the eligibility criteria defined in this document. If it is not possible to distinguish between two or more students in each Faculty, then two or more medals will be awarded.

Section 2 - Compliance

(4) This is a compliance requirement under the Charles Darwin University Act 2003 part 3, section 15.

Section 3 - Intent

(5) To provide a fair and equitable procedure for awarding the University and Chancellor's medals in Higher Education and to clearly define the eligibility criteria and procedures used to determine the successful recipients.

Section 4 - Relevant Definitions

(6) In the context of this document:

1. Advanced Standing is a form of credit for any previous learning, for example credit transfer based upon previous formal study, articulation arrangements or recognition of other prior learning;
2. AHEGS means Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement. It takes the form of a document provided to graduates by the awarding institution, and lists the student’s qualification, academic record and any other academic achievements;
3. Assessment Panel means a panel chaired by the Director, Office of Student Administration and Equity Services and consists of one additional staff member at a HEW level 9 or 10 position from the Office of Student Administration and Equity Services;
4. Award Selection Committee is a sub-committee of Academic Board responsible for selection of the recipients of the University and Chancellor's medals. The Award Selection Committee is comprised of a Chair and a representative from each higher education faculty. The Chair of the Award Selection Committee will be appointed by the Chair, Academic Board;
5. Faculty means the Faculty of Engineering, Health Science and the Environment, including the Menzies School of Health Research and the Faculty of Law, Education, Business and Arts, including the Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education;
6. GPA means Grade Point Average and is the average of the grades a student has achieved, weighed by the credit points or hour value of the units;
7. Nested qualifications are qualifications that include articulated arrangements from a lower-level qualification into a higher-level qualification to enable multiple entry and exit points;
8. Program of learning is a course, curriculum, training package, unit of study or structured workplace learning that leads to the award of a qualification;
9. Qualification is the result of an accredited complete program of learning that leads to formal certification that a graduate has achieved learning outcomes as described in the AQF; and
10. Table ‘A’ Provider means the definition as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

Section 5 - Procedures

University Medal – Eligibility Criteria

(7) To be eligible, the student must meet the following criteria:

1. be of good character and a meritorious candidate for the award;
2. be eligible to graduate in the May and June ceremony round of the current year or have graduated in the October ceremony round of the previous year;
3. be eligible to graduate from an HE Bachelor degree program requiring a minimum of 240 credit points and for which the Council of the University issues a testamur;
4. have completed a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of the requirements detailed in the program of learning structure from higher education units at the University; and
5. have completed a minimum of 120 credit points from graded, higher education units.*

(8) Where the student’s academic record incorporates Advanced Standing units from other programs of learning at the University, or incorporates a nested program of learning that has been completed at the University, the total academic record making up the program of learning will be used to calculate the GPA.

Chancellor's Medal – Eligibility Criteria

(9) To be eligible, the student must meet the following criteria:

1. be of good character and a meritorious candidate for the award;
2. be eligible to graduate in the May and June ceremony round of the current year or have graduated in the October ceremony round of the previous year;
3. be eligible to graduate from an HE program of learning of at least 80 credit points value and for which the Council of the University issues a testamur;
4. have completed at least 80 credit points of the requirements detailed in the program of learning structure from higher education units at the University;
5. have at least 50% of graded units constituting the student’s program of learning**; and
6. not be the recipient of the University Medal for the same program of learning.

(10) Where the student’s academic record incorporates Advanced Standing units from other programs of learning at the University, or incorporates a nested program of learning that has been completed at the University, the total academic record making up the program of learning will be used to calculate the GPA. If, however, a student has previously been awarded the Chancellor's Medal for the nested program of learning, they are not eligible to receive the Chancellor's Medal for the overall program of learning.

Medal Selection

(11) Information regarding the potential recipients will be extracted from the Student Management System – Callista - and a report given to the Assessment Panel.

(12) The Assessment Panel will ensure that:

1. potential recipients are eligible under the criteria for the respective medal;
2. where a student has received credit transfer, and such credit is from a University program of learning, the grade from the original program of learning has been correctly calculated towards the GPA; and
3. where a student has received credit transfer from a program of learning with a partner organisation which is a Table ‘A’ provider, and the credit is comprised of core units or specialist electives for that program of learning which have been accredited for printing on a University transcript, the grade from the awarding partner organisation has been correctly calculated and counted towards the GPA.

Award Selection Committee

(13) Once a list of possible recipients has been identified by the Assessment Panel, the names of the recipients and the calculations used to determine their revised GPA will be forwarded by the Director, Office of Student Administration and Equity Services to the Award Selection Committee. The Award Selection Committee will be responsible for selecting:

1. the HE student who meets the eligibility criteria and has the highest GPA for the University Medal; and
2. the HE student who meets the eligibility criteria and has the highest GPA within their Faculty for the Chancellor's Medal.

(14) Example: Two students in contention for the University Medal have the following results:

(15) In this example, Student 1 would be the recipient of the University Medal.

(16) If the Award Selection Committee cannot distinguish between two (2) or more candidates for either of the medals as the students have the same GPA, then two or more medals will be awarded.

Presentation of Medals

(17) The recipients will be invited to attend the University Graduation Ceremony to be presented with their medal.

(18) Upon graduation from the University, students will be issued with an Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement which includes a section titled Special Achievements, Recognition and Prizes. Recipients of the University and Chancellor's Medals will have their achievement recognised here.