Racism has no place anywhere, and especially not in a place of education.
At UNSW we know that diversity is a source of excellence, and that through thinking, learning and working together we make our most important contributions to progress for all.
However, there is still work to be done in this arena, and racism and discrimination remain a reality for some members of our UNSW community.
We want your help
Following feedback from the UNSW Anti-Racism Taskforce, we’re making sure that UNSW’s next steps embed lived experience and deep listening. To address racism and discrimination at UNSW, we need to understand how racism and discrimination impact our community.
To do this, UNSW’s Inclusive Communities team are holding a series of listening sessions for students and for staff – running between June and July – to inform the development of an Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Action Plan.
Professor Melanie Schwartz, Pro Vice-Chancellor Societal Transformation & Equity, said that the listening sessions were a foundational part of UNSW’s plans.
“We want to hear our community’s ideas for eliminating racism and discrimination on the basis of cultural identity, to help us make positive strides in increasing belonging and inclusion on our campuses, and to lay the foundation for a University-wide action plan,” she said.
Sign up for a session
Listening sessions will be in person, on campus, over the next couple of months. Students will be compensated for their time. Please register to attend a session.
The sessions have been designed to understand student and staff experiences and aspirations in a UNSW-specific context.
They will involve facilitated conversations where students and staff can share experiences of marginalisation and belonging and contribute ideas for meaningful, systematic change.
An experienced, external facilitator will guide the sessions, and all stories told and experiences shared will be de-identified to protect your privacy and empower you to speak honestly.
What else are we doing?
EDI Faculty Grants
Our EDI Faculty grants offer between $10,000 and $20,000 to innovative projects that promote innovative and inclusive practices across UNSW. Applications for 2026 have closed but you can learn about the grants on our website.
Anti-Racism Grants
Students and staff can apply for grants of up to $2500 to lead initiatives that confront racism and racial discrimination, while celebrating diversity and driving meaningful cultural change across our community. While applications for 2026 have closed, you can learn more about the initiative and future applications.
Cultural Inclusion Training
The Inclusive Communities team host a short module on cultural inclusion and run workshops throughout the year. Find out more.
Diversity Festival
UNSW’s Diversity Festival is held every year in September, with events and activities that foster inclusion and belonging on campus and celebrate the diversity of our community. This year it will be held on 21-25 September, with grants of up to $2500 available to students and staff to help bring their events to life. Find out more on the website.
Cultural days of significance calendar
The Culturally Inclusive Calendar was put together through consultation with the UNSW community and supports our students and staff to plan and schedule events in culturally mindful ways. Find out more and download the calendar.
The Inclusive Communities team are also in the process of developing an Anti-Racism Staff Network and are developing anti-racism training for students and staff.
Find out more about the listening sessions, or any of UNSW’s other anti-racism and anti-discrimination initiatives, contact edi@unsw.edu.au.
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