Australian Careers Education

Student Rights and Responsibilities (Domestic & International Students)

Students and workplace mentors have rights and responsibilities governed by State and Federal legislation.

Student Rights

All Students have the right to:

• Be treated fairly and with respect by all ACE employees and other Students;
• Not be harassed, victimised or discriminated against on any basis;
• Learn in a supportive environment which is free from harassment, discrimination and victimization;
• Learn in a healthy and safe environment where the risks to personal health and safety are managed and minimized;
• Receive adequate withdrawal from routine work duties to undertake structured training activities;
• Have their personal details and records kept private and secure according to ACE ’s privacy policy;
• Access any information ACE holds about them, including their records free of charge (provided that their relevant tuition fees for the records they wish to access have been paid);
• Have their complaints dealt with fairly, promptly, confidentially and without retribution;
• Make appeals about procedural and assessment decisions; all ACE internal complaints and appeals processing is free of charge;
• Receive training, assessment and support services that meet their individual needs;
• Be given clear and accurate information about their course, training and assessment arrangements and their progress;
• Access the support they may need to effectively participate in their training program;
• Provide feedback to ACE, on the client services, training, assessment and support services they received.

Student Responsibilities

All students, throughout their training and involvement with ACE, are expected to:

• Treat all others with fairness and respect and to not do anything that could offend, embarrass or threaten others;
• Not harass, victimise, discriminate against or disrupt others;
• Treat all others and their property with respect;
• Respect the opinions and backgrounds of others;
• Follow all policies and procedures as directed by ACE employees;
• Report any perceived safety risks as they become known;
• Not possess any articles or items that may threaten the safety of self or others during training delivery;
• Notify ACE if any of their personal information or contact details change;
• Provide relevant and accurate information to ACE in a timely manner;
• Apply themselves to their course with due personal commitment and integrity;
• Complete all assessment tasks, learning activities and assignments honestly and without plagiarism or cheating;
• Hand in all assessment tasks, assignments and other evidence of their work on time;
• Participate in regular contact with their Trainer and Assessor where directed;
• Progress steadily through their course in line with their training plan;
• Prepare appropriately for all assessment tasks, visits and training/coaching sessions;
• Notify ACE if any difficulties arise as part of their involvement in the program;
• Notify ACE if they are unable to attend a workplace visit or training/coaching session for any reason at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to commencement of the activity;
• Refrain from smoking at training venues and on the premises of ACE;
• Make agreed payments for their training within agreed timeframes.

Relevant Legislation

WH&S

The following legislation applies to all students and employees of ACE:

• Workplace Health & Safety Act 2011 (Commonwealth)
• Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 (Victoria)

Specifically, this means that Students and employees have the responsibility to:

• Protect own health and safety and to avoid adversely affecting the health and safety of any other person;
• Not willfully nor recklessly interfere with, or misuse anything provided by ACE in the interests of health, safety and welfare;
• Cooperate with health and safety directives given by staff at ACE;
• Ensure that they are not, by the consumption of drugs and/or alcohol, in such a state as to endanger owns health and safety or that of others.

Privacy Legislation

• Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth)
• Information Privacy Act 2000 (Victoria)

Anti-Discrimination

• Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Commonwealth)
• Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Commonwealth)
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Commonwealth)
• Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Commonwealth)
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Commonwealth)
• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Victoria)

Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 gives the public the right to request access to documents held by ACE and most Government departments and agencies. The public are also able to ensure that records held by ACE and by the Government are complete, correct current and not misleading.

National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act

ACE operates as a Registered Training Organisation and as such complies with the registration requirements of the Australian Skills Quality Authority.

ACE’s Commitment to Students - ESOS Framework (International Students)

ACE is highly committed to provide students with the fundamental rights protected by the ESOS framework.

The Australian Government wants overseas students in Australia to have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding place to study. Australia’s laws promote quality education and consumer protection for overseas students. These laws are known as the ESOS framework and they include the Education Services for Overseas (ESOS) Act 2000 and the National Code 2007.

Protection for overseas students

As an overseas student on a student visa, you must study with an education provider and in a course that can be found on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) at http://cricos.deewr.gov.au. CRICOS registration guarantees that the course and the education provider at which you study meet the high standards necessary for overseas students. Please check carefully that the details of your course − including its location − match the information on CRICOS.

Your Rights include:

• To receive, before enrolling, current and accurate information about the courses, fees, modes of study and other information from ACE and ACE’s agent.
• To sign a written agreement with ACE before or as you pay your fees, setting out the services to be provided, fees payable and information about refunds of course money. You should keep a copy of your written agreement.
• ACE ensures the right to get the education you paid for. The ESOS Framework includes a Tuition Protection Service (TPS) that will allow you to receive a refund or to be placed in another course if we are unable to teach our course.
• ACE provides you with the right to know:
  • How to use ACE’s Student Support Services;
  • Who the contact officer or officers are for overseas students;
  • If you can apply for course credit;
  • When your enrolment can be deferred, suspended or cancelled;
  • What ACE’s requirements are for satisfactory progress in the courses you study
  • If attendance is monitored for those courses;
  • What will happen if you want to change providers; and
  • How to use ACE’s complaints and appeals process.

ACE’s Expectation from Students

We hold our students in high regard. Likewise, we have certain expectations of you, the student, to ensure we maintain the Essential Standards for Overseas Students (ESOS).

Your responsibilities include to:

• Satisfy your student visa conditions;
• Maintain your Overseas Student health Cover (OSHC) for the period of your stay;
• Meet the terms of your written agreement with ACE;
• Inform us within 7 days if you change your contact details;
• Maintain satisfactory course progress;
• Maintain and follow ACE’s attendance policy;
• Follow the code of conduct and practices; and
• Be disciplined in your on campus conduct

Contact details

Who?	Why?	How?
Your provider	For policies and procedures that affect you	Speak with your provider. Go to your provider’s website.
Department of Education	For your ESOS rights and responsibilities	ESOS Helpline +61 2 6240 5069 Online enquiry form www.aei.gov.au
Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP)	For visa matters	www.immi.gov.au Phone 131 881 in Australia Contact the DIBP office in your country

Nature of Guarantee

ACE is committed to ensuring that once students have started studying their chosen qualification or course, provided they continue to meet all of their responsibilities as students, they will be assured completion as per the training plan. ACE will also guarantee training and assessment of the highest quality as outlined before enrolment.

ACE is responsible for the quality of the training and assessment in compliance with the National VET Standards, and for the issuance of the AQF certification documentation.

Issuance of AQF Qualifications

• AQF qualifications will be issued to students when they have been assessed as competent in all Units of Competency/competencies of the course or have been assessed as competent. Being assessed as competent means the student has successfully completed all requirements of the course or training product.
• The AQF qualification certificate will be issued within 30 calendar days of the student completing all required units in the AQF Qualification.
• The student must have been paid all fees owed to ACE prior to issuance of the AQF Qualifications.
• The AQF Qualification will also be supported by:
  • A Completion Letter
  • Statement of Results

Issuance of Statement of Attainment

• Statements of Attainment (SOA) will be issued to students when they withdraw or cancel their enrolment in a Qualification or when they wish to receive a statement of all the modules or units of competencies they have successfully completed.
• The Statement of Attainment will be issued within 30 calendar days of the student meeting the requirements of the unit of competency / competencies provided they have completed the 'Request for Certificate, Transcript or Statement of Attainment' Form (which is submitted to the Records Manager at Head Office or via email) and that they do not have any outstanding fees owing to ACE.
• Once the requested is granted, the Records Manager then prepares the Statement of Attainment. This lists all the subjects the Student has successfully completed.
• The Student is notified via email when their Statement of Attainment will be available to pick up from Head Office.

Former Students

Former students of ACE who have previously been issued a copy of their AQF qualification and/or Statement of Attainment, or for some reason that these documents were not issued to them in the past, and who wish to obtain a copy of their AQF qualification can do so by completing the ‘Request for Certificate, Transcript or Statement of Attainment’ Form. This form can be downloaded from ACE’s website or by contacting Head Office and requesting a copy of the form. ACE will process applications for re-issuance of AQF certification documentation and or Statement of Attainment within 14 days. Charges apply. Please refer to the Fees and Charges Policy.

The AQF qualification documentation and/or Statement of Attainment are accessible to current and part learners.

For more information, please refer to the Issuance of AQF Qualification Policy and Procedures which is available in the website; or contact the head office to request for a hard copy.

International Students

In the event that ACE is unable to honour this commitment, it will provide a release letter to the student so that they can complete their training with another ACE.

ACE will also issue a Statement of Attainment for any units successfully completed by the student.

ACE also subscribes to the Tuitions Protection Service (TPS).

School Aged Dependents

There are requirements for compulsory school attendance for children or dependents of international students. In Victoria it is compulsory for children to attend school until the age of 16. The choice of schools includes public schools, private schools and religious schools. People over the age of 16 can continue to attend school until they have completed Year 12. Dependents of persons holding a student visa may be required to pay full fees in any school, college or university that they enrol in whilst in Australia.

Changes to Agreed Services

In the event that there are any changes to agreed services, students will be informed as soon as practicable, including in relation to any new third party arrangements or a change in ownership or changes to existing third party arrangements.

See also the various policies pertaining to code of conduct under the 'policies' tab.