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Domain: Policy design

Type: Applied research & policy design

Year: 2024

Research Team: Francesca Harrison, Dr Rachel Bertram & Jo Tilly

We’re Sorry For Your Loss: A Human Centred Approach to Loss and Bereavement Special Consideration in Higher Education Institutions

Project Overview
This project explored how universities can better support students navigating loss and bereavement, focusing on the end-to-end experience of applying for special consideration at UTS. It aimed to identify practical, systemic improvements that recognise the emotional complexity of loss and bereavement, while ensuring academic processes are fair, supportive, and accessible.

Approach
The research combined policy review, sector benchmarking, and primary data collection across the UTS student and staff community. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature, institutional analysis, and lived experience insights, the project examined how special consideration is currently delivered—and where it can do better.

Key Insights
Students facing bereavement often encounter fragmented processes, limited guidance, and inconsistent support. The project identified four core principles for improvement:

• Trauma-informed design
• Stronger, more accessible support during the application process
• Inclusion of diverse student experiences
• Greater coordination across university systems and services

Impact
The findings informed a set of experience-based recommendations to guide the development of a more human-centred, coherent framework for holistically managing bereavement-related support. By strengthening institutional responses, the university can improve both student wellbeing and academic outcomes during one of life’s most difficult transitions.