Student mental health across Australian tertiary education has been under sustained pressure since the COVID‑19 pandemic. Within the vocational education and training (VET) sector, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes support highly diverse cohorts who are often at elevated risk of distress due to socio‑economic and structural barriers. This professional paper synthesises current evidence and practitioner insights to propose a pragmatic model that moves ‘beyond the therapy room’. This paper reviews recent national surveys and sector data on distress and non‑completion; outlines enabling frameworks; and presents a co-designed pilot study, the Neurodiversity Initiative, to improve engagement, retention, and workforce readiness among neurodivergent learners in VET. An implementation roadmap and evaluation framework are provided to support scalability across TAFEs of different sizes and contexts. The paper concludes with system‑level recommendations to embed inclusive, sustainable responses that meet the current Registered Training Organisation (RTO) standard guidelines for student wellbeing and improving education and employment outcomes for VET learners. --- More than just counselling: Evolving mental health support in Australian TAFEs: Integrating whole‑of‑institution strategies, peer‑led models, and neurodiversity‑affirming practice by Sakshi Kaushal is licensed under CC BY 4.0
University counselling services frequently struggle with meeting rising demand for services with limited resources. While one-on-one support is essential, group sessions and webinars can only reach students at scheduled times. Podcasts, as on-demand content, offer an accessible, scalable way to address this challenge. Although few university counselling services have explored podcast production, podcasts have surged in popularity due to their accessibility and educational value, especially among 18–34-year-olds—a key university demographic. The Counselling Armchair: Nurturing Well Being and Study podcast was developed at the RMIT University counselling service to enhance capacity to meet student needs. Key steps included upskilling hosts in podcast production (recording, editing, and distribution), creating a podcast design, using data from clients and counsellors to guide episode topics, and promoting episodes through RMIT University's communication channels. Since its launch, the podcast has published 35 episodes with over 4,968 plays. Clinicians refer clients to episodes, and feedback highlights its role in reducing stigma, fostering familiarity with counselling staff, and offering interim support while students await appointments. The project illustrates how low-cost tools and collaborative design can produce meaningful, scalable mental health resources. Future directions include expanding student engagement through targeted promotion and community-building initiatives. This model offers a replicable framework for other institutions seeking to embed wellbeing into everyday university life. Supporting students anywhere, anytime: The development of The Counselling Armchair podcast for on-demand mental health support by Elizabeth Matjacic is licensed under CC BY 4.0
In 2023, a major review of Australian higher education (Australian Universities Accord) advocated sectoral equity and growth, including the expanded participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other underserved students. Central to increasing growth through equity is the secondary school pipeline, given the high proportion of commencing university students who transition directly from secondary schools. Within the school sector, an under-researched area is the practice of streaming, or tracking, whereby senior secondary students are typically divided into either vocational or higher education pathways. There are other more visible forms of streaming such as school type (e.g., public, Catholic, independent) but the division between vocational and higher education pathways is less formal and not captured well in systems data. This paper aims to examine the scale and equity implications of senior secondary streaming across multiple Australian jurisdictions, with particular attention to its relationship to higher education access. Drawing on available school and postsecondary data across multiple states and territories, we find that the practice of streaming is extensive, that groups such as Indigenous students are highly over-represented in vocational streams, and that very few students in vocational streams transition directly to higher education. The findings have implications for higher education but also for the school and vocational sectors and the future of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). --- The hidden barrier: How school streaming shapes university participation in Australia by Andrew Harvey, Lucy Campion, and Rebecca Wren is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Editorial: Belonging Matters: Connection, Inclusion, and the Student Experience by Caroline Rueckert is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Needs-based funding: From principle to practice in student equity by Kylie Austin, Fiona Navin, and Dan McAullay is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Student affairs professionals (SAPs) from marginalized backgrounds hold potential as a key source of support for the growing number of students from equity-deserving groups. In fact, they may attribute their decision to enter the student affairs field to wanting to make a difference. SAPs from marginalized backgrounds have the potential to improve the experiences of a diversifying student body. Accordingly, this study aims to further develop the understanding of how SAPs make sense of their diverse identities (e.g., gender, sexuality, race, ability) and their perceptions of what that could mean to students who have also experienced marginalization. Data from 16 research participants, experienced student affairs professionals currently working in higher education in Ontario, Canada, were collected for this study. Each of the 16 participants interviewed had experienced effects on their identity development related to their marginalized identities or perceptions of their marginality. Four major themes encompass the findings from these qualitative interviews: experiencing identity-based marginalization; using lived experience; impacts of diverse representation; and advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education. --- Modelling inclusion: Student affairs professionals’ roles in creating brave spaces for diverse students by Erin C. Anderson is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Voices from the field: Belonging in practice: Connection, mattering, and student success by Oostergo et al. is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Universities are ideal settings for mental health promotion and prevention initiatives. While university students experience a range of unique stressors, the university environment offers opportunity to implement relevant strategies. The Mental Wellbeing Quiz (the Quiz), an initiative of the Act Belong Commit® campaign, provides interactive feedback to participants around their mental health and wellbeing. This study tested the relevance of the Quiz at a large metropolitan university by conducting a test-retest (n = 29) and focus group discussions (n = 13) with young university students. The “General Wellbeing” section, based on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, produced an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of α = 0.81. ICC for the “Act”, “Belong”, and “Commit” sections were α = 0.63, α = 0.86, and α = 0.72, respectively. Participants felt the Quiz addressed a wide range of wellbeing domains, including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions, and appreciated the connection to community. The Quiz promoted self-reflection on daily life, encouraged reflection and engagement, and was found to be accessible and manageable in length. Recommendations highlighted the need for better promotion of the Quiz, which was considered useful and relevant for domestic and international university students. Embedding the Quiz within student communications and relevant websites would enhance accessibility. --- Title by Authors is licensed under CC BY 4.0
There are nearly 500,000 Māori and Pasifika people living in Australia. Despite this substantial population, university attainment rates for Māori and Pasifika students are approximately one third of those of other Australians. Little is known about the causes of this attainment gap, including specific factors that influence student access, success, and retention for these groups. This study seeks to address this evidence gap by examining the experiences of Māori and Pasifika students at a university in South East Queensland, Australia. Students were asked about the factors that contributed to their success at university, as well as the challenges that confronted them in their studies. Findings identified several cultural, familial, and community strengths that assisted Māori and Pasifika students to succeed, as well as financial, health, and broader challenges that impeded course completion. Based on these findings, we advocate development of specific, culturally responsive strategies to support Māori and Pasifika students at university, which could be developed with students, academics, and community leaders. --- Māori and Pasifika perspectives of Australian higher education by Rebecca Wren, Lucy Campion, Vaoiva Natapu-Ponton, and Andrew Harvey is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Established in 2022, the CARE (Coordination, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation) Service at Monash University delivers person-centred case management to both students and staff navigating complex personal and academic challenges. These include experiences of family violence, sexual harm, mental ill-health, and academic distress. Available to the entire university community, CARE offers tailored support that is independent, confidential, and embedded within broader institutional systems of well-being and risk management. Modelled on successful frameworks in United States higher education, CARE plays a pivotal role in helping individuals manage personal crises and navigate university processes, particularly in cases involving gender-based violence. While traditional institutional responses have primarily focused on supporting complainants, CARE addresses a long-standing gap by offering structured, compassionate support to respondents, ensuring they are treated fairly, without undermining accountability or safety. As Australian universities prepare to adopt the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence, CARE stands as an example of best practice in aligning compliance, procedural fairness, and student well-being. This article examines the CARE model and its capacity to promote academic continuity and behavioural change. Drawing on referral trends and sector insights, it highlights CARE’s emerging influence in shaping institutional policy, enhancing support equity, and reducing systemic risk across the higher education sector. --- Filling the support gap: Respondent-focused case management through the CARE model at Monash University by Jacqueline Huttley is licensed under CC BY 4.0
This analysis examines the challenges and opportunities in supporting female international students facing gendered violence in Australian universities. It highlights barriers such as unfamiliar healthcare and legal systems, lack of access to local health insurance, and cultural differences between collectivistic and individualistic contexts. It explores the importance of cultural humility, self-reflection, and tailored interventions while advocating for intersectional and culturally responsive psychological interventions. Further recommendations include the integration of gendered violence response teams in university counselling services, encouraging mental health clinicians to pursue professional development on legal processes, and more empirical research to address gaps in the literature on gendered violence support for international students. --- Navigating Challenges and Enhancing Support: Addressing Gendered Violence Among Female International Students in Australian Universities by Renée Griffin, Sarah Kroon & Jasmine Yue Yu is licensed under CC BY 4.0
This article outlines UniSport Australia’s experience with representing sport in 43 higher education institutions in Australia. It posits that sport and recreation not only present challenges but also serve as critical opportunities for universities to enact meaningful, campus-wide interventions against gender-based violence (GBV). The article recognises sport and recreation services on campus as both a potential setting for problematic behaviours and a unique platform for driving positive cultural change. It articulates UniSport Australia’s initiatives in driving change around alcohol-fuelled violence and trauma; its commitment to ongoing investment in equity-focused programs, affordable initiatives, and targeted staff training; and its support for research aimed at fostering healthy, inclusive campuses. The article identifies areas where further research could allow higher education institutions to address their obligations to create safer environments for students, staff, and communities. --- Gender-based Violence on Campus: UniSport’s Experience With the Role of Sport in Driving Lasting Change by Martin Doulton, Mark Sinderberry, & Carolyn Swindell is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Gender-based violence (GBV) persists as a pervasive challenge within South African universities, undermining student safety, well-being, and equity. Although the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has established a national policy framework mandating institutional responses to GBV, implementation has been inconsistent and uneven. This paper examines the gap between policy intent and practice through a built environment and user-needs perspective, highlighting how spatial and infrastructural conditions shape the capacity of frontline staff to deliver GBV-related services. The study engaged 60 staff members across nine campuses of a South African university, including security, health, and wellness personnel. Using participatory methods such as walking interviews and campus mapping, systemic spatial and infrastructural barriers that hinder the effective implementation of GBV policy mandates were identified. A policy-based interview checklist revealed discrepancies between policy requirements and the environmental conditions necessary for service delivery, pointing to the need to develop implementation standards. The findings highlight how spatial features, such as inadequate lighting, proximity to taverns, and insufficient surveillance, can increase vulnerability to GBV. The results indicate a need to develop targeted interventions, including GBV-focused safety audits and purpose-designed prevention and response infrastructure. The study demonstrates how policy-derived spatial enquiry tools can elucidate environmental factors impacting service delivery outcomes versus expectations. It further advocates the development of policy implementation and monitoring standards to promote consistency in policy adoption. The paper contributes to identifying built environment features associated with GBV within university campus settings and the necessary infrastructure needed to address it. --- From policy to practice: Frontline staff insights on gender-based violence and the built environment at a South African university by Inge Newport is licensed under CC BY 4.0
The introduction of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (the Code) marks a landmark regulatory shift for Australia’s higher education sector. For the first time, institutions are mandated to develop outcome frameworks to evaluate and evidence their prevention, support, and response efforts through whole-of-institution mechanisms. While the Code presents a powerful opportunity to strengthen institutional responses to gender-based violence (GBV), its effectiveness depends on universities building the evaluative capability to move beyond compliance towards victim-survivor-centred change. This paper critically examines how the Code positions evaluation. Although research exists on GBV in higher education and on effective evaluative practice, consideration of how evaluation practice can inform the Code’s operationalisation is under-examined. Through qualitative document analysis and practitioner reflection, we identify five systemic challenges: evaluation as a governance function, fragmented data systems, under-specified outcome measures, risks of compliance drift through narrow outcome metrics, and dispersed evaluation requirements without a unifying framework. Our findings highlight that evaluation must function not only as a tool of regulatory accountability but also as a mechanism for enduring, victim-survivor-centred change. Effective implementation requires universities to move beyond compliance-driven reporting and embed evaluation as a learning-centred, justice-oriented practice. We outline policy implications and strategic recommendations to support policymakers, institutional leaders, and practitioners in translating the Code’s ambition into practice. --- From compliance to accountability: Strengthening gender-based violence evaluation under the National Higher Education Code by Rachel Bertram & Catharine Pruscino is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive issue in higher education globally, with significant evidence of institutional failure to respond adequately to student disclosures. In Australia, the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (the National Code) marks a shift toward a legally binding and enforceable regulatory framework. This article conducts a comparative policy analysis of the Australian National Code alongside regulatory models in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, examining how each of these jurisdictions has attempted to address the institutional dimensions of GBV in higher education. Drawing on regulatory governance theory and legal pluralism, the analysis assesses how GBV interventions operate not only as legal instruments but also as tools of normative change within higher education systems. The article argues that while Australia’s National Code introduces a promising model for systemic accountability, its long-term success depends on investment in initiatives that address the structural drivers of gender-based violence across the broader Australian community. --- From policy gaps to regulatory governance: Australia’s national code on gender-based violence in comparative perspective by Natalia Antolak-Saper is licensed under CC BY 4.0
There is growing interest across the higher education sector in drawing on the expertise of those with lived experience to inform institutional strategies addressing gender-based violence (GBV). This interest has been driven in part by Change the Course: National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian Universities (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2017) and the Australian Government’s Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education (Department of Education, 2024). These sector-specific documents highlight the importance of embedding lived experience voices in university prevention efforts. However, despite this growing recognition, there is a lack of formal frameworks or guidelines for engaging with those with lived experience within the higher education sector. The Family Violence Experts by Experience Framework (Lamb et al., 2020) and Building a Trauma-Informed World (Blue Knot Foundation, n.d.) provide evidence-based approaches which may be adapted to inform this engagement. This paper outlines these frameworks and discusses how the University of Newcastle has drawn on them, and other existing literature, to create its Lived Experience Student Consultants program. --- Towards a practice framework for engaging lived experience student experts in university gender-based violence prevention: A literature-informed approach by Jayne McCartney, Jennifer O’Connor, and Jessica Wilcox is licensed under CC BY 4.0
