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Student Handbook

Thanks for choosing NBIA for your education. Here you'll find all necessary information about NBIA and our delivery of professional training; it would be wise to familiarise yourself with this information before commencing your course.

NBIA provides quality educational services in Business, Accounting, Leadership and Management, Conveyancing and Financial Services.

Find out more about our individual ‘Courses’ here.

Privacy Statement and Student Declaration

Privacy Notice

Under the Data Provision Requirements 2012, NBIA is required to collect personal information about the student and to disclose that personal information to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research Ltd (NCVER). The student’s personal information (including the personal information contained on the enrolment form and the training activity data) may be used or disclosed by NBIA for statistical, regulatory and research purposes. NBIA may disclose the student’s personal information for these purposes to third parties, including:

School – if the student is a secondary student undertaking VET, including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship;
Employer – if the student is enrolled in training paid by the employer;
Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies;
NCVER;
Organisations conducting student surveys; and
Researchers.

The student may receive an NCVER student survey which may be administered by an NCVER employee, agent or third-party contractor. The student may opt out of the survey at the time of being contacted.

NCVER will collect, hold, use and disclose the student’s personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols (including those published on NCVER’s website at www.ncver.edu.au).

Your personal information

Personal information disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed for the following purposes:

Issuing statements of attainment or qualification, and populating authenticated VET transcripts;
facilitating statistics and research relating to education, including surveys;
understanding how the VET market operates, for policy, workforce planning and consumer information; and
administering VET, including programme administration, regulation, monitoring and evaluation.

Student Declaration and Consent

By signing the enrolment form the student declares that the information the student has provided to the best of the student’s knowledge is true and correct. The student consents to the collection, use and disclosure of the student’s personal information in accordance with the Privacy Notice above.

Enrolment and Payment

Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN)

NBIA recognises that reading writing, listening, speaking and basic mathematical concepts are an integral component of any training. When you enrol, if you feel you require assistance in any form of LLN please speak to your trainer.

Students may be asked to complete an exercise to help evaluate current abilities. All trainers are aware of the LLN requirements and LLN tests are available by request or if your trainer feels a LLN assessment may be required. A number of sample LLN tests are available in section 3. of this handbook.

Costs and Fees

Courses are offered as fee for service. Current course fees are available on each individual course page, but students are requested to confirm pricing with NBIA prior to enrolment. All course fees will also be provided via email and on your enrolment form.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

We have a number of payment options to suit the different circumstances of our students, all of which are interest free.

Payment plan - Interest Free, Ezy Pay payment plans are set up with the student to make monthly instalments, up to 12 months maximum repayment term.*
Electronic Funds Transfer - Directly transfer funds from your bank to NBIA.
Pay in full - Payment can be made via a credit card (includes surcharge) or via Electronic Funds Transfer.

* Only available on courses over $1500; loan is with NBIA’s strategic finance partner and a once off fee is charged on the first re-payment..

All short courses, with a fee of $1500 or less, are payable in full at the time of enrolment.

REFUNDS

A refund might be applicable if a course has not commenced by NBIA, less enrolment and administrative charges (see Policies and Procedures section of this handbook for further detail on our refunds policy). If NBIA is unable to provide all units required for completion of a course, that course will not commence. If NBIA must cancel a course after commencement then a pro-rata refund will apply, less administrative and enrolment costs. All courses are non-transferable and there are no refunds or suspensions once a course has commenced.

Duration

Each course has a maximum enrolment duration of up to twelve (12) months, after which the student’s enrolment expires. Refer to the course duration section of the Course details page on the website for the full details on the course's duration. A course may be eligible for extension beyond the course duration, and would incur a fee. Please contact info@nbia.edu.au for more information.

Recognition of Current Competence (RCC), Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT)

NBIA assessment system will include the assessment and recognition of existing skills by RCC. This will allow candidates to progress to a qualification at their own pace, covering only those areas required to “top up” their competence ‑ both skills and knowledge ‑ rather than having to cover complete skills and knowledge.

This assessment will be done by:

informing candidates of the existence of a RCC process; and
providing sufficient information to help candidates decide whether they should seek RCC.

Candidates presenting for RCC will be subject to the assessment guidelines described earlier in this document.

Credit transfer applies when a candidate has a Statement of Attainment or certificate containing the exact unit. NBIA will recognise this unit and grant a credit transfer.

PROCESS

Where a student has already achieved the learning outcomes for a unit or part of a course, then that person may be given credit for it provided they supply satisfactory evidence ie. Statement of attainment given by another Registered training Organisation within the AQTF guidelines

These Current Competencies may have been developed through formal education and training, through work experience or training or through life experiences.

Any student who believes they have achieved some of the learning outcomes should complete the Recognition of Current Competencies application.

This form should be completed and forwarded to NBIA together with a fee of $645. The fee covers the basic assessment for Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and the organisation’s administrative costs; it is in addition to normal course fees and will not be refundable. Please supply copies of relevant information with the application.

Training staff will then assess the application and students advised promptly of the decision. Further information or an interview with the student may be required before the application is processed and the fees are not refundable for RCC after the process has commenced.

Study Tips

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of personal safety, efficiency and comfort in the working environment. People spending a substantial part of the day in front of a computer should undergo a workstation ergonomic assessment – including students! Any tasks requiring small, repetitive movements present a health risk so it’s best to make sure you have a good study setup that supports your mind and body whilst learning.

Keyboard

The keyboard should be positioned to allow the operator to work with his I her elbows at a 90″ angle. The keys should be easy to activate.

The following can reduce strain on hands and wrists:

Using a padded wrist-rest placed in front of the keyboard.
Keeping hard copy next to the screen, at equal distance with the screen.
Not pounding the keys – this sends shock waves through the hands causing or aggravating problems with fingers, wrists and arms.
Don’t over stretch when reaching for the function keys – this stretches the finger tendons, move hand closer to the target key before pressing it.
Use an ergonomically designed keyboard to minimise the risk of OOS; these are available to reduce the strain.

Mouse

The hand should not feel cramped when gripping the mouse. Buttons should not cause the fingers or hand to be cramped.

The support surface should be flat and on the same level surface as the keyboard support.

Response time of mouse movement to screen cursor movement should be adjustable.

Pressure required to activate buttons should be neither so great as to be tiring when used continuously nor so small as to cause activation of the buttons in error.

It should be possible to change the position of the mouse so that the arm position can be varied for comfort; your mouse should be positioned so as to place minimal effort in reaching for it thereby reducing pressure on your shoulder, wrist, and arm. Try to avoid using a bent wrist to activate the mouse. Instead, ensure the mouse supports the whole hand and allows your wrist to operate in a straight position.

Monitor

Poor visibility can cause eye irritation and headaches. Anti-reflective or polarising filters may be attached, or treatment applied to monitors to cut down glare. (You can also buy anti-glare glasses now which work well!) Screens and filters should be regularly dusted. Carry out these checks to reduce risk of eyestrain:

Top of the screen should be below eye-level. You may need to reposition the system unit and use a separate stand for the monitor as necessary.
Adjust the monitor for maximum contrast and minimum brightness.
Reduce reflections by tilting the screen and avoid bright, directly sunlit locations.
Adjust the monitor to avert glare from direct lighting. A glare screen and dark clothing can help reduce reflections.
Blink and look away from your screen often to prevent dry eyes or headaches.
The use of a document holder can also be a good idea as it reduces the strain on the back of the neck. By placing a document holder to the side or beneath the monitor, you will reduce the amount of downward and sideward movements.

Chair

A well-designed, adjustable chair is important for preventing posture problems. Office chairs should be adjustable vertically (usually between 38-52cm in height) and adjustable while you are seated. Both feet should be flat on the floor, with no pressure against lower back or thigh. There should be a hands-width space between the seat and the back of the knee. Posture should feel comfortable – not too far back or perched on the edge of your seat.

Desk

If the height of the chair and footrest are fixed, then the height of the desk must be adjustable. A desk should allow the keyboard to be around 60-78cm off the ground and allow around 40cm of legroom. The desk should allow the operator to position the monitor at a height to suit. The desktop area should be spacious enough for regularly used items to be within easy reach. The desktop should also be as slim as practical, ideally less than 2.5cm for maximum knee room.

Lighting

Blinds should be used to control light and protect against strong direct sunlight, however, don’t block out all the sunshine! Natural light is much better for your sense of wellbeing than florescent or artificial lighting. Workstations should be positioned to avoid reflections.

Room temperature and ventilation

Computers produce heat which can make the workstation warmer than the ambient temperature. Make sure the unit is not hard up against a wall and that there is plenty of air flow around the unit. A desk fan may be necessary in a confined space. Open windows for additional ventilation. The combined effects of heat, humidity and air conditioning can produce dryness and eye irritation. The ideal environment is a relative humidity of 45% or greater.

Work breaks, micro-pauses and physical exercises

Breaks away from the workstation should be taken to prevent eyestrain and posture problems. The recommended break is ten minutes every hour for screen intensive work. A “micro-pause” is a short break in work for muscle relaxation, specifically a 5-10 second break in work every three minutes. Micro-pauses allow for restoration of blood flow to tense muscles.

Physical exercises at the workstation should be taken at regular intervals, including head rolls, shoulder lifts and wrist drops (dropping your arms down by your sides and shaking your wrists).

Time Management

The efficient use of time is important both in the workplace and when studying. It is a resource that cannot be accumulated or stockpiled; we are forced to spend it at a rate of 60 seconds every minute. Time management is therefore a misnomer - we cannot manage time. We must therefore learn to manage ourselves and our use of time.

Successful time management isn’t just about being well organised and planning carefully, it also means you need to take action against the things that waste your time at work and at home.

Some planning for time usage that is unexpected should be included in your schedule. For example, in my 8hour work day I know I will be interrupted by the phone for at least 45-60minutes, so I will plan to get 7 hours work done. The same goes for studying. If you have 3 hours per night to study but one of those will be interrupted by dinner or chats with your child, then plan to get 2 hours of study done. This is a very good technique that helps you feel in control and destroys those feels of ‘underachievement’.

Ten Common Time Wasters

There are ten common time wasters in most students’ and professionals’ lives that distract us from achieving what we set out to do. Once you know and name these things in your own life you can take steps to eradicate or manage them more successfully.

Unclear objectives
Phone/Email
Visitors
Meetings
Crises
Failure to delegate
Over commitment
Clutter
Indecision
Information retrieval

8 STEPS to assist in your Time Management

Time use analysis (time log): Before you can manage your time more efficiently you need to know how you spend your time now. Use a daily log to record what you do and when, to see if you are being productive or not. Be honest with yourself! You need to truly understand where you are wasting time and where you are using it well before you can know how to improve.
Identify problems and causes: At the end of each day ask yourself: “am I satisfied with how I used my time today? Could I use my time better? What activities were of little or no value to me that took up my time?” Take note of the good and the bad.
Self-Assessment: Was I often rushed? Do I have enough time to do the things that are important to me? Could I organise myself better?
Set goals, establish priorities: Managing your time is a lot easier once you have decided what you want to achieve; you can then think about how you are going to achieve it. As Alice in Wonderland found out to her question “Which way do I go now?” The answer is “…where do you want to get to”. Decide which of the goals are most important and which activities will give you the best drive towards achieving your goals. Set short, medium and long term goals that are SMART!
Create ACTION plans to achieve: Write out the road map that will get you to your destination, and make sure it is your destination not someone else’s
Daily schedules, planning guides: These are not short term goals but rather actions that you need to complete during your day to keep you on track towards achieving your goals.
Improve your approach to time: We all have the same amount of time, some people just use it better than others. Be one of those people, and ask yourself: Did the activity contribute to my study objectives? How much time did it take? Did the time taken to complete the task reflect its importance? Was the time proportionate to other tasks?
Follow-up, repeat analysis: Sometimes even the best laid plans need to be modified to suit changes in your environment. Use these changes to strengthen your plan, not weaken it.

Sample LLN Tests

Sample LLN test 1

Read the following and circle any aspects of the text that are incorrect.

Financial services is a grouth industry looking for people with a wide range of skills, strengths and attributes. The sector currently employs over 300,000 in banks, lending agencies, investment, advisory and managment services, supirannuation funds, accountancy etc.

In response to the decreased use of infornation technology and the changing needs of an ageing population and a desire for professional credibility the industry has not undergone rapid change in recent years. This change has resulted in an industry focussed on peopl, not product.

Excyting career opportunities are now available across a number of sectors that interface with the public. These new people-focussed roles require different skills from those considered core to financial services in the past. A previous emfasis was on the sale of a product which developed from the fields of insurance or stockbroking. While strong mathematical and analytical skills will always be well regarded, the financial services worker of the future will need to have exceptional communication and listening skills.

Workers seeking a carer change as well as youngr people looking for jobs with good employment prospects will be equally suited to these roles.

A further advantage of the financial services industry is that you don’t have to have university qualifications to get started. There are numerous study pathways, which can prepare workers for exciting roles within the industry.

Why would a reader of this article choose financial services as a career?

……………………………………………………………………………………………

What is an advantage of the financial services industry?

……………………………………………………………………………………………

What is the industry focused on?

……………………………………………………………………………………….……

Where did the new ‘people focussed roles’ develop from ?

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Answer the following without using a calculator

4 X 35 = …………

7 X 14 = …………

3 X 133 = …………

48 / 4 = …………

132 / 6 = …………

16 + 4 X 3 = …………

9 / 3 + 7 = …………

If Emily was given $27 to equally share with her two sisters, how much would each of them get?

If you ordered 3 coffees from the cafe at $3.50 each and two muffins for $2.70 each:

-What would be the total cost?

-What change would you get from $20?

Sample LLN test 2

John decided to go to the local supermarket and buy a loaf of bread. The bus fare was $5.40 and the bus will leave at 11:45 a.m. When John arrived at the supermakret he purchased a leaf of bread for $3.60, one litre of milk for $2.30, and a chocalate bar for $1.50. He then decided to walk home, which took him 27 minutes.

Questions:

What time was the bus due to leave?

How much money did John spend on his outing?

If John took $50, how much change did he bring home?

Which three words are misspelt in the paragraph?

Student Feedback

It is a guiding principle of the NBIA that students can provide valid, helpful, and timely feedback with respect to their assessable evidence. Feedback may be given verbally or in writing and it will be part of the diagnostic and formative assessment processes of the RTO. It also represents part of our commitment to ongoing improvement.

Please request a feedback form if you wish, otherwise all students receive a feedback form on completion of their course. The NBIA feedback form is the preferred ASQA feedback form and is automatically emailed/sent to all students upon completion of their course.

Policies and Procedures

1. Assessment Submission and Resubmission Policy

PURPOSE

To provide a systemic approach to the assessment and marking of submissions at the Institute. Students are expected to conduct their studies honestly, ethically and in accordance with the accepted academic standards. Staff, assessors, and trainers are expected to provide students with support, feedback, and study material to allow every student the fair and unbiased opportunity to demonstrate their understanding and obtain competency.

National Business Institute of Australia values the academic integrity of its staff and students, and validity of its courses. Assessment is to be conducted in accordance with the rules of evidence and principles of assessment.

SCOPE

This Policy is to apply to all staff and students.

DEFINITIONS

For this policy and procedure document, the following definitions apply:

Academic Integrity: Producing and presenting academic work in an honest, ethical, respectful, and responsible way.
Assessment: The process of collecting evidence and making judgements on the extent and nature of performance and other requirements, as described in a set of standards, or learning outcomes, resulting in a judgement of whether competency has been demonstrated. Assessment is carried out by the comparison of a candidate’s evidence of skills and knowledge, against the requirements of the Standards.
Assessor: The role of an assessor is to objectively assess and judge a candidate’s evidence against a set of standards. To do this effectively, an assessor must have a sound knowledge of, and be skilled in, the relevant industry area. In addition, the assessor must have acknowledged competency in assessment itself and hold an appropriate Workplace Assessor qualification or equivalent.
Candidate: A student or trainee undergoing training and/or study provided by the National Business Institute of Australia.
Competency: Demonstrated capability to comprehend and apply knowledge, skills and abilities as required.
Marking: Assessment of a Unit of Competency, carried out by the comparison of a candidate’s evidence of skills and knowledge, against the requirements of the Standards.
Submission: A completed assessment task authored/created by the student, designed to demonstrate comprehension of the study materials and competency in the associated requirement.
Trainer: The role of a trainer is to support a student in providing the evidence required to show the student’s comprehension and understanding of a Unit of Competency. To do this effectively, a trainer must have a sound knowledge of, and be skilled in, the relevant industry area.
NBIA: The National Business Institute of Australia as a whole – management, staff, trainers and assessors.
Procedural fairness: Decision-making that is fair and reasonable without bias and provides an opportunity for parties to be heard in an open and fair manner.

Referencing systems: a set of rules describing how to acknowledge the thoughts, ideas and works of others in a particular way.

RESPONSIBILITY

The National Business Institute’s Training Coordinator, Student Service Manager and Trainers/Assessors are responsible to ensure academic standards are maintained and upheld.

FAIRNESS, ACCESS, AND EQUITY

An assessment system and its processes must not disadvantage any person or organisation. All eligible candidates must be guaranteed fair and equal access to assessment.

REQUIREMENTS

Candidates are required to submit assessments as advised by NBIA’s staff. Only submissions in digital format – text, images, and video – will be required in line with our Distance Learning model.
NBIA will be available to provide candidates additional support to understand course material where required.
Trainers and assessors are to ensure that NBIA students and trainees are aware and familiar with this policy.
Candidates must consult with their Trainer when in doubt regarding this policy or any part(s) thereof.

RULES OF EVIDENCE

For an effective assessment system in a competency environment, some basic principles must apply:

Validity

The assessments assess what they claim to assess and what they have been designed to assess.

Validity of assessment is achieved when:

Assessors are fully aware of what is to be assessed, as indicated by the standards of competence, including clearly defined performance criteria
Appropriate evidence is collected from activities that can be clearly related to the units of competency.

Authenticity

The evidence collected is authentic that is, it is derived from valid sources and is directly attributable to the individual. All students are expected to always act with academic integrity. Refer to the Plagiarism Policy for details.

Reliability

Reliable assessment uses methods and procedures that ensure that the competency standards are interpreted and applied consistently from person to person and from context to context.

The following are important to ensure that assessment produces consistent outcomes:

Clear, unambiguous, well documented assessment procedures and competency standards
Clear, consistent, and specific assessment criteria
Effectively trained, briefed, and monitored assessors and trainers
Adequate assessors across industries and a hierarchy of assessment which ensures a quality outcome
Assessment is carried out within a system flexible enough to cope with multiple and diverse forms of evidence

Consistency

The assessment system must ensure that evidence collected and provided for judgement is consistent across the range, without undue reliance on any small number of select workplace contexts or projects.

Currency

Under an effective system, assessment evaluates whether the individual’s skills and knowledge are current and can be applied in today’s workplace. As a rule, competencies that have not been demonstrated within the past 3 years are not usually accepted as “current”.

However, an assessor, under some circumstances may make exceptions to the specified period. There may be specific situations where individual skills have not been directly applied for a longer period, but these skills are in fact still current for the individual. In cases such as this, evidence from earlier periods may be admissible, and assessed for currency, within an appropriately flexible assessment system.

Sufficiency

Evidence of competency should be sufficient to cover all the elements, performance criteria and required range of variables in the standards against which assessment is to be carried out.

A tendency of many candidates is to provide either more or less evidence than is required to prove competency against the standards. An effective assessment system ensures that candidates are clearly advised regarding the amount and form of evidence sufficient to prove competency. This should avoid the situation where masses of evidence are provided, requiring assessors to spend more time than necessary per candidate, or too little evidence, making it difficult to judge competence.

Flexibility

Every portfolio or set of candidate evidence is unique. Each candidate will identify and develop his or her own specific set of evidence to prove competency against the standards. This set will be based on the workplace experience of the candidate and will comprise diverse types and forms of relevant and appropriate evidence.

Assessors must be capable of taking a flexible approach to the assessment of evidence. Clearly, this approach must always take time and cost into account both to ensure the best use of assessor time and from the viewpoint of the candidate and his or her employer.

An assessment system must evaluate the scope of knowledge and skills covered by the criteria both performance or skill and underpinning knowledge and understanding.

Assessment guidelines must include an approach for working with candidates who have special needs and not discriminate on any basis.

ASSESSORS / TRAINERS

The role of an assessor is to objectively assess and judge a candidate’s evidence against a set of standards. To do this effectively, an assessor must have a sound knowledge of, and be skilled in, the relevant industry area. In addition, the assessor must have acknowledged competency in assessment itself and hold an appropriate Workplace Assessor qualification or equivalent.

The role of a trainer is to support a student in providing the evidence required to show the student’s comprehension and understanding of a Unit of Competency. To do this effectively, a trainer must have a sound knowledge of, and be skilled in, the relevant industry area.

Effective and objective assessment is key to the successful implementation of competency standards in the workplace and in education. This is the judgement of performance and knowledge against the relevant industry competency standards. Assessment is carried out by the comparison of a candidate’s evidence of skills and knowledge, against the requirements of the Standards.

An assessor must:

1. Interpret and understand the criteria

2. Ensure that evidence meets the required standards

3. Ensure that evidence is valid, authentic, reliable, consistent, current, and sufficient

4. Use expertise to make fair and objective judgements.

The training and ongoing professional development of assessors must include such areas as:

1. Roles, responsibilities, and ethics

2. Procedural and administrative duties

3. Performance and knowledge evidence gathering and presentation

4. Interpretation and usage of standards

5. Selecting and using appropriate methods of assessment

6. Requirements regarding processing and recording of results, progress, and feedback

It is crucial that assessors and trainers always understand and practise fair, objective, unbiased and flexible assessment processes. The assessment process offered will include fair, helpful, and timely feedback to the assessment candidate.

Each assessor and trainer have a responsibility to know the relevant obligations and expectations of the training package under which they are conducting training and/or competency assessments.

Each assessor and trainer will be responsible for ensuring they have adequate and appropriate assessment tools for the competencies they are assessing. These assessment tools must be checked by the trainer to ensure they are valid, reliable, fair, and flexible in keeping with the structure and policies of the relevant training package. If further tools are required, the trainer must notify NBIA and advise how we can best provide them.

FORMS OF EVIDENCE

In general, basic forms of skills evidence include:

1) Direct performance evidence current or from an acceptable past period, for example:

a) Extracted examples within the workplace

b) Natural observation in the workplace

c) Simulations, including competency and skills tests, projects, and assignments

2) Supplementary evidence, for example:

a) Oral and written questioning

b) Personal reports

c) Witness testimony

Appropriate and valid forms of assessment utilised for both skills and knowledge may include:

1. Evaluation of direct products of work

2. Natural observation

3. Skill tests, simulations, and projects

4. Evaluation of underpinning knowledge and understanding

5. Questioning and discussion

6. Evidence from prior achievement and activity

COMPETENCY

To be deemed competent for any unit, the candidate needs to successfully complete all assessment criteria. This includes:

1. Submission of all Question-and-Answer sections in the workbook or in Online Learning modules

2. Any research required, with referencing where appropriate

3. Answer tutorial questions successfully

4. Be involved and proactive in any roleplays

5. Showing evidence and understanding of the competencies in the unit that require observation

After taking all these aspects into consideration and receiving evidence you have met the requirements stated above, the assessor will judge as to whether the candidate is deemed either “Competent” or “Not Yet Competent” (NYC). If a candidate is deemed NYC, they may be given additional work or time to complete the required criteria.

The signed and completed assessment summary sheet listing the elements and competencies (at the end of the workbook) will be evidence this has occurred for emailed units. For Online Learning submissions, upon submitting you agree to the terms of the assessment, and state that to the best of your abilities you have met them.

FAIL GRADE / NOT YET COMPETENT

If, after the first attempt at an assessment, the candidate does not sufficiently prove comprehension and competency in the necessary requirements for that unit, the candidate will receive a grade of “Not Yet Competent”, along with feedback on how and what to resubmit to reach Competency.

Assessment of each course unit is included in the course fee – three total submissions for each task. This includes one original submission, and then up to two resubmissions.

If, after three submissions, the candidate has not successfully completed the assessment, the candidate will be marked Not Yet Competent and will not be eligible to gain a certificate.

The candidate may then request additional assessment to be marked Competent. Additional assessment after three submissions may incur a per hour fee to a maximum of $495.00, at NBIA’s discretion. Cost for a formal appeal is $395.00.

The candidate may incur a $39.00 fee for any statements to be reissued after additional submissions are requested.

REGRADING

NBIA will ensure that any first appeal against grades given will be automatically re-assessed; any subsequent appeals may involve additional costs incurred by the provider. These costs are not intended to be a barrier to appeal rights, any hardship factors will be considered under our student welfare provisions.

NBIA assures that complaints or grievances will be recorded in writing and that the appellant will have the opportunity to present their case, and to be told in writing of the outcome and the reason for the decision.

APPEALS

Where there is a dispute over an assessment result, the candidate should be encouraged to resolve the issues in the first instance with the assessor/trainer who has issued the mark. If resolution is not attained, both the student and assessor/trainer should contact the Student Service Manager to implement the broader appeals and grievances mechanisms of the RTO.

2. Plagiarism Policy

PURPOSE

To provide a systemic approach to the treatment of plagiarism in academic work/coursework at the Institute/school. Students are expected to conduct their studies honestly, ethically and in accordance with the accepted academic standards, Assessment Principles Policy and Assessment Submission and Resubmission Policy.

National Business Institute will monitor the submitted work of students to ensure the academic integrity and validity of its courses and that assessment is being conducted in accordance with the rules of evidence and principles of assessment. This policy is implemented for the following reasons:

Each case of alleged plagiarism and cheating/academic misconduct will be dealt with on its merits, in consideration of all circumstances surrounding the case, and in accordance with this policy
If the student is found guilty of plagiarism or cheating, NBIA will record the assessment outcome as Not Yet Competent (NYC).
Repeat offenders will be deemed to have breached the Student Code of Conduct and will be dealt with under that policy.
The outcomes of the student’s work will not be finalised until after the case of alleged academic misconduct has been properly investigated and any appeal process has concluded.

SCOPE

This Policy is to apply to all staff and students.

DEFINITIONS

For this policy and procedure document, the following definitions apply:

Academic Fraud: A form of misconduct that enables a student(s) to obtain an unfair academic or general advantage through false representation.
Academic Integrity: Producing and presenting academic work in an honest, ethical, respectful, and responsible way.
Academic Misconduct: Conduct that gives a student an unfair academic advantage. Such conduct may include, but is not limited to, academic fraud, cheating, collusion, and plagiarism.
Cheating: Behaviour which is engaged in by a student or another person on behalf of a student to provide that student or group of students with an academic advantage such as paying another person to prepare an assignment.
Contract Cheating: Contract cheating is also known as engaging in ‘ghost-writing’. It is a form of collusion. When a student or researcher engages another person to complete work for them and then submits the work as their own. This includes circumstances where a student or researcher submits work that they may have edited which was substantially the work of another person, or where a student or researcher prepares a draft that is substantially modified by another (beyond minor editing).
Collusion: Agreement between individuals (students/other persons) to act together secretly or without permission to achieve an unfair advantage such as copying another person’s work.
Inappropriate Citation: Citing sources which have not been read, not acknowledging the 'secondary' source from which knowledge of them has been obtained. This may include fabricating citations, or inaccurately citing sources which goes beyond typographical errors.
Inappropriate Paraphrasing: Changing a few words and phrases while mostly retaining the original structure and/or progression of ideas of the original information without acknowledgement. This also applies in presentations where someone paraphrases another’s ideas or words without credit and to piecing together quotes and paraphrases into a new whole, without appropriate referencing.
Plagiarism: The use of all or part of another person or entity’s work without appropriate acknowledgment of the author or source.
Self-Plagiarism: An author republishing their own previously submitted work and presenting it as new findings or work without referencing the earlier work, either in its entirety or partially. Self-plagiarism is also referred to as 'recycling', 'duplication', or 'multiple submissions of research findings' without disclosure. In the student or researcher context, self-plagiarism includes re-using parts or all a body of work that has already been submitted for assessment without proper citation. Where a student is repeating a course, they should seek permission from the course coordinator before re-submitting, in whole or part, the same piece of assessment.
Procedural fairness: Decision-making that is fair and reasonable without bias and provides an opportunity for parties to be heard in an open and fair manner.
Referencing systems: a set of rules describing how to acknowledge the thoughts, ideas and works of others in a particular way.

Responsibility

The National Business Institute’s Compliance Manager, Training Coordinator, Student Service Manager and Trainers/Assessors are responsible to ensure academic standards are maintained and upheld.

REQUIREMENTS

Students are expected to comply with this policy and procedures regarding plagiarism, collusion, and cheating.

Students should seek assistance from Trainers and Assessors if they are uncertain about the correct way to gather and use data or references.

NBIA expects all Trainers and Assessors to be aware of the potential of plagiarism and cheating and apply appropriate risk management strategies and be familiar with Turnitin Software.

Trainers and assessors are to ensure that NBIA Students are aware and familiar with this policy.

Students and staff are aware, how to implement and use Turnitin Software within the student submissions.

Students must consult with Trainer when in doubt regarding this matter.

DETECTION OF PLAGIARISM

Trainers and Assessors are expected to actively plan to detect plagiarism.
If Trainers and Assessors suspect plagiarism, they must do enough research to satisfy themselves of the extent of the plagiarism (if any).
Plagiarism can vary in scale from incorrect referencing to copying of large chunks of information.
Staff will have to exercise judgment in how to deal with each incident
(i) Comments may be made in terms of the assessment (minor infringement) and a reminder of how to reference correctly
(ii) A formal warning maybe issued, and the student required being re-assessed
(iii) The student will be marked as failing their assessment- See Actions below.

FINDINGS OF CHEATING OR PLAGIARISM

Turnitin will enable to identify Plagiarism in the students’ submissions.
The student(s) offending should be immediately made aware that the assessor knows and if it is a test situation, remove the student from that test.
If just one student is involved (e.g., obtaining answers without another student’s knowledge) then that student will be marked as “unsatisfactory” or “Not yet competent” and will lose the right to repeat the assessment under the Assessment Policy.
If collusion is suspected, then ALL students will be declared as cheating and will be marked as failing their assessment - See Actions below.

ACTIONS

The assessor will inform the Training Coordinator and Compliance Manager of the student potential Plagiarism using meeting minutes template.
Training Coordinator will then review and investigate the allegations. If the allegations are found to be true, the students found to have cheated or plagiarised work will not be entitled to repeat the assessments.
A meeting will be arranged within 10 working days to inform the student of the course of action taken.
The student will receive a formal letter confirming the decision and informing them of their right to appeal under the Complaints and Appeals Policy.

ASSESSMENT FAILURE

Students found to have cheated or plagiarised work will lose the right under the Assessment, Submission and Resubmission Policy to submit additional assessments.
Student will be required to repeat the unit and pay the appropriate repeat fee.

WITHDRAWING A STUDENT

All students suspected to have breached this policy will be notified in writing of the suspected breach. Students may respond by email or phone call to any claims made. NBIA Trainers, Assessors and Management will consider all cases of breach of integrity based on evidence and severity. Students found to have intentionally and/or repeatedly plagiarised may be withdrawn from their enrolment. No refund of fees paid will apply.

APPEAL

Students have the right to appeal any decision made by the NBIA administration under this policy. Students must lodge their appeal within 14 days of the decision being made, in writing.

3. Sexual Harassment Policy
The National Business Institute of Australia is committed to providing its staff and students with a working and learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.

Sexual harassment can happen to anyone – male or female, young or old.

Harassment based on a person’s sex or sexual orientation is not acceptable within National Business Institute of Australia and will not be tolerated under any circumstance.

4. Privacy Policy

When enrolling as a student you will be asked to provide information about yourself. This information is gathered so that we can identify you and contact you if required. You are entitled to contact the school at any time to access your student records.

The information you provide is used solely for this course and no data is published nor any infringement made on your privacy as per the legislative requirements.

You can retrieve any information regarding the progress or participation of your course by a formal written request via email.

Information such as gender, ethnic origin, age, employment status can help us with any special requirements our students may have and can help verify any information you provide to use, for example the application of RPL from another institution.

YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Any personal Information held by NBIA may include names, date of birth, current and previous addresses, telephone/mobile phone number, e-mail address, nationality and academic record. This information is collected on enrolment. It will also include evidence of your assessments within the training qualification you are enrolled in.

We will only use the personal information you have chosen to provide for the purpose for which you provided it. NBIA will not use it for any other purpose without your consent.

In general, your personal Information may be used to:

Provide the educational and training services you require
Administer and manage those services, including the provision of up-to-date news on new courses, events and invoicing procedures
Inform you of ways in which the educational and training courses could be improved
Research and develop our courses to reflect best practice industry standards

STORAGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

One of our obligations as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) under the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) is to store information on student enrolments and progress for a period of 30 years.

NBIA stores this individual information both on company computers and in hard copy files. Our computer network has security levels of access in place to protect us against the loss, misuse, or destruction of the information while under the control of NBIA. Access to this central information can only be gained through authorisation by the CEO.

WHEN WE DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION

On occasion, and as required by law, NBIA may disclose the personal information of students, staff, and clients to organisations outside NBIA, providing such organisations are aware of our published Privacy Policy and agree to comply.

The organisations to which we disclose information include:

Your authorised representatives (eg. Your bank, agent, immediate family or legal counsel)
Our professional advisers including auditors and lawyers
Government and regulatory authorities such as: DEST (Department of Education, Science and Training); NEIS; OTTE – Skills Victoria; ATO (Australian Taxation Office), DIMIA (Department of Immigration Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs).

NBIA may disclose Personal Information to comply with subpoenas, court orders and other legal processes.

ACCURATE INFORMATION

NBIA takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up-to-date. However, the accuracy of that information depends to a large extent on the information you provide. That’s why we recommend that you:

Let us know if there are any errors in your personal information

Keep us up-to-date with changes to personal information such as your name and address

ACCESS TO YOUR INFORMATION

You have a right to access your personal information, subject to some exceptions allowed by law. If students would like to do so, they should contact the CEO. Students and Staff will be required to put such requests in writing for security reasons.

STUDENT INFORMATION

All resources and /or student information re participation and/or progress, can be collected personally, by mail, or electronically, and is available to all staff and students, with teaching and assessment procedures being flexible to attempt to meet the varied needs of the students after identification procedures have been met.

If you require any further information, or a response to any specific questions relating to our Privacy Policy or Information handling processes, please contact us.

5. Payments and Refunds Policy

Students enrolling in an NBIA course are advised of all fees and charges associated with the course and the payment terms, including any late fees or credit card charges. For courses that are 12 months or longer, an initial upfront payment of $1,500 is required and can be made via Credit Card or Direct Debit (EFT). This is non-refundable. (These courses include: Advanced Diploma of Conveyancing, Advanced Diploma of Accounting, Diploma of Accounting and Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping).

A refund might be applicable if a course has not commenced, less enrolment and administrative charges. If NBIA is unable to provide all units required for completion of a course, that course will not commence. If NBIA has to cancel a course after commencement then a pro-rata refund will apply, less administrative and enrolment costs. All courses are non-transferable and there are no refunds once a course has commenced. The course is deemed to have commenced when the first unit(s) have been provided via the online log-in link.

Some courses may be eligible for an extension. Please contact Student Support at info@nbia.edu.au for details and fees associated with extension of a course..

For courses which do not proceed, a full refund of fees will be paid to students. Refunds will be paid within four weeks of receipt of written request by the student.

If a registered participant fails to turn up at the scheduled time of the course or chooses not to complete the course, no refund will be made. NBIA are not responsible for a student's change in circumstances.

Overdue invoices will be charged an administration fee of $25 or 7% of the course fee from date of enrolment – whichever is greater.

Withdrawal, cancellation or suspension of enrolment in a course does not cancel the obligation to pay outstanding fees and payment plan instalments. The student remains liable for the payment of all fees. If the student is on a payment plan, this will not cease until all fees are recovered.

Late and overdue payments - NBIA reserves the right to suspend training services until payment is made to bring fees up to date. Students who are experiencing difficulty in paying their fees are invited to contact us at info@nbia.edu.au to make alternative arrangements for payment during their period of difficulty. For long-term outstanding amounts, NBIA reserves the right to utilise the services of a debt recovery agency to ensure the collection of all fees.

You can obtain a formal Statement of Attainment at no additional cost if your enrolment is withdrawn, cancelled or discontinued prior to completing your qualification, provided your fees are paid in full.

6. Conduct Policy

Students must always maintain appropriate behaviour and follow the NBIA rules. Penalties for breaches of rules or unsuitable or disruptive behaviour will be imposed depending on the nature and severity of the breach. Participants are responsible for behaving in a courteous, sensitive, and non-discriminatory manner when dealing with other participants, assessors, consultants, clients or staff.

In the case of minor breaches, a warning will be given and penalties imposed for subsequent breaches. In the case of major or repeated breaches, penalties may be imposed immediately, and the student may be requested to leave the course.

All disciplinary matters will be handled by the CEO.

The following apply to all persons, staff and students whether studying in person or online:

An individual’s property is to be respected and not interfered with without prior consent. Look after your own possessions. NBIA accepts no responsibility for personal property lost or stolen at in-person training sessions.
Nobody has the right to interfere with another’s ability to learn through disruption of classes or harassment of any kind.
No aggressive physical contact or verbal abuse is to occur between any persons.
Smoking is not permitted inside training facilities.
Drinking alcohol is not permitted inside training facilities.
Eating or drinking is not permitted in any space other than the designated areas.
Clothing and behaviour should be appropriate and not cause offence to anyone.
Mobile phones are to be turned off during classes and in study areas.

Complaints Resolution

Complaints and Appeals Procedure

There is a complaints system in place for students who wish to raise any matters of concern relating to training delivery and assessment, the quality of the teaching, student amenities, discrimination, sexual harassment, appeals, or other issues which may arise. NBIA encourages the parties to approach complaints and appeals with an open view and to attempt to resolve problems through discussion and conciliation. Where complaints and appeals cannot be resolved through discussion and conciliation, we may acknowledge the need for an appropriate external and independent agent to mediate between the parties.

The Complaints and Appeals Procedure relating to the delivery of training and/or the assessment involves the student initiating the following:

discussion with relevant trainer by email (info@nbi.com.au) or phone about the complaint or appeal
if unable to be resolved, complaints and appeals can be taken to the Training Coordinators and/or the CEO via email (info@nbi.com.au) as first point of contact.

The NBIA seeks to create and maintain a healthy and enjoyable learning environment and one that will enhance personal development.

In instances where grievances occur, it is our desire and aim to resolve them amicably, promptly and in a manner that is both fair and equitable to all concerned. Complaints or appeals made by students should be made responsibly regarding the rights of all.

If complaints and appeals cannot be resolved internally, NBIA will advise the student to seek further assistance via an external party.

Resolution by External Party

Students are entitled to resolve any dispute by exercising their rights to other legal remedies. Students wishing to take this course of action are advised to:

contact a solicitor; or
contact the Law Institute of Victoria, 470 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000, telephone (03) 9602 5000 for a referral to a solicitor.

NBI adheres to the National Training Complaints Hotline. Details can be found at: https://www.dese.gov.au/national-training-complaints-hotline