As we reach the first anniversary of Flinders’ Support for Students Policy, it is timely to share some of the 2024 university outcomes and achievements from the work implementing the policy. There is also an update on Flinders compliance report submitted to the Department.

For some background, the Higher Education Support Act (HESA) requires universities to have a Support for Students Policy (SFSP) in place since 1 January 2024. This is to ensure that providers have appropriate student supports available, that students are aware of them, and that the supports are fit for purpose in ensuring students are given the best opportunity to succeed in their course of study.

A SFSP Working Group was convened during 2024 to lead the coordination and implementation of a compliant policy at Flinders. This included meeting compliance milestones, leading the review of existing student support frameworks and facilitating conversations around uplift to student and academic support practices. The Working Group also lead the establishment of quality assurance and continuous improvement mechanisms to ensure Flinders could demonstrate the effectiveness of its student support framework by the compliance reporting deadline of 1 March 2025.

2024 Compliance Report

Through the work and preparation by the SFSP Working Group, and in collaboration with student support areas across the University, Flinders was well placed to respond to the 2025 compliance report. It was an interim report, with qualitative responses only. The purpose was to allow the Department to establish a baseline understanding of how providers implement their SFSP.

The interim report focused on information relating to students identified at risk of not completing their studies, seeking information on improvements made during the reporting period, the supports available for students at risk, how Flinders assess if support and communications are meeting the needs of our students, and internal reporting and quality assurance processes.

From 2026, providers will be required to submit annual reports to the Department on or before 1 March, with the reporting format yet to be determined based on the sector findings from the interim report.

2024 SFSP achievements

These are some of the improvements to Flinders underlying policy instruments and frameworks that were shared with the Department in the first report:

• Comprehensive review and update of Flinders Student Progress Policy and Procedures
• Publishing a new Student Progress website to clarify progress interventions and to better communicate university processes and supports available for students at risk.
• Review and improvement of all student support websites accessed via the Student Support and Services Directory
• Developing a Support for Students website, bringing together key information on how Flinders supports student success including communication campaigns, touchpoints, referral processes and support interventions.
• Implementation of a whole-of-university mechanism for quality assurance – the Support for Students Continuous Quality Improvement Framework (CQIF). The Framework consists of 12 standards with a Self-Evaluation and Action Plan template designed to guide service areas in assessing their performance against the standards. The CQIF will be conducted annually, informing continuous improvement and internal and external reporting obligations.
• CANVAS analytics pilot. Using CANVAS analytics to identify non-engaged students (e.g. low activity in topic sites), students were monitored from week 1 to week 5 with academic ‘nudges’ applied via the system to those with low engagement. This was combined with sms communications to inform students of critical deadlines such as census and how to seek support (both academic and non-academic).

 2025 SFSP planning

The Working Group will continue to coordinate the SFSP work in 2025. This will include continuing the CANVAS pilot in collaboration with colleges, monitoring and assessment of the CQIF and outcomes, and exploring student partnership opportunities to further improve awareness of student supports. The Working Group will also coordinate the response to address any compliance gaps as identified by the Department following the submission of Flinders first annual compliance report (if applicable).

For staff interested in being involved in any of these activities, please let the Working Group know by contacting dvcsoperations@flinders.edu.au