The Australian Parliament has passed legislation as a key step to establish a mandatory National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence.
National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence
On 25 August 2025 the Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence) Bill 2025 (the Bill) passed Parliament.
The Bill creates a power for the Minister for Education to make a National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (National Code) as a legislative instrument to:
- reduce the incidence of gender-based violence
- proactively strengthen prevention efforts
- improve the response to gender-based violence; and
- hold higher education providers accountable for their performance, including in student accommodation.
Introducing a National Code was one of seven key actions of the Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education.
The proposed National Code requires higher education providers to prioritise safety and proactively address the factors that drive and contribute to gender-based violence in their communities.
Compliance with the proposed National Code is mandatory, and providers may face regulatory action, including financial penalties, for non-compliance.
A new specialist Gender-based Violence (GBV) Reform Branch will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the National Code. The GBV Reform Branch will provide education and regulatory guidance to support higher education providers to understand their obligations under the National Code.
The proposed National Code will commence from 1 January 2026 for Table A providers and Table B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (cth), and 1 January 2027 for other provider registered under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (cth), subject to the passage of legislation.
National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence: Standards
The proposed National Code will establish mandatory requirements for higher education providers across seven key standards:
Standard 1: Accountable leadership and governance
Effective governance and a whole-of-organisation approach prioritises safety and support in the prevention of and response to gender-based violence.
Standard 2: Safe environments and systems
Higher education providers’ environments are safe, and systems continuously improve to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
Standard 3: Knowledge and capability
Higher education providers build knowledge and capability to safely and effectively prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
Standard 4: Safety and support
Responses and support services are safe and person-centred.
Standard 5: Safe processes
All processes are safe and timely.
Standard 6: Data, evidence and impact
Higher education providers use evidence to inform their approach, measure change and contribute to the national evidence-base.
Standard 7: Safe Student Accommodation
Student accommodation is safe for all students and staff.
Resources
View Resources associated with the proposed National Code.
More information on the development of the National Code.