Creating food security for our students embedded in progress for all

UNSW’s new Food Security Strategy will help create progress for all by enabling real change for individual students and our wider community.  

UNSW and Arc have co-created a Food Security Strategy to address the challenges students face in accessing affordable, nutritious food. The strategy sets out a plan for new support programs including food lockers, cooking classes and an expanded free meals program and Food Hub offering.

These initiatives build on the University’s existing rapid relief approach, shifting toward sustainable, systemic change. The strategy addresses both the causes and impacts of food insecurity and aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.  

The framework is built around three key pillars – rapid relief, sustainable skill building and systemic support.

“Through the Food Security Strategy, we’re creating new initiatives to provide immediate hunger relief, offering ongoing pathways to ensure food security and shaping long-term systemic change,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience Professor Sarah Maddison.  

“These initiatives are directly linked with UNSW’s Societal Impact Framework [SIF], and we’ve included specific measures in the strategy to track progress against each SIF pillar."

Food insecurity is a significant issue for students

UNSW’s 2024 Student Belonging Survey found that many students are feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, with some experiencing daily hunger.

The survey showed that students often sacrifice meals to cover essential costs such as rent. This mirrors a national trend: the National Union of Students’ 2023 Student Wellbeing Survey reported that 62% of students skip meals due to financial stress.  

Food insecurity is a complex issue with intersecting causes. Financial pressure, limited access to affordable nutritious food, unstable housing and time constraints can all contribute. At UNSW, international postgraduate students (29% of the cohort) and domestic commencing students from low socio-economic backgrounds (8.4%) are particularly vulnerable.

Addressing the causes and consequences of food insecurity

Food insecurity can affect wellbeing across multiple parts of a student’s life, impacting not only their health but their capacity to learn and thrive.

“Students’ access to affordable, nutritious food on campus can positively impact their mental and physical health and overall wellbeing. We know that student wellbeing is as important as their academic success,” said Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Success Leah Hill.  

“Our strategies are designed to minimise the stress, anxiety and cognitive challenges associated with skipping meals.”

Aligning with UNSW’s strategy

Recognising these challenges, UNSW has embedded its Food Security Strategy within the broader progress for all framework. The strategy’s three pillars align with several of the nine strategic pillars of the UNSW Strategy: Progress for All, making it a key deliverable that strengthens the University’s commitment to supporting every student’s success.  

The Food Security Strategy initiatives include:

• Rapid relief: Delivering immediate access to food and essential items to students in urgent need
  • Food lockers to enable students to order food and collect it at their convenience (Pillars 1, 7, 8)
  • Food Hub pantry expansion, to include personal care items to support human dignity (Pillars 1, 3, 7)
  • Expanded free meal program (Pillars 1, 7, 8).
• Sustainable skill building: Equipping students with the knowledge and practical skills to prepare basic meals and manage food budgets
  • Cooking classes (Pillars 1, 6, 8)
  • Field trips to local supermarkets where students can learn about Australian produce and how to create easy, delicious and cheap meals (Pillars 1, 6, 8).
• Systemic support: Connect the University with partners who can assist with more impactful relief for students
  • Transforming the Food Hub into a Basic Needs Hub (Pillars 1, 3, 7)
  • Exploring options for a meal card or voucher system (Pillars 1, 7, 8)
  • Creating a subsidised canteen (Pillars 1, 6, 7)
  • Whitehouse revitalisation to deliver affordable on-campus food and beverage offerings.  

These initiatives build on existing rapid relief supports such as the Arc Food Hub, Free Food on Campus program and UNSW emergency grants.

The Food Security Strategy was co-designed with students and is shaped by their feedback. It was developed by the Belonging and Onboarding workstream of the Student Experience Program and reflects UNSW’s genuine desire to improve student outcomes and experiences at every stage of their University journey.  

Find out more about the Food Security Strategy.