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Short Forms of Learning Policy

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Purpose | Scope | Principles | Policy statements | Roles and responsibilities | Definitions | Approval information | Version history | References

1. Purpose

1.1 The Short Forms of Learning Policy (the policy) establishes a framework for the development, delivery, governance and management of short forms of learning at UTS.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all UTS staff and affiliates (hereafter staff) involved in the development, delivery, management and recognition of short forms of learning at, or on behalf of, UTS.

2.2 This policy does not apply to UTS award courses and non-award study as defined in Schedule 1, Student Rules.

3. Principles

3.1 Short forms of learning must have an identified owner faculty that is responsible for course development, approval, delivery and maintenance.

3.2 Faculties can offer short forms of learning to the external market within their discipline based on approved short forms of learning business case applications as described in this policy.

3.3 Short forms of learning must be approved in line with this policy before they are advertised or promoted.

4. Policy statements

Short forms of learning at UTS

4.1 UTS has 2 categories of short forms of learning: microcredentials and short courses.

4.2 Microcredentials are short forms of learning that align with the academic standards of subjects offered in award courses (hereafter subjects). Microcredentials:

  1. must be aligned to a new or existing 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 or 12 credit point subject, meaning the microcredential must reflect the identical volume of learning, description, intended learning outcomes and assessment as the aligned subject (refer Short Forms of Learning: SFL business case process (SharePoint)))
  2. may have different admission (or enrolment) requirements to either the aligned subject requisites and/or the award course that contains the aligned subject
  3. result in a UTS microcredential certificate and digital badge (refer Definitions) on successful completion of the required assessment
  4. may be used for recognition of prior learning towards a subject of equivalent volume of learning
  5. cannot be recognised for partial credit towards a subject with a larger volume of learning than the microcredential.

4.3 Short courses are short forms of learning that:

  1. are not microcredentials
  2. include, but are not limited to, professional development, executive education and staff development courses; academic bootcamps; student support courses; free courses including tasters; study tours delivered by faculties, UTS International or division of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement and Partnerships) for the purposes of recruitment, engagement or enterprise learning
  3. have enrolment requirements appropriate for the purpose and intended learning outcomes of the short course
  4. may result in a UTS short course certificate and digital badge (refer Definitions) for the successful completion of any required tasks or for meeting attendance and/or participation requirements.

4.4 Any short form of learning may be offered as enterprise learning through an enterprise learning contract with an organisation.

4.5 Short forms of learning have terms and conditions that outline participant entitlements and obligations.

4.6 Short forms of learning participants must comply with all applicable laws and UTS policies, including but not limited to those related to student conduct and academic integrity and section 16, Student Rules.

4.7 Short forms of learning are managed via UTS Open. Microcredentials delivered as part of the Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education will be additionally managed in the Curriculum and Student System (CASS) (defined in the Course Approval Policy).

4.8 Short forms of learning open to participants under the age of 18 must operate in line with the Child Protection Policy.

Approval of short forms of learning

4.9 Short forms of learning are approved through a 2-stage business case process:

  1. Stage 1: Opportunity validation
  2. Stage 2: Academic design and financial viability.

4.10 The following items are addressed in the stage 1 and 2 business case forms (available at Short Forms of Learning: SFL business case process (SharePoint)):

  1. alignment to UTS's strategic direction and fit within the ecosystem of all UTS offerings
  2. market demand, internal and external competition
  3. target audience profiles including legal considerations for offshore participants, partnerships under the Foreign Arrangements (SharePoint), participants under the age of 18, third party relationships, and intellectual property
  4. financial modelling, pricing and discounts, short and long-term costs, benefits and financial viability (the modelling should specify the financial arrangements between any collaborating faculties, including ownership of revenue)
  5. academic design, including teaching/facilitation arrangements
  6. resourcing, including design, development and teaching/facilitation
  7. risk management
  8. records management
  9. complaints resolution
  10. feedback surveys
  11. quality assurance.

4.11 Stage 1 is a universal form and outlines the business case covering course information, strategic fit and market demand. This form must be completed for all short forms of learning and submitted to the dean or equivalent (hereafter dean) for endorsement to proceed to stage 2.

4.12 Following endorsement of the stage 1 business case, proposers should complete the appropriate stage 2  academic design and financial viability form for approval to the authorised delegate (refer UTS Delegations).

4.13 Short forms of learning conducted offshore must be approved in line with the additional requirements of the Offshore Policy.

4.14 Short forms of learning courses can be approved for up to 3 years and must be re-approved thereafter (or earlier if the approval period is shorter).

4.15 Enterprise learning contracts must be completed and approved in line with the Enterprise Learning Guidelines (available at Enterprise Learning: Resources (SharePoint)) and the Delegations.

4.16 Study tours developed and managed by UTS International are managed according to the study tours protocol and procedures developed by UTS International.

Awarding of certificates and digital badges

4.17 In line with the Delegations, faculties (deans or their nominees who may include course directors, short forms of learning directors or short forms of learning coordinators) are responsible for approving eligible participants for the award of either: 

  1. a microcredential certificate and digital badge following successful completion of the relevant assessment tasks and attainment of learning outcomes, or 
  2. a short course certificate and digital badge following successful completion of any necessary tasks or assessments to demonstrate acquired learning or completion of a short course where attendance requirements have been met.

4.18 UTS Open will issue eligible participants with a certificate and digital badge for their microcredential or short course.

4.19 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) is responsible for approving the design and format of microcredential and short course certificates and digital badges.

Recognition of prior learning

4.20 Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is determined and managed in line with the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy, the Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure and section 6, Student Rules.

4.21 Microcredentials may include or be part of an identified and approved articulation arrangement as defined by the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and the Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure.

4.22 The Lifetime Learner Experience Unit, in consultation with faculties, will maintain a precedent register for the recognition of microcredentials.

Governance, reporting and quality assurance

4.23 Faculty short forms of learning pipeline reports (SFL pipeline reports) are provided to both the Short Forms of Learning Committee and Enterprise Learning Committee as requested. SFL pipeline reports provide information on:

  1. current courses – including the total number of short forms of learning offered, including the type of course (microcredential/short course) and course names
  2. future courses – including numbers of new or projected offerings, name and type of course (where known), and
  3. management information – revenue (actual and projected) for each current and future planned short forms of learning.

4.24 The chairs of the Short Forms of Learning Committee and Enterprise Learning Committee provide an annual report to the Teaching and Learning Committee and Academic Board.

4.25 Participant feedback is sought in line with the Feedback Survey Policy provided in an annual summary report to the Short Forms of Learning Committee, the Teaching and Learning Committee and Academic Board.

4.26 Deans must ensure that staff who deliver short forms of learning at or on behalf of UTS have the necessary disciplinary knowledge and teaching skills to deliver the course in line with the Academic Standards Framework (available at Academic Board documents).

4.27 Deans must report to the Short Forms of Learning Committee and/or Enterprise Learning Committee as advised by the relevant committee chair.

Records management

4.28 Faculties must manage participant records in line with the Records Management Policy and the Privacy Policy.

4.29 Records for participants awarded with microcredentials must include enough information to allow for RPL assessment.

Policy breaches and complaints

4.30 Breaches of this policy or the short forms of learning approval forms are considered a failure to comply with the Code of Conduct and will be managed under the code.

4.31 Participant complaints are managed in line with the Student Complaints Policy and UTS Open terms and conditions (reviewed from time-to-time) or the enterprise learning contract as appropriate.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Policy owner: The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) is responsible for enforcement of and compliance with this policy, ensuring its principles and statements are observed. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) is also responsible for:

  1. approving associated university-level procedures
  2. approving the short forms of learning approval forms
  3. approving short forms of learning platforms in line with the Delegations
  4. approving short course and microcredential certificate and digital badge design and format
  5. oversight of the Education Partnerships and Product Strategy Unit, which has overall responsibility for the administration of short forms of learning, including use of central curriculum management and payment systems, records management and obtaining, analysing and reporting on feedback, and
  6. chairing the Short Forms of Learning Committee, which retains governance oversight for all short forms of learning at UTS and for the review and maintenance of this policy.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement and Partnerships) is responsible for:

  1. approving the Enterprise Learning Guidelines (available at Enterprise Learning: Resources (SharePoint)), and
  2. chairing the Enterprise Learning Committee, which retains governance oversight for the development and delivery of enterprise learning packages and contracts.

5.2 Policy contact: The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) is also the policy contact and is responsible for the implementation of this policy and acts as a central point of contact for its provisions.

Deans and faculty boards (or equivalents) are responsible for the management, quality assurance and approval of short forms of learning in line with this policy.

5.3 Implementation and governance roles: Faculties are responsible for confirming eligible participants for the award of microcredential and short course certificates and digital badges.

6. Definitions

The following definitions apply for this policy. These are in addition to the definitions outlined in Schedule 1, Student Rules. Definitions in the singular also include the plural meaning of the word.

Affiliate is defined in the Code of Conduct.

Articulation arrangement is defined in the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

Assessment, for the purpose of this policy (and based on the definition provided in Schedule 1, Student Rules), is a broad term and includes but is not limited to tests, essays, assignments, projects, practical work, creation of digital products, examinations, reports, presentations, demonstrations and other work whether written or otherwise. This definition applies for the participants assessed under this policy.

Award course is defined in Schedule 1, Student Rules.

Credit point is defined in Schedule 1, Student Rules.

Digital badge means a digital credential awarded to participants. A digital badge can be displayed, accessed, verified and shared online. There are 2 forms of digital badge awarded at UTS: 

  1. Microcredential digital badge means the recognition of a UTS microcredential following successful completion of the relevant assessment tasks and attainment of learning outcomes. 
  2. Short course digital badge means the recognition of a short course following successful completion of any necessary tasks or assessments to demonstrate acquired learning or completion of a short course where attendance requirements have been met.

Free course is a free, fully online, self-paced short course that offers participants a small amount of UTS learning content and does not result in any certificate or digital badge.

Enterprise learning means a contractual agreement between UTS and an enterprise partner (that is, an organisation) for the delivery of learning opportunities by UTS. Enterprise learning may be developed specifically for UTS staff. The purchase of an individual or group booking by an organisation in a short form of learning course, outside of an enterprise learning contract, is not an enterprise learning arrangement.

Microcredential is defined in statement 4.2 of this policy.

Microcredential certificate means the recognition of a UTS microcredential following successful completion of the relevant assessment tasks and attainment of learning outcomes. See also digital badge. 

Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education means the Australian Government’s project to assist higher education providers to design and deliver microcredentials in fields of national priority to meet the needs of employers and industry. Refer Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education.

Non-award study is defined in Schedule 1, Student Rules.

Offshore, for the purpose of this policy, means a short form of learning delivered in line with the Offshore Policy.

Organisation means an entity with a workforce or membership, including but not limited to corporations of any size, local councils, government departments, defence force, state owned corporations, professional bodies and local health districts.

Participant means a learner undertaking a short form of learning. Participants are not classified as UTS students as defined by Schedule 1, Student Rules. Individuals who are concurrently enrolled in an award course or non-award study and a short form of learning will be defined as a UTS student for the award course or non-award study and a participant for the short form of learning. Individuals who enrol in a microcredential as part of the Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education will be defined as a UTS student.

Short course is defined in statement 4.3 of this policy.

Short course certificate means the recognition of a short course following successful completion of any necessary tasks or assessments to demonstrate acquired learning or completion of a short course where attendance requirements have been met. See also digital badge.

Short forms of learning mean all forms of learning outlined in this policy that are not part of the formal award course and non-award study as defined in Schedule 1, Student Rules.

Study tour is a type of short course, normally delivered onshore to international participants and facilitated by UTS. Study tours are developed and approved following a request to attend UTS for a program of study and/or to facilitate a program of activities, as international visitors. Some study tours may involve offshore elements, or components delivered off-campus within Australia, for example, incorporating visits to other states or sites. Study tours are specifically designed, agreed by contract following a risk assessment and may be offered in the form of a short course or can include a microcredential element.

UTS Open means the systems and processes used by UTS to support the delivery and management of short forms of learning. This includes course management and administration, supporting software and ecommerce functions, customer relationship management, course records, participant records and participant interface functions. UTS Open is used to support all short forms of learning, including enterprise learning.