Australian Universities Grapple with Systemic Racism, Landmark Study Finds

A comprehensive study, "Racism@Uni," commissioned by the Australian Human Rights Commission, has revealed widespread and systemic experiences of racism among students and staff across Australian universities. The report, which surveyed over 76,000 individuals from 42 universities, found that a significant majority reported experiencing or witnessing racist behavior. It also highlights inadequate complaints processes and proposes 47 recommendations for addressing racism in the higher education sector.

The "Racism@Uni" study found that a significant majority of over 76,000 respondents reported experiencing or witnessing racist behavior, pointing to systemic issues across Australian universities.

Study Scope and Key Findings

The "Racism@Uni" study forms a core component of the broader "Respect at Uni" report, released by Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman. It was initiated following recommendations from the 2023 Australian Universities Accord final report and an interim report in December 2024, which had previously identified pervasive and deeply entrenched interpersonal and structural racism within universities.

The study utilized a national survey covering experiences over the preceding two years, incorporated insights from 310 focus group participants, and included a literature review and policy audit. Key findings indicate:

• Over 70 percent of all respondents reported experiencing or witnessing racist behavior.
• Nearly 15 percent of all respondents reported experiencing direct interpersonal racism.
• Almost 70 percent reported experiencing indirect racism, defined as witnessing or hearing racist behavior not personally directed but aimed at their identified racial, ethnic, cultural, or religious group.
• Approximately 20 percent of respondents who did not experience direct or indirect racism personally witnessed racism directed at others.

Racism was reported at similar rates across all participating universities, suggesting a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents.

Affected Groups and Reported Incidents

The report identified high rates of racism affecting individuals from various backgrounds, including First Nations, African, Asian, Jewish, Māori, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Palestinian, and Pasifika communities.

Specific groups reported particularly high rates:

• Jewish and Palestinian students reported the highest impact, with 90 percent experiencing racism.
• First Nations, Chinese, Jewish (secular), Middle Eastern, and North-East Asian respondents also reported rates exceeding 80 percent.
• Approximately 80% of surveyed Indigenous, Chinese, African, Jewish, and Middle Eastern students and staff reported experiencing racism.

Incidents reported by students occurred in lectures, tutorials, during marking, and elsewhere on campus, while staff reported similar experiences in meetings and performance reviews. Examples of reported incidents included:

• A lecturer making a "petrol sniffing" comment about Aboriginal people.
• Students making "slanted eyes" jokes.
• Lecturers mispronouncing names.
• A professor accusing an Indian nursing student of using AI for an assignment due to perceived high quality.
• Fear among some students of using their African names on assessments due to concerns about racial discrimination in grading.
• Being singled out, excluded, or enduring racist jokes and comments.

Impact of Racism

Respondents indicated that experiences of racism led to reduced participation at university and negatively affected their mental health and academic performance. Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman stated that racism is deeply embedded within universities and described its cumulative effect as "death by a thousand cuts," impacting cultural and physical safety, curriculum recognition, and teaching biases.

During the Israel-Hamas conflict, Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, and Middle Eastern staff and students reported elevated levels of racism, with some expressing fear regarding the open expression of their views or religious identity.

Inadequate Complaints Process

Despite the prevalence of racism, only 6 percent of respondents were willing to lodge a formal complaint. This low rate was attributed to a reported lack of faith in university complaints processes and a belief that no action would be taken. One Aboriginal student reported a complaint not being processed for 12 months, then dismissed for being outside the 12-month window.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged that the existing complaints process was not adequate, leading to dissatisfaction and additional distress for those who attempted to report incidents.

Recommendations and Future Considerations

The report provides 47 short, medium, and long-term recommendations across five key areas:

1. Establishing a national framework for anti-racism in universities.
2. Ensuring inclusive and safe universities free from racism.
3. Developing accountable universities with trusted, accessible complaints systems.
4. Promoting inclusive curriculum and teaching, including the incorporation of First Peoples’ knowledges, scholarship, and texts across all disciplines.
5. Fostering diverse leadership and workforce, with targets and accountability measures.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare confirmed that the government would consider the relevant recommendations. The report emphasizes that racism in Australian universities involves systemic problems requiring changes to power and representation structures, particularly by boosting diversity in leadership and the workforce. It highlights the necessity of clear guiding principles and laws applicable to all forms of racism.

Universities also face the challenge of balancing robust anti-racism strategies with the protection of academic freedom and freedom of speech. The report suggests that anti-racism and cultural competency training can help achieve this balance, ensuring respectful learning environments while facilitating engagement with complex ideas, and ultimately maintaining institutional legitimacy and public trust.