Procedure overview
1 Purpose
This procedure establishes how the University will plan, respond and manage Student Critical Incidents in a timely and effective manner.
2 Scope
This procedure applies to all Critical Incidents involving an individual Student or a group of Students where the incident:
- occurs at any University campus or University-managed accommodation;
- occurs during an approved University-related activity, either onshore or offshore;
- involves an International Student regardless of whether at the time of the incident, the International Student is engaged in an approved or non-approved University related activity, on or off campus; or
- involves a situation that, without warning, disrupts the welfare arrangements of an International Student who is under the age of 18.
In the case of incidents that involve Sexual Misconduct, the Student Discrimination, Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Response Procedure will apply.
3 Procedure Overview
A Student Critical Incident means a traumatic event or the threat of such (within or outside Australia), which causes extreme stress, fear or injury. Student Critical Incidents may include, but are not limited to:
- missing Students
- violent behaviour, assaults, bomb scares
- death, serious accidents and injury
- explosions or fire or any threat of these
- kidnapping or hostage situation
- natural disasters
- Student arrests
- attempted suicide or self-harm, or imminent risk of suicide or self-harm
- drug, alcohol or psychoactive substance overdose
- other serious events including those that may involve police, emergency services and/or hospitalisation.
This Procedure does not apply to non-Critical Incidents which may include, but are not limited to, reports of harassment, accidents where Students are unharmed, theft or loss of property or Student immigration issues.
This Procedure aligns with the:
- Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021: Standard 2.3 Wellbeing and Safety
4 Procedures
Awareness of a Student Critical Incident may be triggered at any time via an alarm, a conversation, email, phone call, report or other action. The nature of the incident, including the severity and consequences of the incident, will determine the appropriate response required.
Protection of health and safety and prevention of further injury or illness is the critical priority, and incidents should be contained and managed locally where possible to minimise harm.
Student Critical Incidents are managed via a 3-step process.
4.1 Activation and assessment
Critical Incidents involving Students that occur on a University campus or University-managed accommodation are reported to UniSQ Security on +61 7 4631 2222 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for a first response. Witnesses to life threating emergencies should contact Emergency Services 000 in the first instance, followed by UniSQ Security. UniSQ Security will be responsible for working with emergency services which includes escalating and informing relevant teams or staff members, and relevant international, Commonwealth and State government authorities and agencies.
In the case of Critical Incidents that have caused significant injury or harm, or involve imminent risk to the individual or others, UniSQ Security will immediately notify the appropriate emergency services.
Following notification of emergency services, where applicable, and in all cases of Critical Incidents involving Students on campus, UniSQ Security will notify the Provost and the Incident Controller of the University's Crisis Management Team that a Student Critical Incident has occurred. The Provost will inform the Vice-Chancellor and the Associate Provost. In the event that the Associate Provost is unavailable, the Provost will nominate an appropriate Employee to take on the responsibilities of the Associate Provost, as set out in this Procedure, for as long as required.
Critical Incidents involving Students on approved University travel (including overseas mobility and study programs) that do not occur on a University campus or University-managed accommodation, including outside Australia, will result in the activation of the University's Crisis Management Framework in order to ensure the welfare of the Student.
4.2 Manage response
In consultation with the Incident Controller, the Associate Provost will assess each Student Critical Incident and determine if it can be managed locally by the Student Wellbeing team or if it needs to be escalated to the Crisis Management Team.
The Associate Provost, in consultation with the Director (Support for Learning), will notify the relevant Head of School/College and, where applicable, UniSQ International to coordinate immediate information and support, and create a response plan for each incident, and will keep the Provost and Vice-Chancellor informed.
Factors for consideration include:
- prioritising Student welfare and safety
- the nature, location and scale of the incident
- cultural and language factors
- any relevant Commonwealth or state legislation and obligations
- advice from police or other emergency services
- the needs of those affected.
Response plans may include:
- actions to protect health and safety
- provision of personal and academic support services
- referral to external providers of 24/7 specialist counselling and wellbeing support
- engagement with the relevant Third Party Provider if the incident involves a student studying through a Third Party Arrangement
- contact with the Student's next of kin, family or emergency contact as appropriate, based on the Student's situation and wishes
- coordination of communication with appropriate University Members throughout the response process.
All records relating to Student Critical Incidents will be stored in accordance with the Records Information Management Policy and Procedure, including documentation detailing actions taken and outcomes. Records of Student Critical Incidents involving an International Student, and any remedial action taken, must be retained for at least two years after the International Student ceases to be a Student.
The University will not disclose information to the police or other external agencies without the consent of the Student, except where required by law or where there is a significant risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of University Members.
4.3 Close and review
Following closure of the Critical Incident, the University will perform a review as part of identifying potential improvements, gaps in processes and further training opportunities. Where the Crisis Management Team has been established, this review will be performed by the Crisis Management Team. Where a Critical Incident has occurred that did not require the establishment of the Crisis Management Team, the Associate Provost, the Director (Support for Learning), or appropriate delegate, will perform a review.
Where deemed appropriate by the Provost, the review may be conducted by a neutral third party. A summary of the debrief findings will be added to the annual report to Council.
Any critical incident which constitutes a material breach of safety that impacts Students must be reported to the Provost who will notify the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.
5 References
Nil.
6 Schedules
This procedure must be read in conjunction with its subordinate schedules as provided in the table below.
7 Procedure Information
| Accountable Officer | Provost |
| Responsible Officer | Associate Provost |
| Policy Type | University Procedure |
| Policy Suite | |
| Subordinate Schedules | |
| Approved Date | 15/10/2024 |
| Effective Date | 15/10/2024 |
| Review Date | 2/9/2029 |
| Relevant Legislation | Disaster Management Act 2003 (Qld) Education and Care Services National Law (Qld) Act 2011 Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 Environmental Protection Act 1994 Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 |
| Policy Exceptions | |
| Related Policies | Enterprise Risk Management Policy ICT Information Management and Security Policy Prevention of Discrimination, Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy |
| Related Procedures | Business Continuity and Crisis Management Procedure Enterprise Risk Management Procedure Incident and Hazard Reporting and Investigation Procedure Student Discrimination, Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Response Procedure Student General Misconduct Procedure |
| Related forms, publications and websites | Business Continuity and Crisis and Emergency Management International Overseas study programs Risk Management and Critical Incident Plan (under revision) |
| Definitions | Terms defined in the Definitions Dictionary |
| Academic Misconduct encompasses all behaviours, including doing as well as attempting to do, any of the acts, omissions or activities that constitute Academic Misconduct: involving the misrepresentation of academic achievement; or undermining the core values (honesty, trust, fairness and respect) of Academic Integrity; or breaching Academic Integrity; whether intentional or unintenti...moreAcademic Misconduct encompasses all behaviours, including doing as well as attempting to do, any of the acts, omissions or activities that constitute Academic Misconduct: involving the misrepresentation of academic achievement; or undermining the core values (honesty, trust, fairness and respect) of Academic Integrity; or breaching Academic Integrity; whether intentional or unintentional. Academic Misconduct includes, but is not limited to the following: Plagiarism and Self-plagiarism; using (including for Assessment or review) the work prepared by another person or software, including generative artificial intelligence, as their own without appropriate attribution; Collusion, such as any unauthorised collaboration in preparation or presentation of work, including knowingly allowing personal work to be copied by others; all forms of Cheating in examinations and other Assessment tasks; Contract Cheating; Promoting ways to breach Academic Integrity or using University resources to support others in breaching Academic Integrity; offering or accepting bribes (money or other favours), e.g. for Admission or for Marks/Grades; and fabrication or falsification of information or Student identity (TEQSA Guidance Note: Academic Integrity, Version 1.2, 28 March 2019). A Critical Incident is a traumatic event, or the threat of such (within or outside Australia), which causes extreme stress, fear or injury and includes missing Students, severe verbal or psychological aggression, death or serious injury or any threat of these, and natural disaster....moreA Critical Incident is a traumatic event, or the threat of such (within or outside Australia), which causes extreme stress, fear or injury and includes missing Students, severe verbal or psychological aggression, death or serious injury or any threat of these, and natural disaster. A Student who is an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident or the holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa....moreA Student who is an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident or the holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa. A Student who is not an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident or the holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa....moreA Student who is not an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident or the holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa. A person who is enrolled in a UniSQ Upskill Course or who is admitted to an Award Program or Non-Award Program offered by the University and is: currently enrolled in one or more Courses or study units; or not currently enrolled but is on an approved Leave of Absence or whose admission has not been cancelled....moreA person who is enrolled in a UniSQ Upskill Course or who is admitted to an Award Program or Non-Award Program offered by the University and is: currently enrolled in one or more Courses or study units; or not currently enrolled but is on an approved Leave of Absence or whose admission has not been cancelled. An arrangement made by the University with another party (in Australia or overseas) to deliver some or all of a higher education program that leads to the Award of an Australian regulated higher education qualification....moreAn arrangement made by the University with another party (in Australia or overseas) to deliver some or all of a higher education program that leads to the Award of an Australian regulated higher education qualification. A party with which the University has a Third Party Arrangement for the purposes of delivering some or all of a higher education program that leads to the award of an Australian regulated higher education qualification....moreA party with which the University has a Third Party Arrangement for the purposes of delivering some or all of a higher education program that leads to the award of an Australian regulated higher education qualification. The term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland....moreThe term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland. Persons who include: Employees of the University whose conditions of employment are covered by the UniSQ Enterprise Agreement whether full time or fractional, continuing, fixed-term or casual, including senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University; members of the University Council and University Committees; visiti...morePersons who include: Employees of the University whose conditions of employment are covered by the UniSQ Enterprise Agreement whether full time or fractional, continuing, fixed-term or casual, including senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University; members of the University Council and University Committees; visiting, honorary and adjunct appointees; volunteers who contribute to University activities or who act on behalf of the University; and individuals who are granted access to University facilities or who are engaged in providing services to the University, such as contractors or consultants, where applicable. | |
| Definitions that relate to this procedure only | |
| Keywords | |
| Record No | 24/207PL |