Australian universities will be required to formally define antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples under new federal standards designed to strengthen safety, accountability and transparency across the higher education sector.
The reforms will also require universities to establish clear and publicly understandable processes for handling racism complaints. Institutions must explain how complaints are assessed, allow affected communities to participate in decision-making and provide staff and students with guidance on maintaining safety both on campus and online.
The federal government will not force universities to use one particular definition of antisemitism, Islamophobia or First Nations racism. Instead, each institution will need to adopt and publish definitions that comply with the broader standards.
The decision not to mandate a single definition of antisemitism has already created political disagreement. Shadow education minister Julian Leeser argued that universities should be required to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition, saying stronger and more consistent action was needed to confront antisemitism on campuses.
Universities Australia adopted its own antisemitism definition for its 39 member institutions in February 2025. It said the wording drew on several sources, including the IHRA definition and recommendations developed by antisemitism taskforces at leading American universities.
The IHRA framework has attracted support from the federal government and Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal. However, critics have raised concerns that some of its examples could blur the distinction between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of the Israeli government or its policies.
Education Minister Jason Clare said universities must take stronger action to prevent racism and respond effectively when incidents occur. He said there was no place for antisemitism or other forms of hatred in Australian universities and that the new standards reflected expectations held across the wider community.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the guidelines would create a stronger national baseline for dealing with hatred on university campuses. He said students and staff should feel safe regardless of their faith, background, relationships or country of heritage.
Public universities will be expected to comply with the racism standards from January 2027, while private higher education institutions will have until July 2027.
The government also intends to strengthen the enforcement powers of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. Legislation is expected to be introduced before the end of 2026 so the regulator can take stronger action against universities that fail to meet the new requirements.
Universities will report annually on their compliance using an “if not, why not” system. Institutions that do not follow the standards will have to explain their position and may face further regulatory action. TEQSA will work with universities to develop the detailed procedures needed to implement and enforce the rules.
The reforms go beyond campus racism and will introduce broader transparency requirements covering university leadership, spending and governance.
Public universities will be required to disclose vice-chancellors’ salaries and publish information about external positions held by vice-chancellors and other senior executives. They will also need to reveal how much they spend on consultants and provide details about the work those consultants were hired to perform.
Universities will additionally be expected to publish the outcomes of governing body meetings, giving the public greater visibility over major financial and administrative decisions. The measures follow growing scrutiny of executive pay, consultant spending and governance practices within the sector.
The announcement comes as the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion prepares to examine the experiences of students and staff in Australian higher education.
Witnesses are expected to include people with direct experience of campus antisemitism, representatives of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism and Australian Human Rights Commission president Hugh de Kretser.
Several universities appearing before the inquiry hosted pro-Palestinian protests and encampments after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza. The protests intensified debate over free speech, student safety, political activism and university leaders’ responsibility to respond to discrimination and harassment.
Clare said the royal commission was likely to hear disturbing evidence, particularly from Jewish students and staff who reported experiencing harassment, intimidation and abuse at universities.
Universities Australia has previously acknowledged that campuses are not immune from racism, including antisemitism, Islamophobia and discrimination experienced by First Nations people. The organisation said the sector would continue working with the government to address racism and strengthen protections for university communities.
The new standards represent a significant expansion of government oversight of Australian universities. Institutions will now face greater pressure to demonstrate that they can protect students and staff, investigate complaints fairly and provide greater transparency over leadership and spending decisions.
