How can universities better protect students and staff from antisemitism?
Australian universities are facing pressure to better protect students and staff from antisemitism following reports of harassment on campuses. The federal government has mandated that universities adopt formal anti-racism standards and improve complaint processes.
Why it matters
The issue addresses the balance between academic freedom, freedom of speech, and the responsibility of institutions to provide a safe environment for all students.
DEAN LEWINS/AAP Image How can universities better protect students and staff from antisemitism? Published: July 15, 2026 2:39am EDT https://theconversation.com/how-can-universities-better-protect-students-and-staff-from-antisemitism-287573 https://theconversation.com/how-can-universities-better-protect-students-and-staff-from-antisemitism-287573 Link copied Share article Share article
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This week, the royal commission into antisemitism has heard repeated accounts from Jewish university staff and students about antisemitic incidents on Australian campuses. Many have described feeling let down by their institution’s response.
Australian National University student Liat said she was regularly called a “baby killer and genocide supporter” by protesters in the wake of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In 2024, University of Melbourne professor Steven Prawer’s office was taken over by protesters, some of them masked, due to his research partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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