Objectives
1. This Code is intended to fulfil the following functions:
Definition
The word "student" includes a trainee or any other client receiving education or training from an IAPCC member, whether that member be a workplace trainer or an education and training provider.
Scope
2. This code is binding on all members of the International Association of Private Career Colleges (IAPCC). Membership of IAPCC commits member institutions to equivalent standards to those laid down in these paragraphs in relation to its students, clients, staff, procedures and processes.
Quality Education
3. Members will ensure the highest possible standards in the selection of staff and the planning and delivery of courses and training. They will ensure that teachers and trainers are suitably qualified and have relevant industry experience. They will maintain a learning environment that is conducive to the success of trainees/students/clients and ensure adequate facilities and the use of methods and materials appropriate to the requirements and levels at which courses are offered. They will monitor their training to ensure effective delivery and continued relevance.
Financial Standards
4. Members will safeguard the funds paid by students in accordance with relevant legal requirements. They will properly document their contractual and financial relationships with students and provide students and clients with copies of this documentation. Where they are unable to provide agreed services they will make a refund to students in accordance with relevant legislation.
Student Services
5. Members will ensure that all students/trainees/clients are given appropriate orientation, and are given reliable and up-to-date advice on accommodation, counselling, in course placements, remedial education and welfare facilities having regard to the cultural and special needs of disabled students/trainees/clients and those from different backgrounds. Members will monitor the progress of students/trainees/clients and ensure individualised support and counselling for those having difficulties with a course.
6. Members will be sensitive to the specific cultural and social needs of overseas students especially those who are under 18 years of age. They will ensure that overseas students receive adequate orientation, information and advice on accommodation, counselling, health and welfare services, and assistance in accessing bridging courses or additional educational support
7. Members will insist on the maintenance of generally accepted ethical standards in the educational and social relations between staff and students/trainees/clients.
8. Members will respect the confidentiality and privacy of their students/trainees/clients. Members understand that students/trainees/clients and prospective students/trainees/clients provide them with information for the purpose of offering and providing training and education and will not use or disclose this information for other purposes except with the consent of the individual concerned, in accordance with a legal requirement or where relevant information is routinely used or disclosed in a particular way and this is notified to the student/trainee/client at the time the information is collected.
9. Members will assume a level of responsibility appropriate to the industry or profession for which they provide education or training to assist graduates who have completed their courses to obtain employment. They will promote equality of opportunity in placement.
10. Members will provide effective internal complaint resolution and grievance procedures to deal with students' problems.
Marketing
11. Members will market their education and training services with integrity and accuracy, avoiding vague and ambiguous descriptions of courses or the qualification or capacities required by students to undertake them. They will avoid false or misleading comparisons with other education and training providers.
12. Members will assume responsibility for the actions of their appointed agents for marketing services and processing applications for overseas students. They will ensure that their agents and partners maintain standards of behaviour and operation in relation to joint or agency activities that are consistent with this code.
13. Members marketing their services overseas will do so in a manner that is consistent with the educational, cultural and regulatory systems of the relevant countries. They will provide accurate information about, immigration and residency requirements, cost of living, health and welfare, opportunities for further study and language prerequisites for undertaking relevant courses.
Obligations to other Association Members
14. Members will conduct their affairs in such a way as to ensure the best interests of the private education and training sector and to ensure the high standing of the Association and its members globally.
15. Members will not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct in the provision of services.
16. Members will not deliberately criticise the services or quality of education or training provided by other members, entice students or trainees from other member colleges or encourage students or trainees enrolled at another college to change colleges. Members agree to raise legitimate concerns about other members via a formal written complaint to the Secretariat of IAPCC.
17. Members will co-operate with fellow members in upholding and enforcing this Code.
18. On relinquishing membership of the Association, former members will refrain from claiming membership of the Association or accreditation or recognition by, the Association.
19. Members agree to provide accurate and timely information when requested.
Complaints
20. Members will adopt clearly defined procedures for dealing with complaints that involve alleged breaches of this code or any internal code. They will ensure that students and clients aware of these procedures and, where a complaint is not able to be resolved internally, the other avenues available to them to resolve it. Members will ensure that students or clients are not penalised or victimised for pursuing a complaint in good faith.
All members are able to provide students and/or trainees with contact details of the International Association of Private Career Colleges, and to make them aware that they may lodge a complaint with the Association regarding any dissatisfaction. The complainant should lodge complaints to the Association ONLY once ALL internal complaints handling procedures have been exhausted and explored.
If the Member cannot demonstrate that the dispute has been handled properly, membership of the organization can be immediately revoked. Unanimous approval of the IAPCC Executive Council will be required before a member’s membership is revoked.
21. Complaints relating to an alleged breach of a provision of paragraphs of this Code may be made to the IAPCC designated officer or to a member of the IAPCC Secretariat by a student, staff member or client of a member or by a member other than a member to whom the complaint relates.
Sanctions
22. Complaints to IAPCC about a breach of the Code by a member will be dealt with by possible suspension until the matter is rectified. Members recognise that failure to observe the provisions of this Code may result in their approval to offer courses to overseas students and their registration as approved providers withdrawn.
Publicity
23. Members may publicise the fact that they adhere to a Code which defines their obligations to students, the public and to other providers of education and training services and will have copies of this Code or an equivalent internal Code available for inspection by students and other clients who ask to inspect it.
Regulatory and Legal Findings
24. It is the policy of the IAPCC that membership shall not be granted, nor maintained, by any school, institution, or educational provider that has been the subject of adverse legal findings, or whose Chief Executive Officer, senior executive, governing body member, or institutional leadership has been found liable for legal, regulatory, or ethical breaches.
The official PDF version is available here.
1. This Code is intended to fulfil the following functions:
- To define standards of conduct expected of members of IAPCC in their dealings with one another and with IAPCC, in accordance with the by-laws;
- To provide students and clients with a clear statement of the standards which they can expect member organisations to adopt in their dealings with them, subject to equivalent provisions in any code or codes which the organisation has adopted to regulate dealings with its staff, students and other clients; and
- To promote confidence and community trust in the services provided by IAPCC members.
Definition
The word "student" includes a trainee or any other client receiving education or training from an IAPCC member, whether that member be a workplace trainer or an education and training provider.
Scope
2. This code is binding on all members of the International Association of Private Career Colleges (IAPCC). Membership of IAPCC commits member institutions to equivalent standards to those laid down in these paragraphs in relation to its students, clients, staff, procedures and processes.
Quality Education
3. Members will ensure the highest possible standards in the selection of staff and the planning and delivery of courses and training. They will ensure that teachers and trainers are suitably qualified and have relevant industry experience. They will maintain a learning environment that is conducive to the success of trainees/students/clients and ensure adequate facilities and the use of methods and materials appropriate to the requirements and levels at which courses are offered. They will monitor their training to ensure effective delivery and continued relevance.
Financial Standards
4. Members will safeguard the funds paid by students in accordance with relevant legal requirements. They will properly document their contractual and financial relationships with students and provide students and clients with copies of this documentation. Where they are unable to provide agreed services they will make a refund to students in accordance with relevant legislation.
Student Services
5. Members will ensure that all students/trainees/clients are given appropriate orientation, and are given reliable and up-to-date advice on accommodation, counselling, in course placements, remedial education and welfare facilities having regard to the cultural and special needs of disabled students/trainees/clients and those from different backgrounds. Members will monitor the progress of students/trainees/clients and ensure individualised support and counselling for those having difficulties with a course.
6. Members will be sensitive to the specific cultural and social needs of overseas students especially those who are under 18 years of age. They will ensure that overseas students receive adequate orientation, information and advice on accommodation, counselling, health and welfare services, and assistance in accessing bridging courses or additional educational support
7. Members will insist on the maintenance of generally accepted ethical standards in the educational and social relations between staff and students/trainees/clients.
8. Members will respect the confidentiality and privacy of their students/trainees/clients. Members understand that students/trainees/clients and prospective students/trainees/clients provide them with information for the purpose of offering and providing training and education and will not use or disclose this information for other purposes except with the consent of the individual concerned, in accordance with a legal requirement or where relevant information is routinely used or disclosed in a particular way and this is notified to the student/trainee/client at the time the information is collected.
9. Members will assume a level of responsibility appropriate to the industry or profession for which they provide education or training to assist graduates who have completed their courses to obtain employment. They will promote equality of opportunity in placement.
10. Members will provide effective internal complaint resolution and grievance procedures to deal with students' problems.
Marketing
11. Members will market their education and training services with integrity and accuracy, avoiding vague and ambiguous descriptions of courses or the qualification or capacities required by students to undertake them. They will avoid false or misleading comparisons with other education and training providers.
12. Members will assume responsibility for the actions of their appointed agents for marketing services and processing applications for overseas students. They will ensure that their agents and partners maintain standards of behaviour and operation in relation to joint or agency activities that are consistent with this code.
13. Members marketing their services overseas will do so in a manner that is consistent with the educational, cultural and regulatory systems of the relevant countries. They will provide accurate information about, immigration and residency requirements, cost of living, health and welfare, opportunities for further study and language prerequisites for undertaking relevant courses.
Obligations to other Association Members
14. Members will conduct their affairs in such a way as to ensure the best interests of the private education and training sector and to ensure the high standing of the Association and its members globally.
15. Members will not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct in the provision of services.
16. Members will not deliberately criticise the services or quality of education or training provided by other members, entice students or trainees from other member colleges or encourage students or trainees enrolled at another college to change colleges. Members agree to raise legitimate concerns about other members via a formal written complaint to the Secretariat of IAPCC.
17. Members will co-operate with fellow members in upholding and enforcing this Code.
18. On relinquishing membership of the Association, former members will refrain from claiming membership of the Association or accreditation or recognition by, the Association.
19. Members agree to provide accurate and timely information when requested.
Complaints
20. Members will adopt clearly defined procedures for dealing with complaints that involve alleged breaches of this code or any internal code. They will ensure that students and clients aware of these procedures and, where a complaint is not able to be resolved internally, the other avenues available to them to resolve it. Members will ensure that students or clients are not penalised or victimised for pursuing a complaint in good faith.
All members are able to provide students and/or trainees with contact details of the International Association of Private Career Colleges, and to make them aware that they may lodge a complaint with the Association regarding any dissatisfaction. The complainant should lodge complaints to the Association ONLY once ALL internal complaints handling procedures have been exhausted and explored.
If the Member cannot demonstrate that the dispute has been handled properly, membership of the organization can be immediately revoked. Unanimous approval of the IAPCC Executive Council will be required before a member’s membership is revoked.
21. Complaints relating to an alleged breach of a provision of paragraphs of this Code may be made to the IAPCC designated officer or to a member of the IAPCC Secretariat by a student, staff member or client of a member or by a member other than a member to whom the complaint relates.
Sanctions
22. Complaints to IAPCC about a breach of the Code by a member will be dealt with by possible suspension until the matter is rectified. Members recognise that failure to observe the provisions of this Code may result in their approval to offer courses to overseas students and their registration as approved providers withdrawn.
Publicity
23. Members may publicise the fact that they adhere to a Code which defines their obligations to students, the public and to other providers of education and training services and will have copies of this Code or an equivalent internal Code available for inspection by students and other clients who ask to inspect it.
Regulatory and Legal Findings
24. It is the policy of the IAPCC that membership shall not be granted, nor maintained, by any school, institution, or educational provider that has been the subject of adverse legal findings, or whose Chief Executive Officer, senior executive, governing body member, or institutional leadership has been found liable for legal, regulatory, or ethical breaches.
The official PDF version is available here.
