From policy gaps to regulatory governance: Australia’s national code on gender-based violence in comparative perspective

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive issue in higher education globally, with significant evidence of institutional failure to respond adequately to student disclosures. In Australia, the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (the National Code) marks a shift toward a legally binding and enforceable regulatory framework. This article conducts a comparative policy analysis of the Australian National Code alongside regulatory models in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, examining how each of these jurisdictions has attempted to address the institutional dimensions of GBV in higher education. Drawing on regulatory governance theory and legal pluralism, the analysis assesses how GBV interventions operate not only as legal instruments but also as tools of normative change within higher education systems. The article argues that while Australia’s National Code introduces a promising model for systemic accountability, its long-term success depends on investment in initiatives that address the structural drivers of gender-based violence across the broader Australian community.