More than 70% of students and staff have reported experiencing direct or indirect racism at Australian universities, according to a report from the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
The Government-commissioned report found universities are failing to meet their duty of care, with complaints processes described as inadequate and difficult to navigate.
The AHRC surveyed 76,000 students and members of staff for its report.
Report
In 2022, the Federal Government set up a body to review the uni and vocational college system, called the Australian Universities Accord.
It handed down its final report in 2024, which included a recommendation that the Government study “the prevalence and impact of racism” at unis and colleges.
The Federal Government asked the AHRC to carry out this review. It surveyed more than 76,000 people, including domestic and international students, and academic staff and non-academic staff.
Key findings
In 2025, the AHRC surveyed students and staff about their experiences at uni in the past two years.
Questions included if they had experienced indirect racism, such as witnessing racist behaviour or attitudes towards their community, though not at them specifically.
Of the 76,000 respondents, 70% had experienced indirect racism.
Almost 15% of respondents to the online survey reported experiencing direct racism.
Two in five students who had experienced direct racism said it had a negative impact on their studies.
Students reported incidents of racism most often occurred in tutorials and classrooms.
Among staff, one in five reported experiencing direct racism in their workplace.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
This occurred most commonly during meetings or in shared spaces such as staff rooms or kitchens.
The majority of students and staff who had complained about direct racism said they were unhappy with how their university handled the process.
System
The report looked at anti-racism policies across all 43 Australian universities.
Almost three-quarters of institutions (30 universities) were found to have “limited” policies or strategies in place, while two universities had “no evidence” of any anti-racism measures.
A quarter of universities (11) were found to have advanced policies or strategies in place.
Recommendations
The AHRC made 47 recommendations to prevent and address racism at unis.
They include asking the Government to pass a bill to change the Racial Discrimination Act, so that workplaces must pro-actively work to stop racism.
The Government passed a similar amendment to require workplaces to stop sexism in 2022.
It called on all universities to develop an anti-racism plan, covering all staff and students, in collaboration with people affected by racism.
Responses
Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said universities have a “duty of care to provide a safe, inclusive environment,” which is being “viscerally broken by racism.”
At a press conference, Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the report highlights that universities are “not doing enough” to stamp out racial discrimination.
In a statement, peak body Universities Australia said it “stands ready to work constructively… to ensure this work begins without delay and delivers meaningful, transparent change.”
