RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Title

Recognition of Prior Learning

Process Ownership

President HR & Strategic Affairs

Created

01 Aug, 2019

Learning Delivery Function

Approval Body

Chairman IIMT Studies Ltd. UK

Review Date

01 Jul, 2021

Learning Delivery Function

Approval Body

Chairman IIMT Studies Ltd. UK

Version 2

30 Aug 2021 To 01 Jul, 2022

Learning Delivery Function

Approval Body

Chairman IIMT Studies Ltd. UK

Version 3

30 Aug 2022 To 01 Jul, 2023

IIMT Studies Ltd
Company Number: U80900GJ2017PTC097640 (Burly Institute of Global Education & Research Private Limited – IIMT STUDIES.)
Registered Office Address: 9-10 Floors, Annexie Wing, Pariseema Complex, C G Road, Ahmedabad- 38009 ( India)

(A) Policy Statement:

IIMTS as an approved centre is responsible for enrolling right and eligible professionals only apart from designing the right curriculum, learning delivery, assessment and award of qualifications. There has to be a robust process for enrolment so that only an eligible professional meeting with standard prescribed criteria & requirement for enrolments are enrolled for a specific course. This process includes verification of not only authenticity of prior academic qualification but also verification of prior skills and competencies claimed by the professional in his application, as per the pre-requisite of enrolment.

Every learner has the prior learning achievement which should be validated with a standard process, meeting the policy of IIMT Studies in order to ensure no learner has taken an enrolment in the course or programme with :

1. Incomplete documentation.

2. Fulfilling partial eligibility criteria

3. Submission of unrecognized qualifications documents.

4. Qualifications which are not recognized for the enrolment for IIMTS courses.

5. Not possessing minimum skills and competencies ( English language knowledge – computer proficiency etc) required to be eligible for the enrolment.

This policy applies to all learners, associates/centres and other stakeholder holders of IIMT Studies.

(B) Objectives of Policy:

1. To ensure previously assessed and certificated learning gets recognition in order to meet the qualification requirement offered by IIMT Studies.

2. To find out whether the previously attained qualifications are reasonable enough and appropriate for enrolment in our qualifications.

3. To ensure the right practice is followed to recognize the previously achieved learning and certificate.

4. To ensure, right RPL practice in order to meet the qualification eligibility criteria.

5. To ensure no malpractices and maladministration during the process of RPL.

6. To establish accountability and ownership for verification of the authenticity of prior qualifications and it’s documentation.

(C) Definitions :

Reference – 1

1. “Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a method of assessment [leading to the award of credit] that considers whether Learners can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess and so not need to develop through a course of learning.” (Regulatory Arrangement for the Qualifications and Credit Framework)

2. Terms:

a) Credit transfer/ Credit Accumulation

b) Shared units

c) Equivalent units

d) Previous qualifications and qualification legacy

(D) Policy Framework :

1. This policy will have the following major compliance segments :

a. Verification and validation

b. Use of RPL

c. RPL assessment

d. RPL Process

e. Exemptions of equivalent units and credit transfer

f. Outcome of RPL

g. Documentation

1.1. : Verification and validation:

Every authorized centre must have to follow the policy in order to deliver the qualifications offered by IIMT Studies. They should have the RPL policy in place which must ensure:

a. Available opportunities and disadvantages to the learner

b. Learner’s responsibilities

c. Assessor’s Responsibilities

d. Quality Assurance Process (QAP)

e. Key staff involved in QAP

f. The robust process to validate the prior learning

g. Identified timeframe to declare the outcomes of the recognition process

h. All units claimed are covered by the RPL process

i. Teaching is not started based on the claimed evidence before the assessment decision is given as a concrete outcome.

The applicant or learner will not be eligible for learning and or learning material if the claimed evidence regarding qualifications, skills and competencies OR the qualifications claimed by the applicant does not fulfil the eligibility criteria for that course. i.e. The applicant or learner will not be eligible for learning and or learning material till he or she is formally enrolled after due verification and validation process.

1.1.1. Agencies and other Centres, associated with IIMTS must know:

a) IIMT Studies may be involved in the RPL process if they aren’t able to validate, verify and certify that any learner’s prior learning fulfils or meets with eligibility standards for the course.

b) May cross-check the RPL process at any time once the learner is registered on IIMT Studies portal

c) Must ensure the RPL process is followed in true spirit and the centre can demonstrate and produce the evidence whenever required by IIMT Studies

d) While claiming the unit exemptions, must produce the evidence of the claim and the process followed to recognize them

e) Only IIMT Studies authorised staff members in consultation with the Awarding body will apply the RPL. Associates and centres must not commit/authorise any RPL claims.

1.2. Use of RPL:

RPL process is to be utilized to verify and validate the learners claimed evidence valid for previous learning.

1.2.1. What can be produced:

• Evidence of education and training

• Valid experience and certificates

• Certificates for English language (like IELST) or computer literacy course, if any

1.3. RPL assessment:

The protocol of RPL assessment applies to every claim and the components of the claim. The assessor must not ignore any element of the claims. In includes:

a) Theory evidence

b) Evidence of previous work

c) Project works

d) Other claimed evidence

The below process must be followed while assessing the claims.

1.3.1. Validity:

i) The validity of evidence in respect to assessment criteria

ii) Certificates:

a) The learners must have original copies of certificates

b) If the original is lost, the replacement certificate must be produced

c) Internal certificate of completion must not be accepted, provided by the training provider.

d) While verifying the respective awarding organization should be consulted.

iii) Evidence of previous work:

a) Evidence produced by a learner must be with valid dates and signatures.

b) The photocopies must be self-attested by the learner producing the evidence. The original documents are must to verify the photocopies.

c) Evidence having not the above requirements fulfilled, must not be considered.

1.3.2. Authenticity:

The evidence to be assessed:

a) Must not be the work of a team or a group of people

b) Must be achieved by the learner himself/herself

c) If it is teamwork demonstrated: must have sufficient evidence of being a team working on it. In such cases, learners’ work must be identified considering his own achievements.

1.3.3. Sufficiency:

The evidence produced must be sufficient enough for the assessor to assess them.

a) Incomplete evidence will not be accepted

1.3.4. Reliability:

The evidence must be reliable, which may also include the witness testimony.

a) The evidence and the witness must be reliable

b) The assessor must assess the occupation of the witness.

c) Evidence must help the assessor to come on a decision

d) Evidence must not be confusing

1.4.RPL process:

1.4.1. Who can be involved:

a) The identifiable staff of the approved centre

b) The staff involved in the process must hold reverent expertise to carry out the process.

1.4.2. Methods to be used to follow the process:

a. Reliability of the documents

b. Examination of evidence

c. Cross verification of the produced evidence and claims

d. Multiple assessment methods to examine the demonstrated evidence

This may require coordination with a learner for planning, making a decision on assessment, feedback from the learner (award or not award of credits).

In order to comply with this policy, assessor additionally, ensure to record all evidence, process and outcomes followed for the RPL recognition process& produced to IIMT Studies in a usual way. The same must be followed on a case to case bases for every qualification.

1.5. Exemptions of equivalent units and credit transfer:

The exemption allows the recognition of formally recognized achievements which may be obtained by the learner outside the Regulated Qualification Framework. This may require a centre to have the prior assessment done. However, this doesn’t guarantee the desired outcome if, IIMT Studies conduct the check on the assessment to minimize the risk associated with it, which turns out to recall the centre’s decision. Such cases may also be considered under malpractice and maladministration.

1.6. The outcome of RPL:

The result of RPL may result in the recognition of produced evidence after necessary assessment practice. The credits can be claimed on the bases of the learner’s sole achievements if they have confidence in achieving the outcomes of the units/modules by their previous knowledge or skills.

1.6.1 It is fully based on:

I) assessments

II) demonstrated evidence

III) validity and authenticity

IV) may additionally require the observation of current units despite having the RPL process done

V) Standards of the unit must meet evidence obtained from RPL