Student Name Guideline

Document Number	000943

1. Context/Overview

The University of Newcastle has a diverse student population and the students follow a range of cultural naming conventions. These guidelines provide instruction for the data entry and display of names according to naming conventions in Australia and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s standards for machine readable travel documents.

2. Definitions

ISO means the International Organization for Standardization.

preferred name means an anglicised name, abbreviated name or acceptable nickname by which the student wishes to be referred.

primary identifier means the surname/last name/only name/family name, as identified on a passport or birth certificate.

secondary identifier means the first/other/ given name(s), as identified on a passport or birth certificate.

3. Guidelines

3.1 Data entry of student names

3.1.1 The name to be entered in the student enrolment system should be verified against a passport or birth certificate which clearly identifies the primary and secondary identifiers.

3.1.2 Where the name format is ambiguous on a passport, the Machine Readable Zone at the base of the details page should be referenced for primary identifier and secondary identifier(s). These will always follow the ISO standard convention.

3.1.3 Data entry of the student name must follow exactly the proof of identity (i.e. passport or birth certificate). The proof of identity must be verified by a staff member or Justice of the Peace or equivalent.

a) The primary identifier must be entered into the ‘Last Name’ field.

b) The secondary identifier must be entered into the ‘First Name’ field.

c) In circumstances where an applicant has only one name, the name must be entered in the ‘Last Name’ field, with a full stop entered in the ‘First Name’ field. This practise relates only to data entry into the student enrolment system. No full stop will appear on the student’s testamur.

3.1.4 The order of name components is not to be rearranged according to any other naming convention.

3.2 Appearance of student names on documentation

3.2.1 The academic transcript will display only the secondary identifier and primary identifier, in that order. The primary identifier will be capitalised.

3.2.2 The testamur will display only the secondary identifier and primary identifier, in that order. The primary identifier will be capitalised.

3.2.3 Blackboard and class lists will display, in order, the preferred name or secondary identifier and primary identifier.

3.2.4 The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) will display only the secondary identifier and primary identifier, in that order.

3.3 Change of Name

Students can apply for their name to be changed on the student enrolment system for the following reasons:

Marriage
Divorce
Deed Poll
Name change associated with change of gender
Hyphenation
Typographical errors from initial data entry from application
System error.

All change requests must include documentary evidence of proof of identity.

4. Essential Supporting Documents

Appendix A: International Standards for Passport Name formats in the Machine Readable Zones
Rules Governing Graduation - Rule 000593
AHEGS Guideline

Appendix A: International Standards for Passport Name formats in the Machine Readable Zones.

Background:

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), developed standards for Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs), including passports and visas. These MRTD make it easy for automated systems to scan a travel document. Most countries now use biometric passports following these standards. A sample of a standard passport information page is shown below (Figure 1: Sample Passport Information Page).

Figure 1: Sample Passport Information Page (ICAO MRTD Standard Document 9303)

Standards:

ICAO MRTD Standards Doc 9303 Part 1 Vol 1 specifies that names are defined as:

The full name of the holder, as identified by the issuing State or organization. The name shall be divided where possible by the issuing State or organization into two parts, the first representing that portion of the name that the issuing State or organisation defines as the “primary identifier” for the holder (e.g. surname, maiden name plus married name, family name) and the second representing all remaining components (e.g. given names, initials) of the holder’s name, which the issuing State or organization considers as collectively representing a “secondary identifier”. The two parts, i.e. primary and secondary identifiers, once integrated constitute the name of the passport holder.

Where the issuing State or organization determines that the holder’s name cannot be divided into the required two parts, as defined above, the full name of the holder shall be defined as the primary identifier.

It then specifies what will be printed within the Machine readable Zone (MRZ) at the base of the document, and in what order. The MRZ is highlighted in Yellow in Figure 1, and the data format is explained in Figure 2: Construction of the Machine Readable Zone of the Passport Data Page (below).

Figure 2: Construction of the Machine Readable Zone of the Passport Data Page (ICAO MRTD Standard Document 9303)

Application to the University of Newcastle:

This set of international standard allows Staff within the University of Newcastle, and affiliated entities, to know confidently which part of a student’s name is their first and which is their last names.

Last name: The name immediately following the 3 digit country code within the MRZ (position 6 onwards). The last name stops once a << is printed. Last names with a space will use a single arrow (<) to denote a space.

First name: The name immediately following the “Lastname<<” in the MRZ. That is there is a << between the end of the last name and the beginning of the first name.

Middle name: Middle names are separated from the first name by a single <. You may need to confirm with the student if it is a double barrel first name or a middle name, and then enter this into NUSTAR appropriately.

The MRZ does not allow spaces, hyphens, commas or other non standard characters within the line of text. E.g. apostrophes are removed from the MRZ and no space (<) is included, however hyphens are replaced with a <. Due to this the punctuation and format of the name should be transcribed from the name written above the MRZ, with the MRZ only used as a confirmation of first and last name split.

All names within NUSTAR should follow the last name as designated on the passport.

Single names/no given name: If the entire name is designated as the Primary identifier (last name) then this should be replicated within NUSTAR with a full stop as the student’s first name.

Reference:

ICAO 2006, Document 9303: Machine Readable Travel Documents, Secretary General International Civil Aviation Organisation Part 1 Volume 1, accessed 22 February 2011, < http://www2.icao.int/en/MRTD/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=http://www2.icao.int/en/MRTD/Downloads/Doc%209303&FolderCTID=0x0120000764101A62EA554BB5D36C62DB0F9735>