ECU, alongside other Australian universities, is participating in a national study led by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education.
The Racism@Uni survey is one part of a landmark project led by the AHRC to examine the prevalence, nature, and impact of racism in Australian universities.
The study comprises four main parts: a literature review, an audit of policies across Australian universities, focus groups and a national survey. You can read more about the study, including interim findings, on the Commission website.
The Commission will report on findings and make recommendations to the Australian Government and universities to help make universities safer for everyone.
The Racism@Uni Survey is the first national study into the prevalence, nature and impacts of racism experienced by students and staff in Australian universities.
Led by POLIS: Centre for Social Policy Research at The Australian National University, this study has been commissioned by the Australian Human Rights Commission, with support from the Commonwealth Department of Education.
The findings will help shape future strategies to reduce racism in higher education.
This survey is a chance to contribute to a national conversation about racism. Your participation will help shape recommendations to the Australian Government and universities, supporting efforts to create more inclusive and safer university communities.
Participation in the Racism@Uni Survey is voluntary.
All staff and students will receive an email to their ECU address with a unique link to access the survey, which takes around 15 minutes to complete and asks about experiences of racism in university settings. Complete the survey to go in the draw to win one of 50 x $50 gift vouchers.
If you don’t finish the survey in one sitting, you can return to it later using the same link. Once submitted, responses can’t be changed or re-accessed.
Your responses to the survey are anonymous.
No names, email addresses, or identifying details are collected, and ECU will not know who has or hasn’t participated. If you choose to enter the optional prize draw, your email will be collected separately by the Online Research Unit and cannot be linked to your survey responses.
All data is managed in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and approved ethical protocols.
Results will contribute to a national Racism@Uni report, to be delivered to the government in December 2025.
We encourage you to look after your wellbeing as you engage with the survey.
If you would like to access support, or are supporting someone else, the following resources are available.
Access one of the services in the Wellbeing Precinct, including:
The Living Room where you can have a discussion with a trained peer who understand uni life
Psychological Counselling Support for free, confidential counselling services.
Out of Hours Crisis Line for ECU students for immediate support after hours on weekdays or any time on the weekend. Call 1300 583 032 or text 0488 884 232
Access resources via the Work Health Safety and Wellbeing SharePoint Site
Speak with someone through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
There are also a range of community organisations and resources you can access for support.
If you experience or witness racism at ECU, you can report it confidentially through our online complaints and misconduct portal. Visit ecu.edu.au/complaints to find out more.
You will receive one survey invitation and unique link. The survey instrument will allow participants to complete both the general modules and the staff and student modules.
You can either choose to complete the survey twice using the unique link sent to each email address (one for each university where you work or study) or choose to complete the survey from your main institution, or the institution where you spend the most time.
You can resume the survey anytime while the overall survey is still open. You will be able to click back on their unique link and resume where you left off. You will not need to start again from the beginning.
Once your survey response has been submitted, you will not be able to re-access the survey. Each link is unique, and the survey can only be completed once per link.
The use of unique links enables anonymous participation in the survey, ensures that only the person who receives the invitation can complete it. Universities will not be able to determine who has opened or completed the survey, nor will they be able to link any responses to a specific individual.
The POLIS research team will only receive the de-identified data and will not have access to participants’ names, email addresses, or any contact information. If a respondent provides any personally identifiable information in an open-text response, this data will be removed and destroyed.
Information about privacy and confidentiality is clearly outlined for participants in the Participant Information Sheet, on the survey website, and on the survey webpage.
In addition to inviting all university staff and students to participate in the survey, the Australian Human Rights Commission is actively engaging with communities underrepresented in the university sector to encourage staff and student participation. This includes extended outreach through the study’s Advisory Committee and broader networks.
For further questions about the survey, you can contact the Racism@Uni Survey project team via the email address: racism.uni.survey@anu.edu.au.
For technical support, you can get in touch with the Online Research Unit via the email address: racismunisurvey@theoru.zendesk.com or phone 1800 192 651.
For questions or more information about the project, Racism@Uni: A National Study for Change, contact the Australian Human Rights Commission.
