Facts & Publications – Universities Australia – Universities Australia

Over 1.4 million local and international students choose to study in Australia’s universities each year. They pursue a wide range of academic disciplines, from health and education to engineering and information technology.
While the majority study full-time on campus, others balance a part-time load with family or work responsibilities, and many combine on-campus and online study for maximum flexibility.
Universities employ over 130,000 people in academic and professional roles. In regional areas, universities are major employers and support over 14,000 jobs.
Some staff specialise in teaching or research, but many combine both – and their students benefit from the cutting edge knowledge their teachers gain through research.
Australian university education contributed an estimated $140 billion to the economy in 2014. Public investment – through Commonwealth Supported Places and Government grants – supports both teaching and research activities in universities, and is their main source of income.
Sexual harm is a societal problem and just like the rest of Australian society, universities must play their part in stamping out this problem.
In Australia, many students experience sexual harm and gender-based violence on university campuses, and in the community more broadly. With one in six experiencing sexual harassment and one in 20 experiencing sexual assault at university, tertiary education providers must continue to build on and improve their efforts to prevent sexual harm.
While there are many frameworks guiding primary prevention in Australia, gaps remain. The Primary Prevention of Sexual Harm in the University Sector – Good Practice Guide seeks to fill these gaps by providing primary prevention practitioners with evidence-based approaches in a diverse range of university contexts together with insights into consultation approaches to inform successful interventions.
This guide aims to drive collaboration between primary prevention practitioners and foster a culture of working to dismantle the values, norms, practices, and structures that enable gender-based violence and sexual harm in our university communities.
The launch of the UA Indigenous Strategy 2022-2025 demonstrates the Australian university sector’s ongoing commitment to supporting the advancement of Indigenous peoples within and through universities. The strategy’s five key themes reflect a systemic approach to this cause.
There is always more work to be done, yet this first annual report since the launch of the new strategy provides valuable insights into the progress made by member universities, including specific recruitment activities and programs for Indigenous students, governance mechanisms to ensure Indigenous representation, and efforts to promote awareness of Indigenous values and knowledges among graduates.
As the peak representative body for the sector, Universities Australia acknowledges its responsibility to collaborate with the sector to further advance the strategy’s commitments. The annual reporting process will continue to be an important tool for charting progress, sharing good practice and identifying areas requiring further action.

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