Academic Experiences of Student-perpetrated Harm in Australian Universities

This report presents findings from the first national investigation of student-perpetrated harm experienced by academics working in Australian universities. Drawing on survey data from academics across Australia, it examines the forms, contexts, reporting pathways and impacts of student‑to‑academic harm and identifies priorities for institutional reform.

Student‑to‑academic harm reflects broader structural and social conditions, including employment insecurity, consumer‑oriented models of higher education and wider patterns of discrimination, harassment and violence. Universities are therefore not insulated from broader social harms but are sites where these dynamics may be reproduced and intensified.

While recent sector reforms have strengthened protections for students, comparatively less attention has been given to staff as workers. The findings highlight the need to recognise student‑perpetrated harm as a workplace health and safety issue requiring institutional accountability and prevention.