Accreditation 20 October 2017

Course accreditation

Report on accreditation of two higher education courses of study offered by JMC Pty. Limited

On 20 October 2017, a delegate of TEQSA accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries (GDCI) offered by JMC Pty. Limited (JMC) for a period of four years until 20 October 2021.

On 23 October 2017, a delegate of TEQSA:

• accredited, under section 49 of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (TEQSA Act), the Master of Creative Industries (MCI) offered by JMC Pty. Limited (JMC) for a period of four years until 20 October 2021
• imposed, under section 53 of the TEQSA Act, four conditions on the accreditation of the Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries and Master of Creative Industries.

On 10 January 2018, a delegate of TEQSA varied conditions 3 and 4. The revised conditions 3 and 4 are set out below.

Condition 1:Head of Department, Department of Graduate Studies

Prior to offering a student a place in the Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries and Master of Creative Industries, JMC must provide to TEQSA evidence of the appointment of a suitably qualified Head of Department, Department of Graduate Studies.

The appointee must possess:

1. a PhD in Creative Industries or a related discipline
2. demonstrated experience in supervising postgraduate degree practice-led research
3. demonstrated leadership in the development of a culture of scholarship
4. demonstrated experience in overseeing the development and coordination of academic programs, and
5. distinguished postgraduate teaching record in the Creative Industries or a related discipline.

Condition 2: Academic staff teaching the GDCI and MCI

Not later than four weeks prior to the commencement of each teaching period for the Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries and Master of Creative Industries, in relation to each staff member at each location proposed to teach one or more units in the Courses, JMC must provide TEQSA with:

1. the name of each staff member intended to deliver each unit in the Courses
2. the units proposed to be taught and delivery location
3. each staff member's qualifications in the discipline of the course being taught
4. if a staff member does not hold a qualification in a relevant discipline at least one AQF level above the course in which they are teaching, details of the basis on which JMC determined that the staff member holds professional experience equivalent to such a qualification, and
5. if the staff member is intended to teach or supervise students within the Exegesis 1 & 2 and Graduate Research units
   
   1. a summary of the research activity undertaken by the staff member within the past two years
   2. details of the basis on which JMC determined that the staff member holds the requisite research and supervisory experience to perform these duties.

Condition 3: Academic Staff Qualifications and Experience Policy

By 31 March 2018, JMC must provide TEQSA with:

1. a revised version of its Academic Staff Qualifications and Experience Policy which ensures that all teaching staff are qualified to at least one AQF qualification level higher than the course of study being taught by them or have equivalent professional experience. The revised Policy must set out that professional experience must give those staff the skills, knowledge and capacity to apply skills and knowledge equivalent to an AQF qualification one level above the AQF qualification level being taught and the basis upon which that decision will be made, and
2. minutes of its Academic Board meeting and (if applicable) Governing Council meeting which record the consideration, discussion and approval of the revised policy prior to its submission to TEQSA.

Condition 4: Information about the admission of students into the MCI

Within 2 weeks following the commencement of each teaching period for the Master of Creative Industries, in relation to each student admitted into the Courses, JMC must provide TEQSA with information which describes:

1. the basis upon which the admission decision for each student was made including, where relevant, the education qualification or other criteria which formed the basis for the student's admission, and
2. where applicable, how the assessment rubric within the Admission Procedure has been applied to each admission decision.

Main reasons for the decision

TEQSA made these decisions in light of risks that the courses submitted by JMC Pty. Limited may not meet, or continue to meet, the following provisions of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2011:

• PCAS 3 in relation to admissions criteria ensuring that students have adequate prior knowledge and skills to undertake the courses of study successfully.
• PCAS 4 and 5 in relation to the staffing profile and qualification levels of teaching staff at each campus location.

TEQSA's assessment considered JMC Pty. Limited's arrangements for delivery at all Australian sites.