campusreview. com. au
VET & TAFE scrutiny on membership entry conditions. ACPET has engaged with key industry stakeholders to protect the reputation of tertiary education providers, hosting a summit in late October with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Careers Australia, English Australia, Group Training Australia, the International Education Association of Australia, JMC Academy, Navitas, Study Group, the Vocational Education and Training Advisory Board, and Restaurant and Catering Australia.
It is off this commitment that we can celebrate the quality of our membership. ACPET is now finalising a member Code of Practice that ensures our membership is striving for educational excellence. The code establishes clear standards for membership and provides arrangements for engaging with education agents, brokers and third-party contractors. The Code of Practice will have two elements: a Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct for ACPETpreferred agents / brokers.
Passing the requirements of the regulators is the minimum requirement for membership. The Code of Ethics outlines the professional standards expected of our high-quality education and training providers. These quality endorsed members will demonstrate that they act with integrity in all dealings with students( past, present and future), employers, and with other organisations. The code will ensure our members are those who aspire to, and achieve, quality education. ACPET membership will be and must be a badge of quality.
Most parties in the current debate agree that the areas of highest risk relate to the behaviours of agents and brokers. Whilst there is nothing wrong with using third parties as part of normal business practice, it is important there be a mechanism for eliminating dealings with agents and brokers who act unethically and undermine the confidence of the community.
A Code of Conduct for ACPET-preferred agents / brokers will prescribe all legislative compliance requirements and prohibit other deceptive and misleading practices. For example, an agent / broker must use reasonable endeavours to assess a student’ s desire and capacity to participate and complete a course. Students must also be made aware of prerequisites for courses, full fees and other charges and not be misled as to employment opportunities upon completion of a course.
ACPET will work with reputable agents / brokers to recognise the Code of Conduct and undertake a development program focused on their responsibilities. Recognition by multiple ACPET members of the quality of the agent / broker will result in the registration of the agent / broker as a preferred ACPET supplier.
The Code of Practice has been based on international ethical standards and requires agents / brokers and third parties to: 1. Practice responsible business ethics 2. Provide current, accurate and honest information in an ethical manner 3. Develop transparent business relationships with students and providers through the use of written agreements 4. Protect the interest of minors 5. Provide current and up-to-date information that enables international students to make informed choices when selecting an agent or consultant to employ 6. Act professionally 7. Work with destination countries and providers to raise ethical standards and best practice.
The code is designed to give confidence to providers and students when dealing with agents / brokers and third parties. It is our way of benchmarking quality and provides a tangible way of differentiating ACPET members who will be expected to be of the highest quality.
Another vital element of ACPET’ s high-quality and studentfocused approach is our recent call for the creation of Australia ' s first national industry ombudsman. Currently, there is no simple, national consumer-focused complaints handling process for students and this needs to be rectified. The Ombudsman’ s primary role would be complaint resolution, providing a cost-effective option for both students and providers. It would help identify early any problems with member processes, products and services, enabling quick action to minimise additional customer impacts and limit the need for government intervention. All registered providers – public, private and not-for-profit – would have to enter into the scheme, which could be funded by the industry itself, but would be independent of industry, government and consumer organisations.
I look forward to discussing these developments further with our membership, to raising it as part of the Senate inquiry and to creating an environment of confidence for students and the industry. Ensuring the integrity and quality of the VET system is of the utmost importance. I know the vast majority in our sector share this belief and are committed to ensuring the sector delivers the best outcomes for students, industry and government. ■
ACPET members can view the draft code at acpet. edu. au
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a government-funded tertiary institution in Hong Kong. It offers programmes at various levels including Doctorate, Master’ s, and Bachelor’ s degrees. It has a full-time academic staff strength of around 1,250. The total consolidated expenditure budget of the University is about HK $ 5 billion per year.
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is recognised by the local and international communities in conducting world class research in civil and environmental engineering fields, and has well established connections with industrial partners and government agencies in Hong Kong. The new appointee will further add to the existing research strengths in the area of environmental noise and vibration of the Department.
The Department offers academic programmes at various levels, including MPhil degree and PhD degree, in the disciplines of Construction and Transportation Engineering, Environmental Engineering Science, Geotechnical Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, and Structural Engineering. The Department currently has about 42 faculty members and 37 technical and administrative personnel, and is committed to the international standards of excellence in teaching and research. Please visit the website at http:// www. cee. polyu. edu. hk for more information about the Department.
Assistant Professor in Environmental Noise and Vibration
The appointee will be required to( a) teach relevant subjects in Noise Pollution Studies and Control, and Structural Dynamics at various levels;( b) supervise student projects and theses;( c) initiate, lead and participate in research activities; and( d) undertake relevant administrative duties.
Applicants should( a) have a first degree in Engineering or Applied Science and a PhD degree in Noise or Vibration;( b) have strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research;( c) have a good record of research and scholarship; and( d) be able to demonstrate effective classroom teaching skills and have good interpersonal skills. Preference will be given to those with relevant professional qualifications and working experience.
Remuneration and Conditions of Service A highly competitive remuneration package will be offered. Initial appointment will be made on a fixed-term gratuity-bearing contract. Re-engagement thereafter is subject to mutual agreement. Applicants should state their current and expected salary in the application.
Application Please submit application form via email to hrstaff @ polyu. edu. hk; by fax at( 852) 2764 3374; or by mail to Human Resources Office, 13 / F, Li Ka Shing Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. If you would like to provide a separate curriculum vitae, please still complete the application form which will help speed up the recruitment process. Application forms can be obtained via the above channels or downloaded from http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / job. htm. Recruitment will continue until the position is filled. Details of the University’ s Personal Information Collection Statement for recruitment can be found at http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / jobpics. htm.
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