Strategic and Governance Services

When creating a new placement or Work Integrated Learning (WIL) relationship or activity, staff should download a copy of the WIL Handbook and WIL Essential Steps for Staff available here. Staff are required to follow ECU’s Work Integrated Learning Policy and Work Integrated Learning Risk Management Guidelines.

It is part of our duty of care to provide as far as is reasonably practicable, students with a safe learning environment where both emotional and physical risks have been considered and either eliminated or minimised.

It is not ECU’s responsibility to develop a process on behalf of the placement provider, however it is our responsibility to ensure that as far as reasonably practicable the:

• environments to which we send our students have an effective process for ensuring their health, safety and wellbeing;
• placement provider has appropriate work health and safety management practices in place, including without limitation an induction for students, and is aware of their duty of care to ECU students in providing a safe working environment conductive to student learning;
• placement provider will provide any relevant manual handling training to students which will ensure they are able to carry out all assigned tasks in a safe manner; and
• placement provider has public liability insurance and any other reasonably necessary insurances.

Ongoing communication is required between ECU and the placement provider to ensure that there is a clear understanding between all parties on the following:

• who has management responsibility for the process;
• hazards and risks associated with student placements activities;
• who will take action and be responsible to eliminate or minimise the level of risk;
• how activities may affect the health or safety of others or may support or compromise the risk controls that are put in place;
• what ECU and the placement provider need to do to support the work health and safety measures of others; and
• how best to co-ordinate activities to ensure that we all work together effectively.

The Higher Education Standard Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 (HES Framework) contemplates that each placement is well-conceived and educationally sound.  The placement should be linked to clear learning outcomes. ECU must be satisfied that all proposed placements will provide students with the opportunity to achieve the applicable learning outcomes before proceeding.

The HES Framework also contemplates that placements are subject to an effective quality assurance system. It is therefore imperative that ECU and the placement provider agree on mechanisms to ensure the quality of the student’s experience whilst on placement.  This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring appropriate supervision arrangements are in place, appropriate monitoring by ECU staff of the student’s experience whilst on the placement and seeking feedback from students at the conclusion of the placement.

When creating a new placement or WIL relationship or activity, staff should adhere to ECU’s Work Integrated Learning Policy and Work Integrated Learning Risk Management Guidelines.

Placement Coordinators are expected to liaise with the external placement providers in the first instance when seeking appropriate placement activities for their students. These communications are designed to ensure ECU’s requirements will and objectives will be met, before, proceeding to a formalised arrangement.

Before commencing negotiations with the Placement Provider, please check to see if the Provider please check if there is already an agreement in place between the University and the Provider. If there is an agreement in place with the Placement Provider covering other disciplines, Legal and Integrity can provide advice as to whether that agreement should be varied to extend to other disciplines or whether a separate discipline specific agreement would be appropriate.

Formal Agreement Already In Place

Where a formal agreement has already been established and covers the relevant discipline for the proposed new WIL activity, the Placement Coordinator must check that the provider continues to hold sufficient insurance coverage for the new WIL.

If the proposed new WIL activity has any specific requirements not covered by the existing agreement, please contact Legal & Integrity as required to ascertain whether the existing agreement needs amendment or whether a separate agreement covering the proposed WIL activity would be appropriate.

If proceeding to place students under an existing agreement, the relevant Placement Coordinator is required to record operational details of the new placement and file a copy of these on TRIM under the same Agreement folder's TRIM SUB/.

WIL and External Placement Agreements

Where reasonable and practicable, a written agreement must be established with the host organisation. The agreement should cover:

• The nature and purpose of the placement and of the work to be carried out;
• The conditions impost by the host, such as hours of work and dress requirements;
• If the host is proposing to employ the student, this must be made clear in the agreement;
• If the host is proposing to pay the student a stipend or scholarship, advice must be sought from Legal & Integrity to ensure the agreement is appropriately structured;
• The supervision and assessment responsibilities of host and ECU staff;
• The host and ECU’s obligations regarding work health and safety, induction; and insurance requirements;
• The respective intellectual property rights of the host, ECU and student; and
• The student’s responsibilities during the activity.

ECU’s ‘Placement Agreement Template’ can be used for most placement activities and ECU’s Placement Agreement Template-International can be used for most international placement activities.

For placements that are primarily office based, or lower risk, a template ‘Letter Agreement’ can be used.

For placements operating in a clinical or health setting where students have access to the placement provider’s patients and clients, ECU’s ‘Clinical Placement Agreement Template’ can be used. If placement fees are involved, ECU’s ‘Clinical Placement Agreement Template (fees)’ can be used.

The University acknowledges that there will be instances when the placement provider will wish to use their own agreement. It is recommended such agreements are reviewed by Legal and Integrity before signing. Likewise, if a placement provider requests material amendments to an ECU approved template, please seek advice from Legal & Integrity.

Where it may be considered appropriate for a placement agreement to be signed by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), the External Placement Agreement Template Memorandum can be used. This can also be used as a useful template if briefing a School Executive Dean.

Please direct general enquiries relating to external placement agreements to the following: