Honouring Quality Education Australian Qualifications Framework

Nick BesleyManager, Marketing and Communications Science, Engineering and Health

Australian Qualifications Framework

The AQF is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training.

It incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework.

National Qualification Frameworks

NZ Qualifications Framework

UK Qualifications Framework

South African Qualifications Framework

Irish Qualifications Framework

Ethiopian Qualifications Framework

Malaysian Qualifications Framework

The European Qualifications Framework is a meta-framework designed to ensure understanding of the qualifications of European countries

Most countries have qualifications systems and in most cases NQFs are contemplated or being developed into formal qualifications frameworks, e.g. USA, China.

AQF Levels

Level 3 – theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for work and/or further learning

Level 5 – specialised knowledge and skills for skilled/paraprofessional work and/or further learning

Level 7 – broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning

Level 9 – specialised knowledge and skills for research and/or professional practice and/or further learning

Examples

Occupation AQF qualification

Barrister: Bachelor Degree and Graduate Diploma

Bed and breakfast operator: Diploma / Advanced Diploma

Binder and finisher: Certificate III or Certificate IV

Biochemist: Bachelor Degree or Higher Degree

Biotechnologist: Bachelor Degree

Bishop: Bachelor Degree or Higher Degree

Blacksmith: Certificate III

Boarding Kennel Operator Diploma / Advanced Diploma

Bricklayer Certificate III

Qualification types

A qualification type is AQF terminology for a category of qualification and includes:

Senior Secondary Certificate of Education

Certificates I – IV

Diploma and Advanced Diploma

Associate Degree

Bachelor and Bachelor Honours Degree

Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma

Masters Degree

Doctoral Degree

New models

RMIT’s four year AQF 8 degrees have been revised and include:

Project based learning

Work-simulated learning environments

Engineering degrees include a mandatory 12 weeks work placement

Exposure to research methods

Pathway to Masters

Students completing a AQF 8 bachelor degree can apply for credits/advanced standing in a relevant masters degree

2014 – the latest news

Four-year AQF 8 programs:

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

• Automotive Engineering; Aerospace Engineering;

• Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics; Mechanical Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering

• Chemical Engineering

• Civil and Infrastructure Engineering

• Computing and Network Engineering

• Electrical Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering

• Electronic Product Design; Electronic and Communication Engineering

• Environmental Engineering

• Sustainable Systems Engineering

And all the Engineering double degrees

Dean’s Scholar (Honours)

Pharmacy (Honours)

2015 – the story continues

Four-year AQF 8 programs

Construction Management (Honours)

Property and Valuation (Honours)

Project Management (Honours)

Fashion (Honours)

Interior Design (Honours)

Questions?