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Updated: 22 March 2020

Note: This announcement is for the students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses at NIT (Both Local and International Students). This notice is currently not applicable to NIT’s ACS Professional Year Program Students. NIT is waiting on advice from ACS in regards to changes in delivery of the Professional Year Program and will act in accordance with the advice received from the ACS and/or the government.

Dear Students

Due to the escalating concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, NIT Australia is taking number of actions to enable its students to effectively engage in learning using NIT’s Learning Management System.

Health and safety of our students and staff as well as effective delivery of training is the key focus for NIT.

Considering the best possible outcomes for our students especially international students, NIT has taken the decisions to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the students in regards to their education; training; and help them stay on track with their studies at NIT.

This will:

  • Minimise the risks to health and wellbeing of the students and staff;
  • Make it possible for students to finish the course in time (possibly with course and visa extensions); and
  • Flexible and cost-effective way to continue their studies in the current circumstances.

NIT has decided that:

  1. NIT will be delivering the training and assessment in the next study period (SP2-2020 – from 6 April 2020 to 28 June 2020) in a flexible/blended mode, mostly using online and virtual classroom based training methods with minimal face-to-face interactions.
  2. NIT has recently upgraded its Learning Management System (LMS) and procured technologies to run online learning and virtual classroom based training for its VET students.All enrolled students at NIT will receive an email 5 days prior to the commencement of the next study period about how to attend and use NIT’s LMS for online learning and virtual classrooms.
  3. NIT campus will remain open to keep assisting its students and clients, unless the government imposes an emergency lockdown.
  4. If and when the government imposes an emergency lockdown, NIT’s Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) will work from home to keep assisting the students on the matters that they can. (The contact details of the CIRT team members will be made available to students only when the lockdown is imposed).
  5. The Easter Break will take place as usual.

This decision may change further in line with government advice.

While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 connected to NIT, the decision to move to online learning where possible is a precautionary measure to limit contact during this phase of the pandemic and minimise the risk of community transmission of the virus.

Frequently asked questions

How will I access and attend training online?

The training will be delivered primarily using following components:

  1. NIT’s Learning Management System – Using LMS you will be able to:
    • access online learning materials (unit/cluster outlines, presentations, documents and links to external resources etc.);
    • access assessments including information on how to complete these assessments; and
    • submit assessment work.
  2. Virtual Classroom – Using virtual classroom, you will be attending scheduled learning sessions with your trainers and tutors. Virtual classroom will allow you to:
    • See; listen to; or speak with your trainer face to face using your computer with a webcam, speakers and microphone capabilities or using your smartphone;
    • ask questions to your trainers; and
    • engage in discussion activities.
  3. Email and phone: You will be able to maintain regular contact with your trainers using chat feature of the virtual classroom and emails for any additional support and information.

How will I complete my practical/skill assessments?

As the delivery of each unit/cluster may vary, some units may cover practical components using virtual simulations or academy materials such as Cisco, others may require students to come on campus, but at a later stage in weeks 10, 11, 12 of the study period; or in the following study period in case of emergency lockdown by the government.

What if I need assistance or support from my trainer?

Your trainers or tutors will be available on-line. You will be able to ask questions/queries to your trainers/tutors via emails. You can also contact the trainers using offline chat feature to get any additional support or information in relation to your studies.

How will my course progress be monitored?

NIT will monitor the course progress of individual students as per the existing Course Progress Policy. Refer to your Course Progress Policy on the student portal or International student handbook on NIT website for further information on NIT’s course progress policy.

How will my attendance be monitored

NIT Australia understands that international students studying in Australia on a student visa are required to attend education and training for 20 hours per week. NIT will monitor the training hours using NIT’s LMS activity logs and virtual classroom logs.

Can I attend virtual classes using my smart phone?

NIT is using Zoom (https://zoom.us/) for conducting virtual classes. If you have a smartphone with android or iOS operating systems, you can install Zoom from Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

What options exist for me if I am facing financial hardship due to COVID-19 situation?

NIT acknowledges that some students may be going through financial hardship due to COVID-19 situation. NIT will be considering fee extensions and/or installment options for such students only on a case by case basis. You can write an email to NIT accounts team on accounts@nitaustralia.edu.au with your request. To approve your fee extensions and/or installment options requests, NIT may ask for evidence of financial hardship due to COVID-19 situation.
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