The National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence sets national standards and requirements for providers to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, including in student accommodation.
These information webinars are designed to support implementation readiness and provide clarity on the National Code’s requirements and standards.
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The National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (National Code) marks a significant step forward in creating safer, more respectful environments for over 1.6 million students and more than 140,000 staff across the higher education sector.
To support implementation, the Higher Education Gender-based Violence Regulator (GBV Regulator) within the Department of Education hosted webinars outlining the National Code's purpose, scope, and requirements. These sessions also explained how the GBV Regulator will oversee compliance and shared next steps for providers to align with the National Code.
Webinar: Introduction to the National Code and higher education provider requirements
Webinar on Standard 1: Accountable leadership and governance
Standard 1 focuses on two foundational concepts: accountable leadership and governance, and a whole-of-organisation approach. This Standard recognises that the cultural change required to address gender-based violence must be led from the top, have strong governance oversight, and require implementation across every level of a higher education institution.
Webinar on Standard 2: Safe Environments and Systems
Standard 2 focuses on building higher education settings where safety from gender-based violence is embedded and where systems are continually improved to protect students and staff. By strengthening institutional responses and fostering environments of trust and accountability gender-based violence can be meaningfully addressed.
Webinar on Standard 3: Knowledge and capability
Standard 3 sets clear requirements for higher education providers to increase knowledge on gender-based violence and build prevention and response capability for staff, students, and leaders.
Standard 3 focuses on building institutional capability through comprehensive trauma-informed education and training for students, staff and leadership, tailored communication initiatives, and ensuring staff responding to disclosures and undertaking risk assessments, investigations and disciplinary procedures have the necessary expertise and experience to fulfil their roles.
Webinar on Standard 4: Safety and Support and Standard 5: Safe Processes
Standard 4 requires providers to deliver safe, trauma informed and person-centred support to students and staff who experience gender-based violence.
Standard 5 requires providers to establish and maintain safe, accessible, and fair processes for handling disclosures, formal reports, investigations, and disciplinary processes related to gender-based violence.
Taken together with the broader National Code, Standards 4 and 5 clearly establish that providers are responsible for delivering support that prioritises the safety and dignity of both staff and students.
Webinar on Standard 6: Data, Evidence and Impact
Standard 6 aims to strengthen data collection systems and expand the evidence on the incidence of gender-based violence within and across higher education providers and ensure that prevention and response efforts are data and evidence informed.
Standard 6 outlines three different types of data which can be collected and reported on under the National Code. The first is process data which relates to the implementation of policies, procedures, plans and related activities. The second is deidentified data on incidents of gender-based violence. And the third is deidentified demographic data of disclosers and respondents including enrolment or employment characteristics.
Webinar on Standard 7: Safe student accommodation
Standard 7 identifies requirements for student accommodation providers to drive safety for all students and staff.