University of Melbourne statement on Special Envoy’s plan to Combat Islamophobia
Statement attributable to University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Emma Johnston AO:
The University of Melbourne acknowledges the report handed to the Prime Minister by Mr Aftab Malik, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia in Australia.
We acknowledge the toll that Islamophobia takes for members of our Muslim community and the devastating impacts it has on people’s daily lives within Australian society.
As a multicultural and multifaith community, the University of Melbourne is resolute in addressing and responding to Islamophobia and all forms of racism on our campuses through a range of specific, documented antiracism initiatives.
These initiatives include:
- Publication of our first Annual Report on Racism, released earlier this year
- A review of our policies and frameworks, including our student complaints framework
- Development of racial literacy education programs, including specialised Islamophobia awareness education
- Actively developing materials and resources to assist our community to understand Islamophobia
- Collaborating with students and staff on the next steps for the implementation of the University’s Anti-Racism Action Plan.
We look forward to ongoing engagement with Mr Malik, our students and staff, sector colleagues and government and industry bodies to ensure we lead by example in creating safe, welcoming and respectful environments for all members of our Muslim communities.