Staff, students face deeply embedded racism at Australian universities

In a landmark study from the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), racism was found to be both prevalent and systemic in the Australian university environment.

Commissioned by the Australian government in May 2024, Respect at Uni: Study into antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and the experience of First Nations People was the largest and most comprehensive examination of racism in Australian universities thus far, and it revealed some truly shocking statistics.

Seventy per cent of all survey respondents reported hearing or seeing racist behaviour directed at their community, and another 15 per cent reported direct interpersonal racism. Religiously speaking, 90 per cent of Jewish and Palestinian participants experienced racism. Another 19 per cent reported not experiencing racism themselves, but did witness it.

Findings from the Racism at Uni study were collected from more than 76,000 students and staff from 42 universities around the country, concluding that those with First Nation, African, Asian, Jewish, Maori, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Palestinian, and Pasifika backgrounds faced particularly high rates, as did international students.

Results were gathered from focus groups, a literature review, a policy audit, and a national online survey, generating 1.4 million words in response.

Race discrimination commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman explained how racism brings harm to communities and “damages people’s identity and self-esteem, their sense of belonging, and their wellbeing and safety”.

He said: “Left unchecked, it leads to violence. The attack on Camp Sovereignty, the anti-Semitic terror attack in Bondi, and the recent alleged attempted bombing targeting First Peoples on 26 January in Perth – these are the horrifying outcomes when racism in our society isn’t addressed.”

It was concluded that one in five academic staff experienced direct racism in their professional setting, most often in work meetings or shared staff spaces. This was found to have an impact on career perception and outlook, with around 25 per cent of academic staff and 22 per cent of professional staff feeling they were denied deserving promotions.

National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) president Dr Alison Barnes highlighted the issue goes beyond staff career progression, stating: “Their mental health is suffering, and they’re being driven out of the sector because of racism.”

“The complaints system is fundamentally broken with shocking consequences for students and staff.”

Once again, the statistics agree, with only 6 per cent of students and 15 per cent of staff having made a complaint to their university, with fear of consequences a common reason. Accordingly, trust in these systems is low, with 60 to 80 per cent of staff or students who experienced racism also feeling dissatisfied with the process.

And when around a third of staff report complaining has harmed their careers, according to Barnes, “universities are failing in their most basic duty of care to their most valuable asset”.

With the AHRC’s report finding that racism rates were fairly similar across universities, the issue becomes much larger. Sivaraman said: “Racism at university is not confined to isolated incidents or individual behaviour – it is systemic. Racism is pervasive across the sector, affecting many groups in serious ways.”

The Racism at Uni study also brought to light how current anti-racism policies are fragmented, and accountability mechanisms are largely ineffective. Beyond this, the understanding of racial and religious discrimination is low.

According to Barnes, “universities can no longer ignore or minimise the racism experienced by staff”.

She said: “We need systemic change, genuine accountability, and a sector-wide commitment to becoming truly anti-racist workplaces.”

The report made 47 recommendations for both government and university action in a coordinated approach that aligned with the AHRC’s National Anti-Racism Framework.

This was broken down into five outcomes: the establishment of a national framework for anti-racism in universities, safe institutions, universities held accountable with trusted and accessible complaints systems, inclusive teaching, and a diverse workforce and leadership.

Sivaraman explained how the report “provides a clear, evidence-based path forward, with the voices and stories of staff and students who experience racism at its core”.

He said: “It is an opportunity for the government and universities to honour those voices, dismantle racism and create institutions where safety, belonging and respect are lived every day.”

With only 11 universities having advanced anti-racism strategies currently, calls are being made for immediate action. The NTEU specified the urgency of establishing the recommended Racism@Uni Working Group within six months.

Barnes said: “The evidence is clear, the harm is documented - now it’s time for universities and government to act.”