Resources

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.

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. 
 

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.

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. 

The Compliance and Enforcement Policy sets out how the Higher Education Gender-based Violence Regulator (GBV Regulator) exercises its powers to ensure higher education providers meet their requirements under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. 

It provides clarity for higher education providers, staff that carry out duties on behalf of their provider, students, and other key stakeholders about the GBV Regulator’s approach to promoting compliance, responding to non-compliance and how enforcement measures will be applied where necessary.

This Regulatory Statement guides the Higher Education Gender-based Violence Regulator (GBV Regulator) in fulfilling its legal obligations by regulating the implementation of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. 

The Statement sets out the GBV Regulator’s regulatory posture, including how its powers and authority will be used to drive systemic and cultural change, minimise harm, and shape the strategic direction of its regulatory efforts across the higher education sector. 

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. 

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.

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.

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. 
 

This Regulatory Guidance has been prepared to help higher education providers understand the 7 standards they are required to meet under the National Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence and provides examples of actions they can take to satisfy these.

It also provides students, staff, gender-based violence advocates and student support service providers with visibility of the expectations under the National Code, so they can see the type of change that may be needed from higher education providers.

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.

Standard 7 identifies requirements for student accommodation providers to drive safety for all students and staff.

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.

This webinar provides an overview of Standard 1 of the National Code, which 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.

This mandatory Endorsement template is for recording the endorsement of the Higher Education Principal Executive Officer and Governing Body. All Providers must submit a completed Endorsement template when they submit their Whole-of-Organisation Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Plan and Outcomes Framework.

This guidance provides information to assist a provider, led by their Higher Education Principal Executive Officer, to develop a Whole of Organisation Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Plan and Outcomes Framework in alignment with the requirements of the National Code.

This table provides a summary of key National Code requirements arranged by key products to be developed or submitted.

This table provides a summary of key National Code requirements arranged by Standard.

This optional plan template supports providers to meet the requirement to develop, implement and publish a Whole-of-Organisation Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Plan and Outcomes Framework.

These optional preparation worksheets can assist providers to document the processes used to meet requirements of the National Code, including actions arising from engagement undertaken, from the review of data and evidence, and considering risk, enablers and barriers specific to the provider context. Identifying priority actions will support the development of a Whole-of-Organisation Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Plan and Outcomes Framework.

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.

The National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence 2025.

Education Ministers have agreed on an Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education.