Web Content Best Practice

Placing material on the Web is legally the same as publishing in printed form. As a general principle, the same systems and standards of authorship, design, editing and clearance as are applied to printed documents should be observed before information is published on the Web.

1. Content must relate to the research, educational, community service or administrative purposes of the University.  Staff or students who wish to develop a web page reflecting personal interests should seek to have it stored and available from a private commercial service provider rather than stored on University owned or controlled computers.
2. All Heads of School and Branch Heads must ensure that University web content is accurate and of a professional standard before it is published on the internet.
3. Creators and maintainers of web content in Australia must ensure that all web pages are equally accessible for people with a disability as required by the Disability Discrimination Act. University web pages that do not comply with legislative requirements will be removed.
4. Hypertext links should enhance ease of use, and should be appropriate to the research, educational, community service and administrative purposes of the University. Links that do not meet these criteria should not be made.
5. The use of corporate sponsorship logos on your local web site may be considered when promoting corporate partners of the University. The use of corporate sponsorship logos must be approved in writing by the owner of the logo and by the Director, Marketing and Strategic Communications.
6. Web pages should be formatted to meet University guidelines and standards. Supplied templates and stylesheets should be used wherever possible. They are designed for optimal viewing by a large range of browsers and systems and meet the University's visual identity standards.
7. Please consult with the Marketing & Strategic Communications before attempting to use or copy the University of Adelaide web site templates or components. Guidance is also available from the online webguide.
8. While much material will be intended for specific target audiences, Web material can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. All material linked to the University should be presented in a professional and responsible manner, in appearance, content, editorial style and use of technology.
9. In general, authors/originators of webpages have the responsibility for their upkeep and modification as appropriate. They should review their pages regularly to ensure material remains current.
10. Links to partner web sites must always open in a new window so that the UA site always remains on the desktop.
11. The various elements of the University templates, such as navigation, pagehead and footer are predefined and should not be altered without consulting Marketing & Strategic Communications.
12. The University of Adelaide is not responsible for any third party information and does not endorse any site it links to, as outlined in the University Disclaimer.