Media Coverage

The Australian: Power imbalance rules out student-supervisor relationships

1 Aug 18

Power imbalance rules out student-supervisor relationships

Tim Dodd, The Australian

For the first time Australian universities have adopted a blanket policy saying that sexual and romantic relationships between an academic supervisor and their research student are not appropriate because of the potential for a power imbalance.

Agreed principles on “respectful supervisory relationships” to be released today say that such relationships are a “conflict of interest”.

The principles, which have been agreed with the National Tertiary Education Union, the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, and the Australian Council of Graduate Research, are designed to protect safety and wellbeing of both students and staff, said Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson.

Read more: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/universities-seize-the-safer-campus-challenge/news-story/a76d0a59b3c652c8109b319b323442f8