Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Sharon Pickering, appeared at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion today (16 July 2026).
The following is attributable to Professor Pickering:
The Royal Commission is a pivotal moment for our nation, community and universities to listen deeply to the lived experiences generously shared with us.
We are enormously proud of the courage and composure of the Jewish staff and students who shared their experiences and impacts of antisemitism at Australian universities.
It has been both moving and sobering – but we must continue to listen, and engage. We must understand the experiences of our community, the impacts of explicit antisemitism, racism and prejudice, and also, the less visible, everyday experiences that impact our students and colleagues.
When our students, colleagues and community share their experiences with us, we listen carefully, respond effectively and take responsibility for our actions.
Social cohesion is an ongoing commitment for Monash. We continue to evaluate how we strengthen a culture where antisemitism, and all forms of racism, are unequivocally rejected.
Hate and prejudice never contains itself to only one group – it spreads like a contagion. We must continuously improve our processes, as lasting change takes more than rules or disciplinary action, we must look beyond to the road ahead.
From across our campuses and into our classrooms, every setting of every day, we consider how we can create a safe and respectful environment where ideas are contested, questioned and debated without intimidation or fear.
We embrace diverse academic ideas and foster an environment, where everyone feels they have a voice.
We must push against, and indeed, we must overcome the polarisation that characterises our world.
The intellectual pursuit of knowledge and of education is ultimately the pursuit of humanity.
