University of Melbourne adopts the IHRA antisemitism definition
The University of Melbourne Administration has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, including all the examples, as a part of their anti-racism commitment.
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is the first University in Australasia to adopt IHRA, and this sends a message to all Jewish students around the country that our voices are being heard. The University’s anti-racism commitment will go a long way to fostering an inclusive and thriving campus experience for all minority groups.
The University of Melbourne will use IHRA as an “important educative tool for all University members to understand what constitutes antisemitism, and thus support its prevention”. This adoption comes after a long process of consultation where we have brought forward the concerns of Jewish students to the University alongside other community organisations and individuals.
The Australasian Union of Jewish Students said in a statement: “This announcement comes a few days before January 27th, which is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. IHRA was created to remember what can happen if hate and discrimination are not called out. In order to ensure that antisemitism and all forms of discrimination have no place on our campuses, we must be able to define it by amplifying the voices of those who experience it. Thank you to the University of Melbourne for doing that with their Jewish students and staff.
We are really looking forward to working with the University of Melbourne throughout the implementation process. Thank you to the University of Melbourne for taking the lead.”
Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) President Alissa Foster said: “This is incredibly important not only to Jewish students at the University of Melbourne but across Australia and New Zealand. For the past two years, we have seen an increase in antisemitism on campus, and finally Jewish students’ concerns have been recognised. Combatting and calling out antisemitism begins with education which IHRA is an integral platform for. “
Melbourne University Jewish Students Society (MUJSS) President Holly Feldman added: “As Jewish students at the University of Melbourne, we applaud this decision by our university’s leadership. We are grateful that the leadership have actively listened to the concerns of Jewish students and have taken a stance that makes it clear that Antisemitism and all forms of intolerance are unacceptable.”
President of the Zionist Federation of Australia Jeremy Leibler said: “This move is a strong step forward in the fight against antisemitism on campus and in society as a whole. This is an example of real leadership, and we acknowledge and thank the former Chancellor Allan Myer and Vice Chancellor Duncan Maskell for their engagement on this issue. By adopting the Working Definition, Melbourne University is taking a meaningful step to demonstrate to Jewish students that antisemitism on campus will not be tolerated.”
Mr Leibler continued, “The IHRA working definition is widely accepted as the most comprehensive and accurate definition of antisemitism currently in use. It recognises that antisemitism can take many forms, including traditional forms such as hate speech and violence, as well as more subtle and insidious forms such as delegitimisation, demonisation and double standards in relation to Israel”.
Mr Leibler concluded, “By becoming the first Australian university to adopt the IHRA Working Definition, the University of Melbourne has demonstrated the leadership expected of Australia’s top-ranked university. We call on other universities to follow its lead and adopt the IHRA Working Definition.”
“Adopting these definitions does not change the University’s policies on academic freedom and freedom of speech. However, the definitions provide an important educative tool for all University members to understand what constitutes Islamophobia or antisemitism, and thus support their prevention.”
The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council’s Executive Director, Dr Colin Rubenstein, said, “This is a very welcome and much-needed step towards combatting rising antisemitism at university campuses across Australia. The Australian, NSW and Victorian governments have already adopted the definition, which is a non-legally binding tool to identify, educate about and help prevent antisemitism.
“We urge all other universities to emulate the University of Melbourne to help them fight this insidious hatred and to send a strong signal that antisemitism will not be accepted on their campuses.”
The president of The Jewish Community Council of Victoria Daniel Aghion said: “The JCCV has been making representations to the University of Melbourne, and other Victorian universities, for some time on behalf of Victorian Jewish students, urging them to adopt this important definition. We urge other Victorian universities to follow suit as the 2023 academic year gets underway.
This step will allow university faculty and administrators to better understand the nature of antisemitism and the different ways that antisemitism manifests. This step will also reassure Jewish students that the University of Melbourne is a place where they can feel safe and included as they learn and participate in student life. This step, however, should not impact on the ability of students and staff to freely express their views or restrict debate, as some critics have incorrectly claimed.
