• Section 1 - Introduction  
• Purpose 
• Scope 
• To whom does the policy apply? 
• Who is response for implementing this policy? 
• Definitions 
• Section 2 - Context 
• Legal or Regulatory Context 
• Section 3 - Policy Statements 

Section 1 - Introduction  

Purpose 

(1) This policy details the College’s policy in relation to the award of Aegrotat or Posthumous Awards on a student who has died or fallen gravely ill while registered on a programme of study at the College.  

Scope 

(2) The policy applies to major taught awards at NFQ levels 8 and 9 only. 

To whom does the policy apply? 

(3) This policy applies to students on all Hibernia College programmes. 

Who is response for implementing this policy? 

(4) The Registrar is responsible for approving the release of academic information of a student.  

(5) The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for the management of the financial relationship between the College and the student.   

Definitions 

(6) Aegrotat: Certificate awarded to a student who is unable to complete their studies due to illness or other grave circumstances. A student may be considered for an aegrotat where they have accumulated 60% or more of their programme of study due to grave circumstances including, but limited to, serious illness or death.  

(7) Posthumous award: Any completed award, aegrotat or otherwise, that is awarded on behalf of a deceased student.  

(8) Posthumous certificate of achievement: Awarded on behalf of a deceased student who had accumulated less than 60% of the programme requirements and isn’t eligible for a minor award.  

Section 2 - Context 

Legal or Regulatory Context 

Assessment and Standards 

(9) Hibernia College, as a provider of programmes leading to QQI awards, adopts and is bound by the sectoral conventions for assessment, grading, certification and the maintenance of academic standards set out in Assessment and Standards.   

(10) These sectoral conventions specify many of the rules for assessment of learners on programmes leading to awards in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), as well as for the maintenance of standards.   

(11) In the unlikely event of an unintentional conflict between information provided by Hibernia College and Assessment and Standards, the sectoral convention prevails.   

QA Guidelines   

(12) This policy is designed with regard to the European Standards and Guidelines, QQI’s Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines and Sector Specific Independent/Private Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines and the Topic Specific: Blended Learning Programmes Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines for Providers of Blended Learning, all of which set out expectations that providers will have suitable policy and procedure in place to support assessment, grading and certification.   

Policies for Certification and Validation   

(13) As the policy applies to the grading and certification of assessment on QQI-validated programmes, it is also designed with regard to QQI’s Policy and Criteria for Making Awards and Policies and criteria for the validation of programmes of education and training. 

Section 3 - Policy Statements 

(14) The award is to recognise a student's own academic achievements and work during their programme of study should it be interrupted due to death or grave illness. 

(15) In making such an award the College will be sensitive to and respect the wishes of the next of kin or immediate family members.  

(16) The College will seek to assess in a fair and transparent manner the students academic achievements and work.  

(17) Where awarded, an aegrotat award will not confer the rights which might otherwise be associated with the programme of study concerned, these could include any rights to practice, to register with a professional body or to gain exemptions from professional body requirements. 

(18) In making such an award the College must consider its own academic and institutional integrity against the intention to make an Aegrotat or Posthumous Award.