The University seeks to ensure that the University’s web presence is managed effectively and efficiently to provide access to authoritative, secure, accurate, relevant, current and accessible information, resources and services via the World Wide Web.

This policy governs the development, maintenance and management of all University information, resources and services accessed with a web browser.

It describes requirements that conform with legislative and other regulatory requirements and establish a clear identity for the University on the World Wide Web consistent with the University's standing as a internationally recognised, research-intensive University with an excellent teaching reputation.

This policy supports the development and maintenance of a cohesive and consistent user experience across the University web presence in order to help students, staff and other clients achieve their online goals easily and efficiently.

Applicability

1. Unless otherwise noted, the following requirements apply to all University information, resources and services accessed with a web browser.
2. Sections of this policy apply differently to official and non-official websites and to publicly available websites and sites to which access is restricted.
3. The current requirements in the University Web Guidelines (2002) remain in effect until superseded by the compliance deadline for this policy.
4. All websites are expected to comply with the relevant requirements in this policy from 1 January 2013.

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Legal requirements

1. All websites must comply with the UWA Educational Services for Overseas Students Act 2002 compliance guidelines.
2. All web pages must comply with the requirements of the Copyright Act 1968 and the 'Digital Agenda' amendments to the Copyright Act.

Additional information about copyright compliance at UWA is available.

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Brand

1. Use of the University visual identity must comply with the UWA Style Guide.
2. All publicly available, official web pages must use templated visual identity elements as supplied by UWAs Digital and Creative.
3. Use of the University visual identity online must be approved prior to publication by the Universities Digital and Creative.
4. All publicly available, official home pages must provide a coherent and consistent image of the position of the website within the University and reflect important and relevant relationships to other sections of the University.
5. Content custodians must ensure that University's target audiences are identified, acknowledged and their preferences for relevant, understandable information is accommodated wherever appropriate.

It is particularly recommended that, where possible, homepages reinforce key University messages, which can be provided by the University Marketing Manager, or the marketing staff within each faculty or area.

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Navigation

1. All web pages in a website must provide navigational links that appear and behave in a consistent fashion.
2. All publicly available, official web pages, except web applications, must incorporate the templated search tool as supplied by UWA Digital and Creative.
3. All publicly available, official web pages, except web applications, must include the following information when linking to information, resources or services that will require a plugin or separate application:
   1. file format
   2. file size
   3. provide a link to the applet, plugin or application.
4. All business units must ensure that their official website is listed in the University's Contact Directory.

Templates and instructions are available from the Structure and navigation section of the UWA Digital website.

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Structure

1. All publicly available, official websites, except web applications, must adopt a user-focused structure.

Instructions for structuring websites are available in the Structure and navigation section of the UWA Digital website.

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Content

1. Content must take account of content guidelines as outlined in the Website Office Content Style Guide.

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Accessibility

1. All official web pages must meet accepted world-class standards as detailed in University Web accessibility policy.
2. All official web pages must include in the page footer a link labelled Accessibility pointing to the University's Accessibility page or an equivalent statement and link to a contact mechanism for dealing with accessibility issues.
3. Content custodians are responsible for ensuring that requests for assistance in accessing information are expedited where appropriate.

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Social media

1. Official use of social media sites and services and services as an additional way to engage students, staff and the community is encouraged.
2. The primary platform employed for the delivery of information and services must be websites and other service platforms owned or services purchased and managed by the University.
3. Social media sites and services not owned or managed by the University must not be used as the sole or primary delivery platform for information and services.
4. Use of social media must comply with the terms of this and other relevant University policies; for example, Guideline on Public Comment by University Staff, University Policy on Media and University Policy on Social Media.

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Archiving

1. Site owners are responsible for ensuring that all official web pages are appraised according to criteria in the University Policy on Record Management and that records of all published modifications to web pages meeting the criteria and required metadata are captured in a record management system.

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Workflow / information management

1. All publicly available, official web pages, except web applications, must incorporate page footer elements as described below:
2. 1. incorporate a link to the contact details of the position, person or people responsible for last modifying and / or authorising modification of the web page
   2. incorporate the date and time that the web page was last modified.
3. All publicly available, official web pages must be reviewed at least every two years unless classified by the relevant content custodian as a publicly available archive.
4. All web pages must incorporate metadata to leverage leading search engine optimisation, record keeping compliance and content promotion.
   

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Compliance

1. It is the responsibility of content custodians to ensure full compliance of all websites with this policy.
2. Access to websites that fail to comply with policy requirements may be restricted.

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