Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement

On 10 January 2007, the then Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced that a consortium of universities had been commissioned to develop a single agreed template for an Australian version of the European Diploma Supplement. The successful consortium represented 14 universities led by the University of New England, the University of Melbourne, and the Australian National University. The project was jointly led by Professor Richard James, Director of the Centre for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) at the University of Melbourne, Professor Lynn Meek (previously of the University of New England's Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy (CHEMP) and now Director of L H Martin Institute, University of Melbourne) and Professor Grant Harman, Director of the Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy at the University of New England.  The final report, Proposal for an Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement was presented to DEEWR in May 2008.

Key recommendations from the report are that the Australian Diploma Supplement be referred to as the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement, that the Graduation Statement should be provided without cost to all higher education graduates and that implementation in Australian universities should be on a voluntary basis commencing as soon as practicable in 2008.  To ensure national consistency, Graduation Statements should be presented in a uniform sequence by all higher education institutions.

Report: download PDF    (1.5 MB)

Commissioned Studies: download PDF    (2.9 MB)

Implementation

On 04 September 2008 the Minister for Education the Hon Julia Gillard MP announced that the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement would be introduced "...to make Australian qualifications recognised and renowned throughout the world. ... The Australian Government has committed $3.7 million to assist publicly funded universities in implementing the Graduation Statement over the next three years."

Australian universities were invited by the Australian Government to apply for grants of $100,000 to assist in the implementation of the Graduation Statement.  A Guideline for the Presentation of an Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (see below) has been developed to provide information for institutions intending to prepare Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements, including the content of the core and optional elements and some worked examples.  This document defines the principles of an Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement in terms of its purpose, relationship to other documentation, content and style, issuing and authentication.  It is recommended that all Australian higher education institutions should provide the Graduation Statement to graduating students on completion of the requirements for higher education awards.

Guideline for the presentation of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements   (1.09MB)*

*This document is unavailable as an RTF. Should an RTF version be required for screen reader use only, please contact the Higher Education Group on 13 33 97 or highered@deewr.gov.au

Frequently Asked Questions

Workshops were conducted in March 2009 to discuss and clarify technical issues related to the implementation of the Graduation Statement.  The Department has prepared responses to a number of frequently asked questions.

FAQs  PDF    (28.8 KB) | RTF     (46.9 KB)