Governance and Compliance

At the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute, wrongdoing refers to instances when a staff member, an affiliate or a board member may be involved in corrupt conduct, serious maladministration, government information contravention, privacy contravention or serious and substantial waste of public money. 
 
Possible examples of serious wrongdoing include:

• Corrupt conduct: Giving or accepting bribes; fraudulent invoicing; misappropriation of grant funds. 

• Serious maladministration: Systemically failing to comply with recruitment processes when hiring staff; making a decision based on an improper motive.

• Government information contravention: Destroying, concealing or altering records to avoid releasing them under a Government Information Public Access Act application.  

• Privacy contravention: Using research data for marketing purposes; sharing personal information without authority. See the University’s Privacy Policy 2017. 

• Serious and substantial waste of public money: By-passing mandatory market testing or tender requirements when making large contractual expenditures. 

Anyone who suspects wrongdoing has occurred, or may occur, may report it to the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute.

The Institute will take all reasonable steps to protect the reporter's identity, provided this does not hinder any investigation. We do not tolerate detrimental action being threatened or taken against a person involved in a report of wrongdoing. 
 
Some reports will qualify as public interest disclosures. Public interest disclosures are entitled to specific protections under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022.

The Institute's Reporting Wrongdoing Policy provides further information. 

If you witness or become aware of one of the types of wrongdoing set out in the Policy, then you should report it to one of the Institute’s disclosure officers, the University’s Internal Audit, or, if you are a staff member, to your manager. 
 
Reports can be made to a disclosure officer at the Institute, who is a nominated person responsible for acting as a point of contact for making reports. Disclosure officers will pass your report on to the University’s Internal Audit team for assessment.

Reports can also be made:

• To the University’s Internal Audit, by emailing internal.audit@sydney.edu.au or by completing the online reporting form.

• To your manager if you are a staff member at the Institute. Under the Reporting Wrongdoing Policy and Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022, managers have a responsibility to treat reports of wrongdoing confidentially and refer them promptly to Internal Audit. 

You may choose to make a report orally or in writing. 
 
You may also choose to make a report anonymously or non-anonymously. Making a report anonymously may limit the Institute’s and the University’s ability to investigate the matter effectively and will mean that you cannot be informed of the outcome of any investigation. 
 
Reports should include:

• A short description of the conduct that constitutes the alleged wrongdoing;

• Where and when key events took place;

• Names, roles and titles of people involved; and 

• How each person is involved.

We take the issue of confidentiality seriously and reports of wrongdoing are treated confidentially. The Institute will take all reasonable steps to protect the identity of a reporter, provided that this does not hinder any investigation.

The reporter should also take all reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of their report.

The Institute’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy provides more details.

Your report will be referred to the University’s Internal Audit team to consider whether it is a public interest disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosures Act and to determine next steps. This might involve:

• An assessment or investigation by Internal Audit.

• Referral to another area of the Institute or the University such as the Human Resources, Privacy or Cyber Security teams.  

Read more in the Institute’s Reporting Wrongdoing Policy.

If you have any questions about this arrangement, please contact: internal.audit@sydney.edu.au.

The University of Sydney Vietnam Institute designated disclosure officers are listed below.