On 23 February 2024, Education Ministers agreed to and released the Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education (the Action Plan).
The Action Plan recognises the unique role that higher education providers can and must play in driving the broader social change needed to address gender-based violence, as well as the distinct responsibilities they hold in relation to creating safe study, work, social and living environments.
The Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education
The Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education is a multi-pronged approach to create higher education communities free from gender-based violence through 7 actions:
- establishing a National Student Ombudsman
- requiring higher education providers to embed a whole‑of‑organisation approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence
- introducing a National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence
- enhancing the oversight and accountability of student accommodation providers
- identifying opportunities to ensure legislation, regulation and policies can prioritise victim-survivor safety
- increasing data transparency and scrutiny
- regularly reviewing of progress against the Action Plan.
A draft of the Action Plan was released for public consultation on 22 November 2023 and closed on 31 January 2024.
National Student Ombudsman
Students are now able to escalate complaints to the National Student Ombudsman about the actions of their higher education provider.
The National Student Ombudsman is a new statutory function of the Commonwealth Ombudsman and provide an effective, trauma-informed complaints mechanism for higher education students to use when they are not satisfied by their higher education provider’s response.
The National Student Ombudsman is independent, impartial, and has powers to investigate student complaints and resolve disputes with higher education providers.
National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence
The Australian Government will introduce a National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (National Code).
The National Code will fill identified gaps in the currently regulatory architecture for student and staff safety by establishing best practice standards that all providers must meet in preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
The National Code will apply to higher education providers registered by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.
It will include standards related to the prevention of and response to gender-based violence across a provider’s community, including staff and students.
Standalone student accommodation providers will also be required to comply with the National Code in the future and the Australian Government is exploring options for a new regulatory framework for these providers.
The Department of Education is continuing to consult on the development of the National Code.
Education Minister Jason Clare has tabled a document in Parliament with more information about the National Code.