UTS improving complaint handling

UTS today welcomed the National Student Ombudsman’s report into the use of confidentiality requirements in university complaint handling and has committed to implementing all recommendations. 

UTS agrees with the NSO that confidentiality obligations should be reasonable and proportionate and that complaint policies need to be very clear about why, when and how confidential obligations apply.  

“We welcome the guidance the National Student Ombudsman has provided to universities across Australia on complaint handling. UTS is committed to doing better and has accepted all of the NSO’s recommendations,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Kylie Readman said.

“No one going through a complaint process should ever feel isolated or vulnerable. Our systems and processes in previous years have clearly not been adequate. We want to go beyond just compliance with requirements and the national code.” 

We have stopped using confidentiality requirements and will undertake meaningful consultation with students on this issue.”

UTS has already implemented changes to ensure students clearly know they can share information about their lived experience, obtain support and engage external services. 

UTS established a new Safe and Respectful Communities Team. This team ensures that anyone coming forward with a disclosure of gender-based violence is put at the centre of UTS’s response, offering individualised care and support, explaining all options, advocating on behalf of victim/survivors and championing their needs. 

We have also established the Student Consultation Group, made up of more than 60 students from across our diverse campus community. Participation in the group is remunerated, recognising the value of students’ time, expertise and emotional labour.

Recruited through a broad and inclusive process, group members bring a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives. Their input will shape how UTS approaches prevention, education and response, ensuring that changes are grounded in the realities of student experience.

UTS will update its policies, procedures and staff training to ensure all the NSO’s recommendations are fully implemented.

24 March 2026 update

In response to the NSO’s Walk the Talk report released today, UTS accepts the NSO’s findings that the university had not moved quickly enough to implement the recommendations of the reviews it commissioned in 2023 and 2025.

Professor Readman said,” We’ve now made significant progress. We’ve implemented the majority of those recommendations and have prioritised the remainder to be completed in Q3 2026.

“Having a campus where people feel safe, respected and supported is paramount. It is fundamental to who we are as a university and our values. We are committed to being open and accountable with our community – when we have succeeded and when we have fallen short of expectations.”

UTS has dedicated more than $4 million over 2 years to improve prevention of, and our response to gender-based violence, including more training for staff and students and increasing the number of safety caseworkers to support our staff and students. 

The university has created a Safe and Respectful Communities Team to ensure that those disclosing gender-based violence receive individualised support and their needs are centred in UTS's response.

“Our new UTS Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Action Plan, announced in December 2025, is a great example of UTS’ commitment to taking meaningful action and provides a clear framework for turning commitment into practice. 

UTS encourages students to make complaints about any aspect of the student experience to us or to an external body such as the NSO and are updating our training to reinforce our position that students should feel confident to complain without fear of reprisal. 

Our new UTS Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Action Plan, completed and implemented in December 2025, is an example of UTS’ commitment to taking meaningful and provides a clear framework for turning commitment into practice. 

More information about how we are improving safety and support for students can be found here.