1.1. The objective of this policy is to facilitate the protection of the health and safety of all people who attend a University of Melbourne location, by requiring all such persons to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  

2.1. This Policy applies to Workers, Students, Visitors and Tenants who are On Campus and to University staff and students who attend third party or public settings to undertake University activities.

2.2. Where University staff and students attend off-campus settings or settings operated by third parties to undertake University activities, staff and students will be required to comply with University requirements as well as any relevant Direction or other requirements in effect in that third-party setting. 

3.1. This policy is made under the University of Melbourne Act 2009 (Vic) and supports compliance with the:

(a) Directions of the Chief Health Officer of Victoria, made under s200(a)(d) of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic); and

(b) Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

4.1. Where the Chief Health Officer issues a Direction that a Worker, Student or Visitor is required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to perform their work, studies or other duties (as the case may be), then that Worker, Student or Visitor must be vaccinated in accordance with that Direction in order to perform such work, studies or other duties unless a Direction Exemption applies. 

4.2. From 5 November 2021, it will be a requirement of attending On Campus that a Worker, Student or Visitor must be Fully Vaccinated against COVID-19 unless that person has been granted a University Exemption. 

4.3. To the extent that a Direction requires a Worker, Student or Visitor to be vaccinated prior to the 5 November 2021, the Worker, Student or Visitor must comply with the Direction.

4.4. The University recommends that vaccination be undertaken on the advice of an accredited health practitioner (including health practitioners at any authorized COVID-19 vaccination centre).

4.5. For University sanctioned off-campus activities that involve members of the public (for example research field-work involving volunteers), staff and students who facilitate these activities must consider Covid-safe measures including vaccination as part of the risk assessment for that activity.

5.1. All Workers, Students or Visitors who are required to be vaccinated (whether pursuant to a Direction or as a requirement of attending On Campus) will be required to provide evidence acceptable to the University of vaccination status. 

5.2. The University will accept for these purposes a copy of the person's:

(a) COVID-19 Digital Certificate

(b) Immunisation History Statement

(c) Digital vaccination certificates delivered by the Services Victoria application

5.3. The University may from time to time determine that other evidence is acceptable.

5.4. For employees and contractors of a Tenant or an employer other than the University of Melbourne, the University may accept a written declaration from the Tenant or other employer confirming that all their employees and contractors who work On Campus will be fully vaccinated in line with this Policy.  

5.5. University Exemptions will be granted in limited circumstances. These include where:

(a) A person has a valid Direction Exemption.

(b) A person has a Medical Exemption.

(c) A person is not eligible to be vaccinated in Victoria at the time they attend On Campus.

(d) A person attends On Campus for the sole purpose of seeking health care from an accredited health care provider.

(e) A person is required to attend On Campus to respond to an emergency;

(f) A person is attending campus for the purposes of engaging in clinical research trials where an Exemption has been granted for the purposes of the trial.

(g) A person is required to perform urgent and essential work On Campus to protect the health and safety or workers or members of the public or to protect assets and infrastructure.

5.6. The University will consider a temporary University Exemption in circumstances where a person is required to be vaccinated pursuant to a Direction and that Direction requires them to be vaccinated by a later date than that specified in this Policy.

5.7. The University has no authority to issue, and will not issue, a University Exemption where an individual is required to be vaccinated pursuant to a Direction. In these circumstances, any exemption will be limited to a Direction Exemption.

5.8. The University will maintain an exemption process for staff and students which will be available for the duration of this Policy. 

5.9. The Worker, Student or Visitor will be required to provide the University with satisfactory evidence in support of any application for a University Exemption.

5.10. In the case of a Medical Exemption the Worker, Student or Visitor needs to provide satisfactory evidence in support of an immunisation exemption. Satisfactory evidence includes an Immunisation History Statement issued by the Australian Immunisation Register that records a valid immunisation medical exemption OR a valid and complete Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) medical exemption form.

5.11. Individuals who cannot provide evidence of vaccination or a valid exemption as required by this Policy cannot attend On Campus.

5.12. Information about vaccination is available from the Victorian Government Coronavirus website. 

5.13. The University respects the privacy of its Workers, Students, Visitors and Tenants and will ensure that vaccination information treated as confidentially as possible and in accordance with relevant laws.

5.14. Vaccination information and proof of vaccination collected by the University will be securely stored.

5.15. The University will limit its use and disclosure of a person's vaccination status to what is reasonably necessary to prevent and manage COVID-19 transmission risks On Campus, and to comply with any Direction which applies to the University. 

5.16. For more information about how we process and protect personal information, please refer to the University’s COVID-19 Vaccination Privacy Notice.

Approved Vaccine means any COVID-19 vaccination that has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) or a comparable overseas regulator as determined by the TGA for use in Australia.

Direction Exemption means an exemption from the requirement to be vaccinated in accordance with a Direction and includes a Medical Exemption. Direction Exemptions are specified by the Victorian Government from time to time and are set out in the relevant public health orders.

Direction means any applicable public health direction issued by the State or Federal Government.

Fully Vaccinated means having obtained the number of doses of an Approved Vaccine as recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). For example, where a two-dose schedule is recommended by the ATAGI, a person will be considered fully vaccinated when they have received both does of the vaccine.

Medical Exemption means an exemption from the requirement to be vaccinated because of a medical contraindication as determined by ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) clinical guidance.

On Campus means any land forming a University campus or otherwise used or occupied by the University for the purposes of undertaking education, research or other University activities. Examples include:

• Parkville campus;
• Dookie campus;
• Creswick campus
• Burnley campus;
• Shepparton campus
• Rural Health and associated accommodation;
• Werribee Vet School and U-Vet;
• Southbank campus;
• Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC);
• University owned and operated student accommodation.

On Campus does not include premises outside Australia.

Partial Vaccination means having obtained one dose of an Approved Vaccine.

Student means any enrolled student of the University or any other student who attends On Campus.

Tenant means any person who leases or licenses space On Campus and includes venue operators.

University Exemption means an exemption from the requirement to be vaccinated granted by the University and includes a Medical Exemption.

University means The University of Melbourne.

Visitor means any other person including guests, honoraries, alumni, event attendee, spectators, volunteers and members of the public who attend On Campus.

Worker means all employees (permanent, fixed term or casual), contractors (including labour hire personnel), interns or secondees of the University as well as employees and contractors of Tenants.

Vice-Chancellor

Chief Operating Officer

This Policy is subject to ongoing review and may be amended or withdrawn by the University at its discretion.

This Policy is to be reviewed by 1 February 2022.