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<\/p>\nUniversities will be required to define antisemitism and create transparent processes for complaints of racism as part of an overhaul of higher education standards being rolled out by the federal government.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rules also include new transparency measures for institutions to publicly disclose the salaries of vice-chancellors, and reveal the money they spend hiring in consultants. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Universities will have to report to the industry watchdog annually on an “if not, why not” basis, and will face further action if they do not comply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Education Minister Jason Clare said the changes were about making sure universities meet standards that the “whole community expects”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There is no place for antisemitism or any type of hate in our universities or anywhere else,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Unis will have to act to prevent racism and respond when it happens.”<\/p>\n
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Education Minister Jason Clare says the new standards will address racism on university campuses.\u00a0 (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)<\/p>\n
The government had initially announced the change to the standards in December, following the Bondi Beach terror attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was also a recommendation of the Respect at Uni report, commissioned by the government and published by the Australian Human Rights Commission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Public universities will be required to comply with the new racism standards from January, while private institutions have until July.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The government wants to pass legislation through the parliament before the end of the year to grant the regulator, \u00a0the Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA), beefed up enforcement powers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last year, Mr Clare said TEQSA needed “better tools” and “stronger powers” to act in the public interest. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Antisemitism definition required under anti-racism standard\u00a0<\/p>\n
Universities will be required to adopt definitions including of antisemitism, racism toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and Islamophobia, but the government has said it would not require a specific definition to be adopted in any of those categories.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In February last year, Universities Australia officially adopted a definition of antisemitism on behalf of its 39 member institutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a statement, it said it was drawn from a “range of definitions” including the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) as well as recommendations from antisemitism taskforces at Columbia University, Stanford University, Harvard University, and New York University.<\/p>\n
In a report last year, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, recommended that universities and other public institutions adopt the IHRA definition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The definition had been criticised because of an included illustrative example that opponents argue conflates antisemitism with legitimate criticism of Israel.<\/p>\n
Ms Segal also recommended the government withhold from universities and other institutions who “enable or fail to act against antisemitism”.<\/p>\n
Under the new standards, higher education institutions will also have to set up “transparent” processes and “enable representation and participation in decision making” when they receive complaints.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There is also a requirement for universities to provide “clear guidance” to staff and students about actions that “enhance safety and security on campus” as well as online.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The government said TEQSA would work with the sector to work out the details of the new standards and how they will operate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Consultants, leadership wages targeted<\/p>\n
The standards also focus on sustainability and responsibility in higher education institutions, with new reporting requirements for public universities to disclose spending and decision-making.\u00a0<\/p>\n