New definition to help combat antisemitism on campuses

Australia’s universities have taken a major step in addressing antisemitism, with more than 30 institutions formally adopting a comprehensive definition designed to protect Jewish students and staff from discrimination, harassment, and vilification.

The decision, endorsed by Universities Australia (UA) following months of consultation with Jewish community leaders and a Senate inquiry, aligns with international standards and will be integrated into complaints schemes and disciplinary processes.

The definition, developed by the Group of Eight (Go8) universities, is based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) framework and antisemitism taskforce recommendations from leading US universities. It explicitly states that criticism of Israeli government policies is not inherently antisemitic.

However, it acknowledges that such criticism crosses the line into antisemitism when it is rooted in harmful tropes, stereotypes, or assumptions, when it calls for the elimination of the State of Israel or all Jews, or when it holds Jewish individuals or communities responsible for Israel’s actions. The definition also highlights that substituting the word “Zionist” for “Jew” does not eliminate the possibility of antisemitism, recognizing that for most, but not all, Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of their Jewish identity.

Go8 Chief Executive Vicki Thomson described the definition as the result of extensive consultation and a delicate balance between combating antisemitism and upholding academic freedom. “We consulted widely over many months and this definition represents our best efforts to achieve the delicate balance between adopting what is ostensibly an Australian version of IHRA that can be operationalised in a university setting, while upholding academic freedom and associated obligations,” Thomson told Sky News.

Mark Scott AO, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, wrote to Jewish leaders outlining that the definition would be presented to the university’s Academic Board next week, before moving to the University Senate for final approval. If approved, it will be incorporated as supplementary material to Sydney University’s existing Anti-Racism Statement and communicated to staff and students through official university channels. The decision follows recent a meeting between Jewish community leaders, Mark Scott and other senior university staff, where concerns about rising antisemitism on campus were raised.

The move comes amid a surge in antisemitic incidents at Australian universities, with reports of harassment, intimidation, and exclusion of Jewish students. Several institutions, including Macquarie University and the University of Sydney, have set up high-security rooms for Jewish students in response to threats and increasing hostility. A Senate Committee on antisemitism last year heard that Australian university campuses have “systemic, embedded antisemitism”, a problem that predates the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, told the Senate inquiry that antisemitism required a “focused approach”, describing it as “a special kind of racism” that warranted a judicial inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses. In a statement to the ABC, Segal called the definition an “important step”.

Universities have committed to implementing the new definition into their disciplinary frameworks “as soon as practicable”, ensuring that antisemitic incidents will be formally recognised and addressed. Sky News reported that Universities Australia has not yet confirmed whether the new policy would ban the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a chant frequently used in pro-Palestinian activism.

The adoption of this definition represents a significant shift in Australian higher education’s approach to combating antisemitism, reinforcing a commitment to ensuring Jewish students and staff can participate fully and equally in university life.