1998 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

46 I Undergraduate I General Student Information
Identity cards
When on campus, all enrolled students are required to carry, and to produce on
request to a member of staff, the photographic identity card issued to them.
The card, which has a maximum life offouryears, must be presented for update/
validation for the forthcoming year on re-enrolment.
The card includes the authorisation for borrowing from the Swinburne Library.
A student who loses an identity card should notify the library as soon as the loss is
detected. Cardholders are, under library rules, responsible for any transaction made
on the card up to the time of notification ofthe loss. A replacement card can be
issued atthe Student Administration Enquiries Office for a fee of $1 0.00.
Any student who has had their identity card stolen, will be issued with a free
replacement identity card upon supplying a copy of a police report.
Industry Based Learning
Industry Based Learning (lBL) is a cornerstone of many of the academic programs in
Higher Education at Swinburne. This cooperative education program is strongly
supported throughout the Higher Education sector and is one of the significant
illustrations of the many contacts that the University has with industry that benefit
the student. industry and the University. Cooperative education is a strategy of
learning that involves the student participating in a paid placement in industry before
the final year of their degree. The student receives support during the placementfrom
both the employer and the University.
Whilst on IBL. students are supervised by their employers and a member ofthe
Higher Education Division's academic staff who acts as the student's industrial tutor.
The placements provide students with the valuable opportunity to apply the
knowledge they have gained to that point while gaining confidence and experience in
the workplace oftheirfuture profession. Students then have this 'hands-on'
experience as a most significant reference in theirfinal year of study. The experience
places students atthe front ofthe line for employment opportunities atthe end of
their degree.
Swinburne was a pioneer of Industry Based Learning (lBL) in Australia, with the first
programs offered to Production Engineering students in 1963. Over the years the
benefits of IBL have spread to other disciplines in the University and have been
recognised by many other universities. Today, Swinburne is atthe forefront of
ensuring that IBL is accepted worldwide.
At Swinburne IBL is generally optional and is normally taken for two semesters (or
48 weeks) between the second and third years of study. Swinburne places
approximately 800 students each year into industry in the areas of:
Area IHL Coordinator Telephone
Applied Chemistry Bob Laslett (03)92148569
Biophysical Sciences Joe Ciorciari (03)92148363
Business John Gerrand (03)92148475
Computer Science & Software Engineering Kon Mouzakis (03)92148585
Engineering and Building Surveying Karen Brown (03) 9214 8364
Environmental Health John Oavis (03)92148580
Graphic Design John Bassani (03)92146910
Information Systems Paul Kindler (03)92148303
Information Technology Gerald Murphy (03)92148438
Mathematics Don Handley (03)92148214
Swinburne at Lilydale Antoinette Clancey (03) 9215 7027
Benefits to students
Students who undertake an IBL course derive many benefits from their involvement
in the program. Some ofthese are:
Academic performance is often seen to improve following industrial experience;
Students work with professionals on real industrial problems under authentic
conditions using theoretical concepts learnt in the classroom;
Students are able to sample particular areas of the chosen branch oftheir
profession before graduation;
IBL during the course is an advantage when graduates are seeking theirfirst
jobs;
• IBL gives students one year of practical experience, enabling them to learn
aboutthe working environment, to understand employers' expectations, ethics
and relationships with colleagues;
• IBL gives students a head start to a successful future. As they have already
have a point of comparison, career decisions are made easier and IBL students
have more to offer to prospective employers;
Students earn while they learn (recognised rates are paid during periods of IBL);
There is the potential for IBL students to have a job waiting on graduation.
Alternatively, part-time employment during final year of study may become
available with the employer;
Students have financial freedom through the opportunity to earn and save
money.
Placement information
Swinburne makes every effort to place students in an appropriate industrial
environment. Opportunities for placement are normally allocated based on academic
merit. However, students may wish to take the initiative to secure their own IBL
placement, and this must be with the approval of the appropriate IBL Coordinator.
In courses where IBL is compulsory and all reasonable effort to find an IBL position
has been made by the Division and the student. but no placement has been found, the
student may apply to the appropriate Head of School to consider the possibility of
rescheduling the IBL component(s) ofthe course.
In courses where IBL is compulsory and no placement is found before the academic
component ofthe course is completed and the requirementto complete IBL is
waived, then the student will be allowed to graduate. The testamur, however, will
not contain the wording 'a four/five year program in the cooperative education
format'.
Students without permanent resident status should be aware that IBL may not be
available for certain courses. In other courses, it is subjectto the availability of
industrial places and the achievement of a suitable level of English language skills.
IBL is possible in a student's home country (subjectto approval of the appropriate IBL
Coordinator).
During and atthe end of the IBL placement, students are required to successfully
complete a detailed report on their IBL experience.
In some courses, students are permitted to study one subject per semester while
working.
Support services
Assistance is given by Swinburne to secure an IBL position by way of information
sessions, lectures on interview techniques and skills, resume writing, and general
support in making sure that each participating student is placed.
Overseas IBl
Some Australian students have the opportunity to obtain work experience overseas.
In such cases, academic staff from local educational institutions visit the student at
their place of work. Countries where Swinburne students have recently undertaken
IBL include England, USA. Canada, and Germany.
Employers and Swinburne
IBL can provide employers with the opportunity to assess potential employees in a
work situation thereby defraying the costs of recruitment. At Swinburne there is a
close liaison between participating companies and the University. Participating
companies comprise large and small enterprises from all sectors of industry
including manufacturing, finance, professional services and governement.
Swinburne University also have been supporting our own program for several years
now and have students placed in Human Resources, Information Technology and
Marketing.
Leave of absence
Students who have enrolled in a course and who wish to apply for a period of leave of
absence may do so on a Leave of Absence/Withdrawalform lodged with the relevant
School. The application should clearly indicate the circumstances on which the
request is based and the length of time for which leave is sought.
Each application will be considered within the guidelines of the Leave of Absence
Procedures. (See separate Policies and Procedures Handbook)
Students who have been granted leave of absence will be notified in writing. Enrolmentfor
all subjects forthe duration ofthe leave will be cancelled.
Students who have been granted leave of absence will be eligible for a refund of their
1998 General Service Fee only iftheir application is received before 31 March 1998
for semester one or 31 August 1 998 for semester two.
Mobile phones in class
Students are requested, in consideration of others, to turn mobile phones off before
entering a class.
Swinburne University of Technology 11998 Handbook