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The Student Complaints and Grievances Policy is essential for Australian educational institutions to ensure fair, transparent, and efficient handling of student concerns and disputes. This document is required to comply with various Australian regulatory requirements, including the Higher Education Standards Framework and the ESOS Act for institutions enrolling international students. The policy outlines comprehensive procedures for handling both informal and formal complaints, appeal processes, and resolution pathways. It is particularly important in the current educational landscape where institutions must demonstrate clear commitment to student rights and procedural fairness. The policy should be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in legislation and best practices in complaint handling.

1. Purpose and Scope: Outlines the objectives of the policy and defines who it applies to, including different student categories (domestic, international, higher education, vocational)

2. Definitions: Clear definitions of key terms including 'complaint', 'grievance', 'appeal', 'academic complaint', 'non-academic complaint', and other relevant terminology

3. Policy Statement: Overview of the institution's commitment to fair complaint handling and key principles guiding the process

4. Types of Complaints: Classification and explanation of different types of complaints (academic, non-academic, administrative, discrimination, etc.)

5. Complaint Handling Principles: Core principles including fairness, transparency, accessibility, responsiveness, and confidentiality

6. Complaints Resolution Process: Step-by-step procedure for handling complaints, from informal resolution to formal complaints

7. Appeals Process: Procedures for appealing decisions, including grounds for appeal and timeframes

8. Rights and Responsibilities: Outline of rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in the complaint process

9. Record Keeping and Confidentiality: Requirements for documentation and maintaining confidentiality of complaint-related information

10. Monitoring and Improvement: Processes for reviewing and improving the complaints handling system