CANBERRA, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Australia's education ministers have agreed to establish an independent watchdog to tackle sexual abuse at universities.
Following a meeting with his state and territory counterparts on Friday, Jason Clare, the federal minister for education, announced the country will establish a national student ombudsman to investigate student complaints and resolve disputes with universities.
The plan for the new watchdog was put to education ministers in November 2023 by Our Watch, a leading advocacy group aiming to reduce violence against women. It recommended greater accountability of institutions, enhanced oversight of student accommodation providers and preventive mechanisms.
The most recent national student safety survey, which was released by peak industry body Universities Australia in 2021, found that one in 20 students had been sexually assaulted since starting university and one in six had been sexually harassed.
Clare said the new ombudsman would allow higher education students to escalate complaints about assault, violence and sexual harassment. The ombudsman will be able to make determinations on whether actions taken by providers were unreasonable, unjust, oppressive, discriminatory, or otherwise wrong.
"Universities aren't just places where people work and study, they are also places where people live, and we need to ensure they are safe," he said in a statement.
"Not enough has been done to tackle sexual violence in our universities and for too long students haven't been heard. That now changes."
The federal government will also establish a national higher education code to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
Universities Australia on Friday welcomed the decision to establish the national student ombudsman. ■
