Venue hire options

Venue Management Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Frequently Asked Questions – Shared Teaching and Learning Room Bookings at the University of Melbourne

Booking (Request) Process & Eligibility  -

Relevant Policy:
The University’s Property Policy requires that external organisations use formal venue hire arrangements (section 4.5–4.6, 5.34). Staff cannot book on behalf of external parties through internal channels without disclosing external involvement(External clients)

1. What is the process for room bookings at the University?
Staff and students can book shared teaching spaces—such as classrooms and lecture theatres—via TE Reserve, while outdoor spaces are booked through DiBS. Although most teaching spaces are prioritised for timetabled activities, they are generally available for other purposes outside of teaching hours. Please note that some spaces are locally managed by faculties or departments and are not bookable through Venue Management systems.

2. Who is eligible to book University rooms?

• All bookings are subject to the University'sProperty Policy.
  1. Staff: Can book shared teaching and learning spaces for university-related activities.
  2. Student Club Executives: The Student Club must be affiliated with UMSU, GSA, or University Sport and use their @student.unimelb.edu.au email address.
  3. Unaffiliated Students or Clubs:
     • Request an internal booking through their teaching department.
     • Submit an External Booking request (fees apply): External Venue Hire
  4. External parties: May request to book spaces but must go through the external booking process, including applicable costs.

3. Can students book venues for club meetings or events?
All bookings are subject to the University's Property Policy. Only affiliated Club Executives have direct access. Others can request help from their department or apply as external clients.

Availability, Timing & Restrictions

4. I can’t book during certain months or times – why?
During the Timetable Build (late November to late March), bookings for Semester 1 and semester 2 teaching days (8:00 am–6:30 pm) are restricted. After census date, TE Reserve opens without restrictions. After-hours and bookings outside the teaching day in Semester 1 and 2 may be auto approved during restricted periods.

5. When does the ad hoc booking period begin and end?
Typically starts in late November for the following year, with restrictions in place until semester one census date.

6. How far in advance can bookings be made?
You can request bookings from late November for the following year, with limitations on peak teaching times until census date in Semester 1.

7. Can I book a room for recurring events or meetings?
Yes, recurring bookings are allowed based on availability and approval.

8. Can I book a room outside of business hours?
Yes. Bookings requested for after-hours (Monday to Friday before 8:00 am or after 6:30 pm) and during non-teaching periods are generally eligible for automatic approval through TE Reserve, subject to venue availability.

9. Why was my confirmed booking cancelled?
All shared teaching and learning spaces are primarily reserved for scheduled teaching activities (university timetable). As such, even confirmed ad hoc bookings may be rescheduled or cancelled if required to accommodate teaching priorities. Venue Management will notify you of any changes and work with you to identify a suitable alternative space where possible.

10. How long does it take to receive booking confirmation?
Venue Management follows a staggered approach to reviewing booking requests during teaching weeks leading up to the Semester 1 census date. Requests for teaching hours (8:00 am–6:30 pm) are reviewed approximately two weeks in advance. Bookings outside teaching hours or during non-teaching periods may be confirmed automatically

Systems & Tools

11. Which booking system should I use?

• TE Reserve: Shared learning and teaching spaces
• DiBS: Outdoor spaces (Limited Outdoor spaces managed by Venue Management)
• External Bookings: For non-University or public use (External Venue Hire)

12. How do I get access to TE Reserve or DiBS?

• Staff: TE Reserve access.
• Student Club Executives: Access is available via affiliated club status and official student email.
• For DiBS Access,

13. Is there a training guide for TE Reserve?
Yes:

• [TE Reserve Staff Guide]
• [TE Reserve Student Clubs Guide]

14. How can I check room availability before submitting a request?
Use TE Reserve to query real-time availability of shared teaching spaces.

15. Is there a guarantee my booking will be accepted?
No. Bookings depend on availability and may be cancelled due to timetable priorities.

Events & Venue Use

16. Can I organise catering or drinks for my event? (University'sProperty Policy)
Yes, but be sure to follow venue-specific rules, including food and drink restrictions in teaching spaces.

17. Can I book rooms managed by other faculties or schools?
Yes, although not all spaces on campus—or within every building—are managed by Venue Management. Many venues are overseen directly by faculties or departments, so you may need to contact the relevant area to enquire about availability and booking procedures.

18. Can I book on behalf of my colleague or student?
Yes, if the booking is for official University activity.

19. Are there venue setup guidelines I should follow?
Yes. Be aware of seating configuration, AV capability, and booking conditions. Contact Learning Spaces Support for venue-specific layouts. Rooms should be reset to their default configurations after use.

20. What if I need an event support person or AV tech?
Venue Management handles bookings only. Event Support must be contacted separately to arrange staff or equipment.

21. Can I speak to someone directly about my booking?
Yes. You may contact Venue Management via ServiceNow or by phone for urgent matters ( 03 8344 4490)

22. How do I contact Venue Management?
Submit a request via ServiceNow.

23. How do I know if a room is a Shared Teaching & Learning Space?
Spaces listed in TE Reserve are shared teaching and learning venues managed by Venue Management.

Other venues may appear in DIBS or be Faculty or Departmentally managed.

24. My preferred room isn’t available in any system. What do I do?
If your preferred venue is unavailable or not visible in any system, we recommend exploring alternative options on campus. It’s also possible the space is not centrally managed by Venue Management and may instead be overseen by a faculty or department—if so, you’ll need to contact them directly to enquire about availability.