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ELICOS Registration Procedure

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Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University,’ ‘CDU’) is a self-accrediting higher education provider and must ensure that the development, approval, delivery and discontinuance of ELICOS courses comply with the following regulations as set out in the Educational Quality and Excellence Framework Policy.

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Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This procedure outlines the requirements and process to approve and register ELICOS courses with TEQSA.

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Section 3 - Scope

(3) This procedure applies to the registration of ELICOS courses with TEQSA.

(4) This procedure does not apply to Higher Education courses and units, Higher Degrees by Research, Vocational Education and Training courses or other non-award courses and micro-credentials.

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Section 4 - Procedure

ELICOS product prioritisation

(5) The Vice-Chancellor decides as to the strategic fit and financial viability of the course.

(6) Prior to course registration for a new ELICOS course, the Course Proposer must prepare a business case in the Curriculum Management System (CMS) for endorsement by the Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor.

(7) The business case must provide adequate information to decide whether the course should be added in the University’s product portfolio, including:

  1. course overview;
  2. course strategic rationale analysis;
  3. course student demand; 
  4. course risk management;
  5. course resources; and
  6. key stakeholder review.

(8) Curriculum planning and design cannot commence until the business case is submitted by the Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor to the Vice-Chancellor and approved.

ELICOS course planning and design

(9) During the course planning and unit design phase, the Academic Programs Committee conducts a quality review and ensures compliance with the academic requirements of the University and legislation prior to application to TEQSA for approval.

(10) Once a new ELICOS course is prioritised and approved for course development by the Vice-Chancellor, the Faculty must prepare a course plan and design in the CMS.

(11) All ELICOS course plans must include detailed information regarding:

  1. course detail;
  2. offering information;
  3. admission information;
  4. marketing information; and
  5. incidental fees and costs.

(12) All ELICOS course designs must include detailed information regarding:

  1. course overview;
  2. delivery and assessment; and
  3. course annual review.

(13) All ELICOS unit designs must include detailed information regarding:

  1. unit details;
  2. unit description;
  3. pre-requisite/assumed knowledge, co-requisite if applicable;
  4. unit learning outcomes;
  5. assessment items including relationship to unit learning outcomes;
  6. learning activities and design;
  7. unit offerings;
  8. cross institutional credit transfer, if applicable; and
  9. incidental fees and costs.

(14) The Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee (FLTC) must endorse the ELICOS course and new unit/s design in the CMS.

(15) Once the FLTC endorses the ELICOS course and new unit/s design in the CMS, it must be reviewed and approved by the Academic Programs Committee.

(16) Once Academic Programs Committee approves a new ELICOS course and units, an application is submitted to TEQSA for approval.

Course review

(17) All ELICOS courses must be subject to two Course Reviews: 

  1. Annual Course Review where quality improvements are identified and reported on through the Annual Course Monitoring (ACM) process. Course improvement plans must be approved by FLTC and submitted to Academic Board for noting.
  2. Major Course Review that occurs at least once every 7 years for the purposes of re-registration. These reviews are informed by previous Annual Course Reviews, student feedback at the unit level, student cohort success and satisfaction, assessment methods and grading against comparable courses. The outcomes of the Major Course Review must inform the business case for re-registration or discontinuation as set out in this procedure.

(18) Annual or Major Course Reviews may result in amendments, revision, suspension and/or discontinuation of ELICOS courses.

(19) Minor and major amendments must consider and minimise the potential impact on students.

(20) A minor amendment to a unit involves amendments within a course registration/re-registration period that do not involve substantial change such as:

  1. clarifying current learning outcomes; and
  2. additional student information.

(21) Minor amendments to a course or unit are submitted through the CMS and approved by the Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor.

(22) A major amendment to any unit includes:

  1. changing course title;
  2. change to course outcomes;
  3. change to entry requirements;
  4. changing course duration and volume of learning;
  5. changes to work integrated learning
  6. change to delivery mode;
  7. removing offerings or adding additional course offering locations;
  8. changes to course structure;
  9. adding new specified/unspecified pathways and precedents; and
  10. changing third party arrangements.

(23) Major amendments to units are submitted through the CMS and endorsed by the FLTC and approved by the Chair of the Academic Programs Committee.

(24) Major amendments involving change to course title, delivery mode, course duration, volume of learning and/or third-party arrangements must be submitted to TEQSA for approval before the amended course can be offered.

(25) Where numerous amendments to an ELICOS course are proposed the Chair of the Academic Programs Committee will determine if the changes are so significant that the Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor will submit of a business case for re-registration as detailed in this procedure.

(26) Proposals for course discontinuation are submitted through the CMS and endorsed by the Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor, followed by an Academic Programs Committee review and Vice-Chancellor approval. The Vice-Chancellor may initiate and approve course discontinuation without the approval of the Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor.

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Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(27) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct – Staff 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 2022 and the Code of Conduct – Students.

(28) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Code of Conduct – Staff and Code of Conduct - Students.

(29) All staff members 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.