Uni standards take effect as campus hearings open

New governance standards requiring Australian universities to adopt definitions of racism, including antisemitism, took effect on Monday, even as the sector regulator has yet to finalise guidance on how they will operate in practice.

The changes coincided with the opening of Hearing Block 4 of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which turned its attention to the experiences of Jewish students and academics on campus.

The standards were foreshadowed in December as part of the Albanese government’s package of measures to combat antisemitism, and require universities to implement complaints processes, adopt safety rules for staff and students, and report annually to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

Education Minister Jason Clare flagged plans to go further, telling Sky News he would introduce legislation in coming months giving the regulator power to fine universities directly, rather than requiring it to pursue penalties through the courts.

“Anyone who doesn’t think there have been some challenges in university governance has been living under a rock,” Clare stated.