Higher Education
How we help universities and residential colleges meet the National Code
From 1 January 2026, universities and their residential colleges are required to meet the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. The Code sets enforceable standards for prevention, response, governance, training, and accountability, including specific requirements for student accommodation.
Intersection works with universities and residential colleges to translate the Code into practical systems that operate effectively in academic and residential environments.
Intersection brings deep expertise in cultural risk, organisational culture, and institutional accountability. The team has led and authored major cultural health checks and reviews across a wide range of organisations and industries, with particular depth in complex, decentralised environments.
Intersection is a specialist organisation with expertise in the prevention of and response to gender-based violence for the purposes of the National Code. Under Standard 3, providers are required to develop prevention education and disclosure response training through collaboration with, or approved by, experts in the prevention of gender-based violence and specialist organisations (Standards 3.3 and 3.8). We meet that requirement. Our team includes former senior executives of the Australian Human Rights Commission who held leadership roles on the national reform work that shaped the current regulatory framework.
This includes leading Change the Course, the national review into sexual assault and sexual harassment that reshaped expectations for prevention, response, and governance. Intersection has also worked with two Group of Eight universities, as well as a range of tertiary institutions and colleges, delivering comprehensive cultural reviews across university wide and residential settings.
This body of work has examined leadership, power, behaviour, and systems of accountability, and translated findings into practical, evidence- based reforms across governance, policy, training, reporting, and culture.
Code readiness and implementation
We support institutions to understand how the Code applies in their specific context, including where accommodation is owned, operated, affiliated, or managed through third parties.
Our work includes:
gap assessments against the Code standards
prioritised and easy-to-action implementation plans
advice on roles, responsibilities, and governance structures
support aligning residential college practices with university wide frameworks
capability building to embed a trauma-informed, person-centred response
Prevention and response systems
We design and strengthen prevention and response frameworks that are fit for purpose in student and residential life settings.
This includes:
development or uplift of prevention and response plans
policies and procedures that are trauma informed, person-centred and accessible
clear disclosure and reporting pathways
risk assessment and safety planning protocols
escalation and decision-making frameworks for complex matters
Our focus is on systems that function consistently, not just in policy documents.
Training and capability building
We design and deliver training aligned to Code requirements and tailored to different roles within universities and colleges. Our training is developed in accordance with the Code's requirements for collaboration with specialist organisations and persons with expertise in responding to gender-based violence (Standard 3).
Our higher education training program includes three in-person workshops, each delivered at your campus with a recommended group size of up to 20 participants. Content can be tailored to your institution's policies, referral pathways and reporting processes.
Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education
3 hours, in-person
For leaders, managers and student-facing staff. Covers the drivers of gender-based violence, the seven Code standards, positive duty obligations, and practical prevention frameworks. Participants leave with a GBV Prevention Planning Checklist aligned to the Code.
Receiving and Responding to Disclosures in Higher Education
3 hours, in-person
For people leaders, student services, residential advisors and HR professionals. Builds practical skills to respond to disclosures in a person-centred, trauma-informed way. Participants leave with a disclosure response prompt card and a guide to triaging disclosures and formal reports.
Conducting Trauma-Informed Workplace Investigations in Higher Education
4 hours, in-person
For workplace investigators, HR and employee relations professionals. Covers the neurobiology of trauma, its impact on memory and recall, and practical investigation interview skills using the P.E.A.C.E framework. Participants receive Intersection's Trauma-Informed Workplace Investigation Guide and a practical guide to triaging matters.
Residential colleges and affiliated providers
We work with universities and residential colleges to strengthen arrangements required under the Code where accommodation is affiliated rather than directly controlled.
This includes:
reviewing and supporting legally binding agreements
clarifying expectations for prevention, response, and information sharing
aligning college level practices with university oversight and reporting
supporting colleges to meet Code requirements without undermining community life
Governance, reporting, and assurance
We support institutions to strengthen oversight and accountability in line with Code expectations.
This includes:
governance and reporting frameworks
data collection and review processes
internal assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms
preparation for regulatory scrutiny
Cultural and safety diagnostics
Where institutions want an independent view of how prevention and response systems are experienced in practice, we conduct cultural and safety diagnostics across universities and residential colleges.
This work provides:
evidence informed insights into risk and protective factors
student and staff perspectives captured safely and confidentially
clear, prioritised recommendations for action
Our approach
We work with universities and residential colleges on issues where legal compliance, student safety, and institutional culture intersect.
Our approach is:
evidence based
trauma informed
independent
focused on implementation, not just advice
We support institutions to meet regulatory expectations while strengthening trust, clarity, and safety for students and staff.