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Text Content

 * About
   * 
   * Why We Exist
   * Our People
   * Our Partners
   * 10 Years of Welcoming
   * Reconciliation
   * Contact Us
 * Initiatives
 * Campaigns + Events
 * Blog
 * Get Involved

 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Instagram
 * Linkedin

© 2019 Welcoming Australia. All rights reserved.



 * About
   * Why We Exist
   * Our People
   * Our Partners
   * 10 Years of Welcoming
   * Reconciliation
   * Contact Us
 * Initiatives
 * Campaigns + Events
 * Blog
 * Get Involved

 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 

DONATE


WELCOMING UNIVERSITIES



OVERVIEW


WELCOMING UNIVERSITIES IS A NETWORK TO INSPIRE AND SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN
UNIVERSITIES TO DEVELOP A CULTURE AND PRACTICE OF WELCOME, INCLUSION AND
BELONGING WITHIN THEIR INSTITUTIONS, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ACROSS THE HIGHER
EDUCATION SECTOR.

Numerous Australian Universities are at the leading edge of research, debate and
thought leadership in areas such as population, migration, social cohesion,
economic participation, diversity, and inclusion.

However, as with any large and complex institution, Universities can lack the
frameworks and resources to apply such knowledge and academic rigour to internal
practice.

Welcoming Universities supports higher education institutions to create a sense
of belonging for all their stakeholders (including staff, students, and
communities of practice).

The initiative builds on the success and learnings of Welcoming Cities and
enables Universities to benchmark their cultural diversity and inclusion
practices across their entire operations. Welcoming Universities will become
providers of choice to both domestic and international students. This model
brings rigour to cultural diversity and inclusion, like existing accreditations
for areas of diversity, such as gender[1].

Many Universities are required, or encouraged, by State Governments[2] to embed
essential cultural diversity and inclusion principles into their core business.
Welcoming Universities will assist in planning, benchmarking, and improving
these principles and practices by developing and implementing the Welcoming
Universities Standard.

[1] Athena Swan Charter
[2] Multicultural NSW and Multicultural Qld Charter 

MEMBERS

CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY



BOND UNIVERSITY



UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG



UTS



UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE



WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY



LA TROBE UNIVERSITY



VICTORIA UNIVERSITY



UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES



CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY



BOND UNIVERSITY



UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG



UTS



UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE



WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY



LA TROBE UNIVERSITY



VICTORIA UNIVERSITY



UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES



CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY



BOND UNIVERSITY



UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG



UTS



JOIN US


MEMBERSHIP OF THE WELCOMING UNIVERSITIES NETWORK IS A MEASURABLE WAY
UNIVERSITIES CAN DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO EMBEDDING AND ADVANCING
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PRACTICES ACROSS THE ENTIRE INSTITUTION AND
CREATE BELONGING FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS (INCLUDING STAFF, STUDENTS, AND
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE).

Membership Overview

For further information, or to join Welcoming Universities, please contact:
Cate Gilpin
Coordinator, Welcoming Universities
cate@welcoming.org.au

UNIVERSITIES STANDARD

Welcoming Universities Standard v1.0

The Welcoming Universities Standard was launched on 1 May at the 2024 Welcoming
Australia Symposium. This document is the culmination of almost two years of
work by the Welcoming Universities team, with extensive support from the
Welcoming Universities Advisory Committee, feedback from the members of the
Welcoming Universities network, and from the higher education and associated
sectors.

The Standard provides a clear framework for universities to benchmark their work
and understand leading practices in welcoming, inclusion, and belonging within
universities.

The Standard has four categories:

 1. Leadership
 2. Social and cultural inclusion
 3. Teaching, learning and research
 4. Places and spaces

Under each category are several criteria, followed by indicators outlining how
these criteria can be met.

As the Australian university sector grapples with a changing higher education
landscape, and the Australian Universities Accord released in early 2024
highlighted the need to put equity at the centre of higher education, the
Welcoming Universities Standard exemplifies an innovative and rigorous way for
universities to embed inclusion across all operations, and move towards a
brighter future in which students and staff from all backgrounds feel welcomed,
included, and as though they belong.

Supporting Australian universities to develop and benchmark leading policy and
practice the Welcoming Universities Standard is a central element of the
Welcoming Universities network. The Standard establishes the framework for
universities to:

 * benchmark their cultural diversity and inclusion policies and practices
   across the organisation;
 * identify where and how further efforts could be directed; and,
 * assess progress over time.

The Standard aims to foster a culture of welcome and belonging in participating
Australian universities that benefits all students, staff, and visitors.

It provides a framework for member institutions to:

 * Improve existing cultural diversity and inclusion initiatives and strengthen
   their impact and relevance for the university community.
 * Recognise the importance of embedding cultural safety and humility within
   university policy and practice.
 * Create mechanisms for benchmarking and assessing impact.
 * Lead research and praxis in the social inclusion space.
 * Enhance the profile of desirable higher education destinations for
   prospective students and sought-after employers for professionals.
 * Foster an enhanced public reputation in the community.
 * Identify opportunities for shared learning and positive connections across
   university divisions.
 * Encourage conversations about how universities can foster and build networks
   to improve inclusion and belonging.


ACCREDITATION

Assessing and planning actions against the Standard puts universities in a solid
position to uphold principles of access and equity and, as a result, strengthen
inclusion for all.

Accreditation through Welcoming Universities has a range of benefits:

 * Increasing the impact of university equity, diversity, and inclusion
   initiatives across the entire institution.
 * Providing a mechanism to plan for improvement and change.
 * A positive and welcoming reputation; and,
 * Opportunities for shared learning

Accreditation is an optional undertaking for members of the Welcoming
Universities network who want to better understand how the university is
fostering a culture of welcome and belonging for the wider university community,
and how this can be expanded.

To ensure the programs and policies demonstrated in the assessment stay current,
accreditation must be renewed every three years.


ASSESSMENT

To cater for the diversity of universities and their communities, The Welcoming
Universities Standard has a range of entry and accreditation levels.

There is no obligation or requirement for universities to progress though the
accreditation levels.


FAQS

IS APPLICATION OF THE STANDARD A REQUIREMENT OF PARTICIPATING IN THE WELCOMING
UNIVERSITIES NETWORK?

No. Standard & Accreditation is a key element of the network; however, any
Australian university can commit to the network without engaging The Standard.

HOW DO I PROVIDE FEEDBACK?

All feedback can be emailed directly to info@welcominguniversities.org.au

WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FEEDBACK?

All feedback that we receive is collated, carefully considered and tracked,
including our application of the feedback and rationale. Much of the feedback we
receive will be incorporated into the final Standard.

HOW DOES MY UNIVERSITY JOIN THE WELCOMING UNIVERSITIES NETWORK?

It is a simple process, a university selects their preferred membership type,
signs a commitment form, and pays the associated fees.

 * Background and Context
 * Objectives
 * Advisory Committee Members

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Background and Context

Belonging asks, ‘Does everyone on campus feel valued, connected and able to be
their authen1c self?’. Belonging is more complex to measure than equity,
inclusion, and diversity, but it is just as important.

As one of the world’s most ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse
na1ons, Australian universities should be leading the way in welcoming and
including students of all backgrounds –established residents, recently arrived
migrants (including international students) or refugees. The message of
‘welcome’ needs to be supported and advanced through evidence, data,
partnership, knowledge sharing, and benchmarking. More than an organisational
value or a glossy campaign, welcoming, inclusion, and belonging should be a
framework for building social and economic participation and success. Many
universities have strong policies around equity, diversity, and inclusion but
still fail to retain students from underrepresented groups because these
students don’t feel they belong.

Many universities are focused on equity, inclusion, and diversity and seek to
foster a sense of belonging, but they don’t know if they are successful. There
needs to be more benchmarking of this work within universities to identify gaps
and advance effectively. 

Our lifestyle, geography, institutional reputation, and quality of teaching have
been an ongoing source of attraction. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia
was the third largest recipient of international tertiary students worldwide 3.
This came to a sudden halt in 2020, leaving the sector reeling, and three and a
half years on, it still needs to adapt to the rapid change. The higher education
sector has seen a return to international student pre-pandemic numbers, and by
2025 international student numbers are predicted to surpass the pre-covid
numbers by more than 180,000 students.

Around the world, more people than at any other 1me in history are being forced
to flee conflict and persecution to find safety and sanctuary. A significant way
for humanitarian migrants to participate, and integrate successfully into
mainstream Australian society, is by participating in the Higher Education
system. Humanitarian migrants face unique challenges and barriers in accessing
Higher Education. They should be recognised in policy and as a unique cohort to
ensure that targeted resources and interventions are provided. It is also
crucial to remember that specific sub-populations of humanitarian migrants may
be more disadvantaged than others due to limited English language proficiency
and pre-arrival educational credentials.

Many Higher Education Institutions in the UK are participating in a network to
inspire and support universities to develop a culture and practice of welcome
within their institutions and in their wider communities. A growing number of
these universities are now recognised as Universities of Sanctuary. This model
and the Australian-based work of Welcoming Cities and Welcoming Clubs provide a
solid foundation for establishing Welcoming Universities.

OBJECTIVES

Objectives 

 * Develop and pilot the Welcoming Universities initiative with a select group
   of Australian Universities
 * Develop, test and socialise the Welcoming Universities Standard
 * Assess the Universities participating in the pilot project against the
   Standard
 * Promote the initiative to other Universities, and grow the network

Each participating University is:

 * involved in the development of the Welcoming Universities Standard and
   associated training, assessment and certification tools
 * formally recognised as a founding partner of the Welcoming Universities
   Standard and initiative
 * assessed, certified, and promoted as one of the first Welcoming Universities
   in Australia and globally.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The Advisory Committee members provide subject matter expertise relevant to the
development of Welcoming Universities, acting as a sounding board to provide
feedback on key components of the initiative.

Thank you to our Advisory Committee members for their commitment and
contribution to advancing the Welcoming Universities initiative:

 * Professor Jim Cavaye, Emeritus Professor, Regional Partnerships, Cradle
   Coast, University of Tasmania. Interim CEO, Burnie Works. 
 * Dr Belle Lim – Executive Director, Future Forte
 * Lisa Bolton – Director, QILT Research and Strategy
 * Associate Professor Sally Baker – Co-Chair Advocacy, Refugee Education
   Special Interest Group (RESIG) and Academic, ANU
 * Anthea Hancocks – Chair, Welcoming Australia. CEO, Scanlon Foundation and
   Scanlon Foundation Research Institute.
 * Dr Mehmet Aslan – UniSA Industry Adjunct
 * Professor Martin Betts – Director, HEDx
 * Dr Sally Lamping – Academic, Curtin University
 * Fatima-Zahra Blila – Diversity Researcher and Consultant


Previous Project (p) Welcoming Australia Symposium 2023


Next Project (n) Welcoming Workplaces

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We live and work on the unceded lands of First Nations. We pay respect to Elders
past and present, and work towards reconciliation with, and self-determination
for, the First Peoples of this country.

Reconciliation

RECENT POSTS

 * Con Pagonis awarded for advancing a welcoming Australia May 29, 2024
 * Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 – Welcoming
   Australia submission April 16, 2024
 * Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 April 9, 2024

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