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Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman described the findings as “harrowing,” highlighting the pervasive nature of the problem within universities.
“These results demonstrate that universities have failed to uphold their duty of care,” he asserted.
He further explained, “Both students and staff have expressed that the racism present at Australian universities extends beyond individual interactions. It is deeply rooted in institutional policies and practices.”
“These systemic issues lead to exclusion, dismissal, and invalidation, even in the absence of overt racial slurs,” Sivaraman added.
The report also revealed that a significant majority—three-quarters—of international students reported experiencing racism during their time studying in Australia.
Students said they were more likely to experience racism in smaller spaces such as tutorials and classrooms, whilst staff said shared spaces like staff rooms and kitchens were places where they said they had experienced racism.
Despite the high rates of racism found in the survey, only six per cent of respondents said they had reported incidents of racism, with many saying they feared consequences against them, or worried that nothing would come of action being taken.
“There is no place for any form of racism in our universities or anywhere else,” he said.
“Universities aren’t just places where people work and study, they are also places where people live, and we need to ensure they are safe and free from racism.”
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