A new landmark report has revealed that racism is deeply embedded in Australian universities, affecting students and staff from diverse racial and religious backgrounds.
The Racism@Uni study, which surveyed over 76,000 students and staff from 42 universities, found that more than 70 percent of respondents had experienced or witnessed racist behaviour on campus.
The study highlighted that students have been subjected to “jokes” about “slanted eyes,” accused of using AI in assessments, and even scared to use their real names in classwork.
The highest levels of reported racism were among Jewish and Palestinian students, with 90 percent experiencing discrimination. First Nations, Chinese, Jewish (secular), Middle Eastern, and North-East Asian respondents also reported racism at rates above 80 percent.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare unveiled the Respect at Uni report alongside Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman in Brisbane on Tuesday.
“This is a landmark report and what it shows is racism is deeply embedded within our universities,” Mr Sivaraman said.
The report is based on four components: a national survey, focus groups, a literature review, and a policy audit. It makes 47 recommendations covering five key areas, including creating a national framework for anti-racism, fostering inclusive and safe campuses, improving complaints processes, diversifying curricula, and promoting diverse leadership. Mr Clare said the government would carefully consider the recommendations.
Students shared stories of subtle and systemic exclusion, including name mispronunciation, biased teaching, and unfair academic treatment, which in some cases affected exam results. “The thing with racism is it’s often death by a thousand cuts,” Mr Sivaraman said. “It’s not just one particular thing; it can be a number of things… It could be that the curriculum doesn’t recognise your experiences or that there are biases in the person that’s teaching you.”
Despite widespread experiences of racism, only six percent of respondents said they would lodge a complaint. Mr Sivaraman attributed this to a lack of faith in universities’ complaint systems and a belief that “nothing will happen.” He recalled a story from an Aboriginal student who reported waiting 12 months for a complaint to be addressed, only to be told it could not proceed because too much time had passed. Mr Clare admitted that complaint processes were “not up to scratch” and often caused further distress.
The report also found that racism affects staff careers. More than half of academic staff surveyed said direct racism negatively impacted their careers, while a quarter reported being denied promotions they felt they deserved. Some staff faced biased student evaluations, which could influence hiring and promotions. National Tertiary Education Union President Dr Alison Barnes said the findings revealed a systemic workplace crisis, noting that careers and mental health are being damaged by racism.
The report further highlighted a lack of diversity in senior university leadership. Greens Deputy Leader Mehreen Faruqi said the findings may shock those who have not experienced racism but are a daily reality for many.
“It lays bare the terrifying truth: racism is not an exception in our universities, it is the rule, and it is harming students and staff across racial and religious groups,” she said.
Faruqi called on the prime minister to implement systemic reforms and scrap selective antisemitism report cards, warning that ignoring structural racism only entrenches discrimination.
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