• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Definitions
• Section 5 - Policy Statement
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Section 7 - Supporting Documents and Information

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Policy provides the overall settings and framework at Victoria University to support students to succeed in their studies in accordance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth) and the Higher Education Provider Amendment (Support for Students Policy) Guidelines 2023, and related regulatory requirements. 

Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(2) HESF: Standard 1.3 Orientation and Progression (specifically 1.3.2, 1.3.4 and 1.3.6); 2.2 Diversity and Equity (specifically 2.2.1, 2.2.2); 2.3 Wellbeing and Safety (specifically 2.3.1-5); 3.3 Learning Resources and Educational Support (specifically 3.3.4).

(3) Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015: Standard 1 (specifically 1.3(b) and 1.7); Standard 5 (specifically 5.1 and 5.2(b)).

(4) Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, ESOS Standards: Standard 1 & Standard 6.

Section 3 - Scope

(5) This Policy applies to all academic and non-academic support services provided to students (including Higher Degree by Research candidates) in award and non-award courses at Victoria University. 

Section 4 - Definitions

(6) Nil.

Section 5 - Policy Statement

(7) The Victoria University Strategic Plan 2022 - 2028: Start Well Finish Brilliantly describes VU as ‘the university of inclusion, opportunity and success – enriching both lives and careers’.

(8) VU is committed to:

1. Being fair, equitable and sensitive to the diverse needs of all its students in all its policies and practices;
2. Fairness and parity in the provision of University services and programs to students;
3. Promotion of a learning environment which is socially inclusive, values diversity and allows students to realise their full potential;
4. Provision of flexible, high-quality support services and resources, including advice on accessing social supports where indicated;
5. Implementing early intervention strategies for students identified as being potentially at risk academically or in other ways, based on accurate data analytics, staff and/or student feedback;
6. Provision of supports for students who enter the academic progress process, with an expectation that the progress process will enable them to resume normal academic progression as a result;
7. Provision of appropriate, accurate, timely and useful information to students and prospective students regarding student support and how to access support across a range of platforms, including in the VU Collaborate Learning Management System. 

(9) All students are expected to be fully committed to their own learning including taking responsibility for monitoring their own progress and use feedback from academic and professional staff to improve learning, including feedback about accessing available support services provided by the University, and in the community. 

(10) The provision of support services is guided by specific university policies and strategies for the provision of support designed to enhance the success and wellbeing of all students, for designated categories of students at different stages in their learning, and students reporting non-academic issues that are impacting on the successful completion of their course.

(11) Support services are:

1. Informed by comprehensive data collection, predictive analytics, evidence-based practice, stakeholder consultation and subject matter expertise from internal and external experts;
2. Proactively communicated to students at all stages in the student lifecycle including admission, enrolment, pre-Census, at all stages of academic progression, in addition to being permanently accessible through the University’s webpages; 
3. Connected to community and publicly available services;
4. Regularly monitored and reviewed for continuous improvement;
5. Reported on through the University governance bodies. 

(12) The following policies, procedures, frameworks and channels form part of this policy and provide detail to give practical effect to the policy principles:   

Section 6 - Procedures

(13) Nil. 

Section 7 - Supporting Documents and Information

(14) As above.

(15) Higher Education Provider Amendment (Support for Students Policy) Guidelines 2023