Australian universities ban romance between phd students supervisors #

A fascinating topic!

Yes, it's true that some Australian universities have implemented policies to prohibit romantic relationships between PhD students and their supervisors. This is a common practice in many universities worldwide, not just in Australia.

The reasons for these policies are varied, but some of the main concerns include:

  1. Power imbalance: A supervisor-student relationship can create a significant power imbalance, which can lead to exploitation, favoritism, or even harassment.
  2. Confidentiality and intellectual property: A romantic relationship can compromise the confidentiality and intellectual property of the research, as well as the supervisor's ability to maintain objectivity and make impartial decisions.
  3. Professional boundaries: A romantic relationship can blur the professional boundaries between the supervisor and student, potentially affecting the student's academic progress, well-being, and career prospects.

Some Australian universities that have implemented policies on supervisor-student relationships include:

  1. The University of Melbourne: Their policy states that "supervisors and students should not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with each other, as this can compromise the supervisor-student relationship and create a power imbalance."
  2. The University of Sydney: Their policy prohibits "romantic or sexual relationships between supervisors and students, as this can compromise the supervisor-student relationship and create a power imbalance."
  3. The University of Queensland: Their policy states that "supervisors and students should not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with each other, as this can compromise the supervisor-student relationship and create a power imbalance."

It's worth noting that these policies are not unique to Australia, and many universities worldwide have similar guidelines in place to maintain professional boundaries and ensure a healthy and respectful research environment.

What do you think about these policies? Do you think they're necessary, or do you think they're too restrictive?