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Record Keeping

Record Keeping

  1. The College keeps accurate and up-to-date records of student information. This includes but is not limited to, personal details, academic progress, reports of interviews, college financial records and welfare reports in either hard copy or electronic format. Staff are informed of record keeping processes during staff induction. Our record keeping is stored electronically within CollegeWorx database & hard-copy in students files in the Registrar’s office.
  2. Student files include any forms, records of interviews or results while at College. This covers hard copies or computerised documentation. Examples include, but are not limited to; Application form, Pastoral reference, Salvation testimony, Academic transcripts, records of interviews, any counselling notes.
  3. Access to these files remain confidential and are accessible by defined personnel according to College procedures and privacy legislation. The only people who have access, on a need to know basis, to student files are college staff. Access to files is limited to staff access areas as required.
  4. The student may give written consent for someone other than the people listed above to have access to their files.
  5. Students are required to put a request in writing using the Application to Access Student file form (which can be found on the Student Portal) in order to be given access to their student file.
  6. Student results are retained for a period of 30 years.
  7. Records of completed student assessments are retained for a period of 6 months from which the competence for the student assessment was made.

Student Access to Records

  1. Students may access their college personal records at any time using the Application to Access Student Records form.
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Staff Employment and Practice

  1. As a statutorily-defined religious institution, the College recruits faculty and support staff on the basis of their ministry gifting and calling, qualifications, proven ministry experience and character in accordance with the Australian Christian Churches fellowship with which the College is associated.
  2. All staff are expected to perform their duties with competency, integrity and compassion in compliance with the standards outlined in the Staff Code of Conduct and consistent with the College mission and purpose. Any breaches of the requirements will result in disciplinary sanctions. All staff are required to remain conversant with College expectations of their conduct.
  3. The College ensures the ongoing professional development of its faculty and staff (including professional skills and teaching qualifications).
  4. The College complies with the Work Health and Safety standards and other statutory and industrial award agreements as per current legislation, in order to provide a safe working environment for its staff. A review committee has been established to assess risk and safety matters. The Committee consists of College staff, church production staff, church events staff and other church staff.
  5. The College provides an appeals mechanism for staff to ensure equity, due process, natural justice and fair practice.
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Provision of Education & Training Services

  1. The College regularly reviews and updates its courses, and seeks approval with accrediting bodies prior to course changes or before commencing new courses.
  2. The College maintains a policy of access and equity in the delivery of all its services.
  3. The College maintains a learning environment that is conducive to the success of all students. The College has the capacity to deliver the nominated courses, provide adequate facilities and use methods and materials appropriate to the learning needs of students.
  4. All College courses and curriculum are developed according to its educational philosophy and express the mission and vision statement of Hillsong Church.
  5. The College has policies and management practices which maintain high professional standards in the delivery of education and training services, and which safeguard the educational interests and welfare of students. These standards comply with regulations set by Government bodies. Copies of standards are available on request.
  6. The College monitors and assesses the performance, course attendance and progress of students using assessments that are delivered in an approved manner.
  7. All courses delivered by the College are named appropriately and reflect the level and content students are taught.
  8. The College recognises prior learning and credit gained at other Registered Training Organisations. The College recognises awards with AQF qualifications and Statements of Attainments issued by other RTOs. Advanced standing is granted on the basis of documented evidence and compliance with predetermined criteria set according to course objectives and curriculum.
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Educational Philosophy

Hillsong College (HC) exists to train Christian leaders for ministry in every sphere of the church and community life. The College operates in a symbiotic relationship with Hillsong Church, which provides a wide and diverse number of resources and opportunities for the theoretical and practical aspects of the College’s educational processes.

The College recognises the divine call upon every Christian to servant-leadership, to serve God through Jesus Christ, and to serve one another. Each student is viewed as having inherent value and great potential to impact their sphere of influence. HC is committed to helping students identify their God-given calling and develop the personal talents and leadership skills that will enable them to fulfil their life purpose and ministry. In its broadest sense, ministry consists of service in every area of life including the local church, community, and workplace. However, the College recognises the specialist demands of ordained ministry and trains students for a broad scope of ministry expression, some of which include youth, children, missions, music, TV and media, as well as general church leadership.

Effective ministry flows out of the whole person. Therefore the College adopts a holistic approach to all its educational programs and is deeply committed to developing all areas of the individual. This extends beyond knowledge to skills, values, and attitudes. Training and education pervade all areas including the spiritual, cognitive, affective, relational, and practical domains. Spiritual development remains the highest priority and is an integral component of all courses. The College specifically seeks to instil in students a distinctive approach and philosophy to church life and ministry, reflected in Hillsong Church’s life and ministry, which includes values such as servant-hood, excellence, dedication, and integrity. These things underscore all of the College’s curriculum and culture.

As a Christian College, the Bible forms the core of the curriculum and is the standard for all teaching and praxis. Classes are conducted in a way that stimulates reflection, encourages personal growth, and allows for self-directed study. Students are equipped with a sound knowledge of the Bible, as well as an understanding of the analytical processes for its application to personal growth and ministry. Teaching is always aimed at transformation, with a strong emphasis on the application so that students’ lives display consistency in belief and practice.

The College recognises the different strengths and capacities of students and as such, seeks to provide a range of courses that cater to varying levels of academic ability. The acquisition of skills is an essential part of the College curriculum and subjects typically contain a high skills component. This ensures that students demonstrate competency in the workplace and include leadership, study skills, personal life skills, interpersonal and communication skills. The College employs a variety of teaching approaches with a heavy emphasis on learning through practical experience. Practicum and coaching are integral features of academic programs. Students are able to learn both theory and practice side by side in and through the ministry departments of Hillsong Church or the student’s local Church.

Because of the practical approach to education and emphasis on modelling, care is given to employing leaders and teachers that are proven in their areas of specialisation. The teaching approach of the College is highly relational and the staff are engaged in a significant degree of pastoral involvement with the student body. Students work alongside highly skilled and motivated leaders who impart not only knowledge and expertise, but also ethos and attitude.

The College provides training services to adherents of all church streams but maintains the distinctive emphasis of the Assembly of God denomination (also known as Australian Christian Churches within Australia). While being Protestant in belief, it is referred to as being ‘Pentecostal in application’. The premise for all religious teaching in the course is based on the AOG Articles of Faith. The College also welcomes students from all Christian Church affiliated denominations.

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Student Records

Student records and management
Details of Student Record System

Comprehensive student files are maintained by the Registrar for all students during their time at College. Files are comprised of forms relating to the student’s participation at College (e.g. application form, pastoral reference, records of interviews and academic transcripts).

Student files are stored in both hard copy and computerised form.

Computer Files are stored on the CollegeWorx Student Portal database and relevant documents uploaded there. These are backed-up regularly by the Technology Services Department:

  • Each night, weekly and monthly
  • Offsite monthly (on the network server at the other campus)
  • Hard copy files are stored on location at Hillsong College Head office and non-current student files are archived at the College’s archive storage facility.

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Regulators

Liaising with regulators

In carrying out its operations, the College will need to liaise with various regulators and government instrumentalities. Depending on the issue, the legislation and regulations, and the relevant government body, liaising with regulators is generally done by one of the following officers:

Academic Dean – ASQA, CRICOS, DEWR
Business Manager – TPS
Head of Student Services – DoHA, PRISMS

In particular, the Academic Dean is responsible for liaising with state and federal agencies in relation to the College’s registration as a Registered Training Organisation and as a CRICOS provider, and the accreditation of its courses. The Academic Dean is especially responsible to: Continue reading “Regulators”

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Legislation

Relevant Legislation

This RTO identifies and complies with relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory legislative and regulatory requirements including the following:
Disability Service Act 1993
Racial Discrimination Act 1975
Sex Discrimination Act 1984
Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987
Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
Long Service Leave Act 1955 No38 (NSW)
Workers Compensation Act 1987 No70 (NSW)
Superannuation Act 2005
Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 No51 (NSW)
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 No157
Copyright Act 1968
National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011
Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 – National Code 2007 (7 March 2007)
Privacy Act 1988
Freedom of Information Act 1982
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 No48 (NSW)
Work Health and Safety Act 2011

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations 2003

Staff are made aware of legislative requirements through the induction process.

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Document Version Control

All documents relating to College matters will be continually revised and updated in accord with our Continuous Improvement policy. These include documents such as the Policy and Procedures Manual, Student Handbook, Trainers/Lecturers handbook, Course Documents, learning and assessment materials and various procedural forms. The latest versions of these documents will be the appropriate ones to use and will supersede previous versions.

In order to maintain appropriate use of the latest version throughout the systems of the College, the following applies:

Documents such as memos, letters, directives, etc are all to be dated.

For documents obtained externally (e.g. Training packages) the version control used by the publisher applies.

A version number is clearly identified on all documents, with the organisational standard being vYYMMDD

Changes to documents requires authorisation by the appropriate member of the Executive Team.

Changes to documents will be communicated clearly in writing to Staff, trainers and marketing students as appropriate. The nature of the revision and the new document version number will be clearly stated along with the directive that any previous versions of the document are invalid and should not be used.

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