56.— (1) The Authority shall, as soon as practicable after the establishment day, establish and publish, in such form and manner as it thinks appropriate (including on the internet), policies and criteria for access, transfer and progression in relation to learners.

(2) Each relevant provider and linked provider shall, as soon as practicable after policies and criteria are established under subsection (1), in accordance with those policies and criteria, establish procedures for access, transfer and progression in relation to learners to be implemented by the provider concerned.

(3) The procedures referred to in subsection (2) shall include procedures for credit accumulation, credit transfer and identification and formal assessment of the knowledge, skills or competence previously acquired by learners.

(4) Before establishing procedures under subsection (2), each relevant provider, other than a previously established university, and each linked provider, shall submit a draft of the proposed procedures to the Authority for approval, accompanied by such fee (if any) as may be determined by the Authority under section 80.

(5) Upon consideration of the proposed procedures submitted to it under subsection (4), the Authority shall—

(a) approve the proposed procedures, or

(b) refuse to approve the proposed procedures but make such recommendations to the provider as it thinks appropriate.

(6) Where the Authority approves procedures under subsection (5)(a), the provider concerned shall publish those procedures in such form and manner (including on the internet) as the Authority directs and shall furnish a copy of the procedures as published to the Authority, and a linked provider shall also furnish a copy to the relevant designated awarding body.

(7) Where the Authority makes recommendations under subsection (5)(b) the provider concerned shall take account of those recommendations before resubmitting the proposed procedures for approval under subsection (4).

(8) No further fee shall be payable where a provider resubmits proposed procedures in accordance with subsection (7).

(9) A provider shall implement procedures approved by the Authority under subsection (5)(a).

(10) A previously established university shall consult with the Authority before establishing procedures under subsection (2).

(11) A previously established university shall provide a copy of the procedures established by it under subsection (2) to the Authority and shall publish those procedures as soon as practicable thereafter.

(12) The Authority shall facilitate and advise previously established universities in implementing the procedures established under subsection (2).

(13) In this section—

“credit” means an acknowledgement of an enrolled learner’s completion of a programme or part of a programme of education and training to a particular standard;

“credit transfer” means transferring credits awarded for studies undertaken as part of one programme of education and training to another programme.