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  1. Digital, Information and Technology Management
Authority Source: Vice-Chancellor
Approval Date: 19/08/2024
Publication Date: 21/08/2024
Review Date: 21/08/2029
Effective Date: 21/08/2024
Custodian: Chief Digital Officer
Contact: UCSurveys@canberra.edu.au
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this policy the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
University Corporate Survey Policy
1. Purpose:
  1. This policy defines the governing entity for all corporate survey activities, the survey reference group, through the attached Terms of Reference, as well as the related Survey Register and Survey Procedures.
  2. The intent of this policy is to provide a coordinated approach to corporate survey management in-line with the survey reference group Terms of Reference through:
    1. ensuring appropriate access and use of survey data and personal Information including:
      • collection;
      • storage;
      • reporting; and,
      • use of results post survey
    2. improving the utilisation of information collected during the survey process;
    3. guaranteeing core University surveys remain a priority and strategically aligned; and
    4. avoiding respondent survey fatigue and improving response rates.
2. Scope:
  1. The scope of this policy includes all corporate surveys conducted by University staff and University business units, and surveys conducted on behalf of the University by external entities that seek data from students (potential, current, or graduated), staff (administrative and academic), employers, or other related entities.
  2. The scope of this policy includes all requests to implement new corporate ad hoc and core surveys, including changes to existing core surveys to be offered to stakeholders of the University including:
    1. Past students, present students and potential students;
    2. past and present staff;
    3. external stakeholders including members of the public, industry and government; and
    4. surveys completed orally or online.
  3. The scope of this policy includes requests to access existing University corporate survey data for the purposes of a research project or corporate program.
  4. The scope of this policy excludes surveys undertaken as part of a project by University students or staff for the purposes of conducting research or completing any course requirements at the University (e.g unit satisfaction surveys).
3. Principles:
  1. Surveys are a critical part of the University’s Quality and Standards Framework to inform the University’s performance improvement work.
  2. New core or non-core surveys as defined in this policy require approval from the survey reference group prior to being administered.
  3. The survey reference group will provide advice regarding access to, and use of, University survey data to undertake research to be externally published or presented. Depending on the nature of the request, requests may be referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise) for consideration.
  4. Approved surveys will be included in the University Survey Register by the Manager of Institutional Research prior to being administered.
  5. The survey owner shall develop a survey procedure and survey collection notice that outlines the process for requesting approval to execute new core or non-core surveys:
    1. a survey procedure providing guidance on the process to request approval to execute a new core or non-core survey, including methodology, sample, stakeholder group and timing of existing approved surveys;
    2. a survey collection notice that may also include other elements as may be deemed required by the Manager of Institutional Research such as risk assessments, risk registers and privacy impact assessments; and,
    3. confirmation of compliance by survey owners with relevant University of Canberra policies and Australian Capital Territory and Commonwealth of Australia legislative instruments that may be in force from time to time.
  6. Individual responses and personal information collected as part of the survey process will be managed in accordance with the Survey Collection Notice, the University’s Privacy Policy, the Information Privacy Act 2014 (Cth), the Territory Privacy Principles, and as relevant the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.
  7. The release of raw data from core university surveys must require approval from the survey reference group and the release of raw data at no times shall compromise the privacy of participants or the integrity of the instrument, breach relevant legislation, codes of practice, or breach relevant terms and conditions of the survey.
  8. Prizes offered as an incentive to respondents must comply with Australian Capital Territory Gambling and Racing Commission requirements, including submission of the relevant permit and fees to the Commission. Detail on the Commission’s requirements can be found in the Supporting Documents section of this Policy.
4. Responsibilities:
  1. The members and responsibilities for the survey reference group are detailed in the Survey Reference Group Terms of Reference
5. Supporting Information:
Documents related to this policy are:
6. Definitions:
Terms Definitions
Core University Surveys Approved core surveys are typically undertaken on a cyclical basis and form part of the University’s Quality and Standards Framework. Core surveys include but are not restricted to Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT), the Voice Staff Survey, and the Interface Student Experience Questionnaire (ISEQ). Refer to the University Survey Register (online) for detail on each of the core surveys.
Corporate Survey A survey conducted by the University of Canberra to gather feedback, insights, and opinions from students, staff, employers, industry stakeholders, or other relevant parties that is either:
(a)     non-academic in nature; or,
(b)    whose dominant purpose for the collection of information is non-academic in nature; and,
(c)     Data is used solely for business decision making
Information For the purposes of this policy, Information is defined as comprising either:
(a)     ‘Personal Information’ in accordance with s8(1) of the Information Privacy Act 2014 (ACT); or,
(b)     ‘Personal Health Information’ of the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 (ACT)
Non-core University Survey Surveys other than those defined as “Core University Surveys”, as outlined above. Non-core surveys are typically ad hoc or one-off in nature.
Potential Student These include individuals who have expressed interest in pursuing studies at the University of Canberra; or, University of Canberra affiliated organisations (eg University of Canberra College or Keypath) but have not yet initiated the formal application process.
Staff All persons referred to in the UC Enterprise Agreement as:
  • Academic Staff: staff employed by the University as either an Education Focused, Education and Research, or Research Focused Employee as set out in clause 46.7, and whose primary duties include conducting and/or managing teaching and/or research.
  • Executive Staff: positions identified as Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Vice Presidents or equivalent positions by the Vice-Chancellor as the Executive of the University.
  • Professional Staff: Employees of the University who are not members of the Academic Staff or Executive Staff
Student A person, including a candidate enrolled into a higher education research program, currently enrolled into a Course or Unit at the University.
Survey Technique for gathering data on attitudes, opinions and satisfaction levels from staff, students and other stakeholders, including online questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews.
Survey Collection Notice An instrument that defines the:
(a) type of information collected for a specified survey;
(b) use of information that relates to the specified survey, including both information presently stored, and collected information;
(c) management of information used in the specified survey; and,
(d) destruction of information following the cessation of the specified survey.

For the purposes of the Survey Collection Notice definition, a specified survey is a survey that has been submitted to the Manager Institutional Research; or, the Survey Reference Group for review and approval.
Survey Data All survey information, both qualitative and quantitative, collected from survey respondents during the course of a completing a University survey.
Survey Owner The individual; or, organisation that is responsible for the design of the survey, alongside the collection, storage, use and disposal of Information. For the purposes of this definition, where the Manager of Institutional Research assists with the survey design, collection, storage, use and disposal of information on behalf of an individual or organization that individual or organisation will be taken to be the Survey Owner for the purposes of this policy.
Survey Reference Group The Survey Reference group consists of the following or their nominees:
  • Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)/ PVC(E) and PVCFS – For surveys that relate to teaching
  • Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) – For surveys that relate to research students
  • Chief People Officer, People and Diversity - For surveys that relate to staff
  • Research Ethics Integrity and eResearch Manager – For advice on human research ethics
  • Manager of Institutional Research