Creating Safer, More Respectful Campus Communities: RMIT University’s Prevention and Education Approach

How can universities create environments where every student feels safe, respected and supported?

RMIT University is taking a comprehensive approach to preventing bullying, discrimination and gender-based violence through a range of interconnected initiatives focused on education, leadership development, support services and community engagement. Grounded in national recommendations and frameworks addressing student safety and gender-based violence, RMIT’s work aims to build a campus culture where respect, inclusion and accountability are embedded into everyday student experiences.

One example is RMIT’s gender-based violence prevention training delivered to student leaders attending UniSport Nationals. Developed through a co-design process involving RMIT Active staff, team managers and student leaders, the training focused on topics such as respectful relationships, everyday sexism, positive team culture, active bystander behaviours and responding safely to incidents during travel and social activities. The program sought to create safer sporting environments while building leadership capability across student clubs and representative sport programs.

Beyond sport, RMIT delivers mandatory Sex and Consent online learning modules for commencing students. These evidence-based modules cover consent, coercion, bystander action, safer socialising and pathways to support, helping students understand their rights and responsibilities while reducing vulnerability to harassment and sexual harm.

RMIT has also partnered with organisations including Our Watch, UniLodge and other Victorian universities to deliver specialised training for residential student leaders. These programs address the unique risks that can arise in accommodation settings, equipping student leaders with the skills to respond to disclosures, intervene safely and foster respectful community cultures.

Supporting these preventative initiatives is RMIT’s Safer Community service, which provides confidential advice, reporting pathways and specialist support for students and staff experiencing bullying, harassment, discrimination, violence or other concerning behaviours. The service plays a critical role in ensuring members of the university community can access support and navigate appropriate next steps when needed.

Underlying this work is RMIT’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Framework, which promotes an “inclusive by design” approach to university life. Through education, support services, mentoring, community partnerships and co-designed initiatives, the framework aims to strengthen belonging, reduce exclusion and create conditions where all students can participate safely and confidently.

Why it matters

RMIT University’s approach demonstrates that creating healthier campuses requires more than responding to incidents when they occur. By combining prevention, education, leadership development and support services, the university is fostering a culture of respect, inclusion and shared responsibility. For institutions seeking to strengthen student wellbeing and safety outcomes, RMIT provides a practical example of how whole-of-university approaches can contribute to safer, healthier and more connected campus communities.