Feb 17 • 01:21 UTC 🇦🇺 Australia ABC News AU

Landmark report finds racism 'deeply embedded' in universities

A new report reveals pervasive racism within Australian universities, affecting a significant percentage of students and staff from various cultural backgrounds.

A landmark study, known as the Racism@Uni report, has uncovered alarming rates of racism within Australian universities, with over 70% of students and staff witnessing or experiencing discriminatory behavior. This extensive survey involved over 76,000 participants and highlighted that individuals from First Nations, African, Asian, Jewish, Māori, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Palestinian, and Pasifika backgrounds were particularly affected. The findings indicate that Jewish and Palestinian students faced the highest levels of racism, with a staggering 90% reporting such experiences.

The report was unveiled by Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman in Brisbane, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these deep-rooted issues. The data revealed that First Nations, Chinese, secular Jewish, Middle Eastern, and North-East Asian respondents all reported rates exceeding 80% in their experiences of racism, signifying a systemic problem that requires immediate attention and action from educational institutions.

In response to these findings, the report advocates for comprehensive measures to combat racism at universities, stressing the necessity of fostering an inclusive environment that supports diversity and equality among all students and staff. The implications of this report are far-reaching, calling on universities to take responsibility for creating safe and welcoming spaces for all cultural backgrounds, as well as to implement policies and programs aimed at reducing discrimination and promoting respect within the academic community.

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