Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)

The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) is a Commonwealth initiative that has been introduced to improve the recognition and portability of Australian qualifications.

Western Sydney University will issue AHEGS to all graduating students from 2011. Students who complete their course at the end of 2010 and graduate at the April 2011 graduation ceremonies will be the first to receive a Graduation Statement.

Graduation Statements will include information about:

• the award
• the University
• the graduate's academic results
• additional course details
• special awards or achievements
• the Australian Higher Education sector

Graduation Statements will be issued to students during graduation ceremonies. Please check with professional bodies to confirm their requirements. A full transcript may be required so you will need to ensure you order one through OneStop.

Law graduates please see the FAQs.

Objectives of Graduation Statements

The objective of Graduation Statements is to assist in both national and international recognition of Australian qualifications and to promote international mobility and professional recognition of graduates. The Graduation Statement may assist Australian graduates in obtaining employment or pursuing further education overseas.

The Graduation Statement will align the Australian Higher Education sector with international trends and will be the Australian equivalent of the Diploma Supplement currently provided to graduates by many higher education institutions in Europe.

Background

On 10 January 2007, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, then Minister for Education, Science and Training, announced that a consortium of universities had been commissioned to develop a single agreed template for an Australian version of the European Diploma Supplement. The final report, Proposal for an Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (opens in a new window) was presented to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) in May 2008.

Key recommendations from the report were that the Graduation Statement should be provided to all higher education graduates and that implementation in Australian universities should be on a voluntary basis and spread out over a three year period commencing as soon as practicable in 2008.

In September 2008, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, Minister for Education, announced the introduction of AHEGS for all higher education graduates in Australian universities. Universities across Australia are now at various stages in the process of implementing Graduation Statements.