At UTS, we honour the value of diversity in all its forms.

 

We are proud that UTS is a diverse, multicultural and multi-faith community and we are determined that our university be a place where all students, staff and visitors feel welcome, safe and that they belong.

But we also recognise that we exist in an unequal world, where structural and systemic biases and barriers still impact individuals and influence our social infrastructure. We are committed to proactively addressing inequalities in our own community through:

Policies and programs

Celebrating and supporting cultural diversity

  • UTS offers leave for staff to participate in cultural and religious days of observance. (See the Enterprise Agreement under ‘Personal Leave’). Students can also access exam/assessment/class exemption during a cultural or religious holiday. Check out the NSW Government's Towards peace: Calendar for cultural diversity to see upcoming events and dates for 2026.
  • The UTS Multicultural Women's Network aims to enable multicultural women to realise their full potential and experience equity and justice at UTS. The network welcomes UTS professionals, students and academics, continuing/tenured, fixed-term and sessional/casual staff members and HDR students who identify as women and who have been minoritised based on their cultural, ethnic or linguistic background. Join the MWN network.

Access, retention and success

  • Equitable recruitment policies.
  • Equitable admission processes and outreach programs, including the UTS Humanitarian Scholarship Program, Pasifika Programs, and other initiatives that target diverse student cohorts.
  • Including considerations of intersectionality as a key part of our gender equity efforts.
  • Inclusive teaching, learning and professional development.

Elimination of discrimination and harassment

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Transcript

Friends, we're making a strong institutional commitment today.

Today, as a community, we're proud to unveil the #racismNOTwelcome signs.

Two of the iconic red signs in the busiest area on a public campus, to validate the experiences of racism, to drive conversations, and to empower our community to be actively anti-racist.

We have a responsibility as a university to advocate for all aspects of social justice, equity and inclusion, and on the day for the elimination of racial discrimination, this focus takes the form of acknowledging and being honest about our part in eliminating and sometimes enabling racism.

But I think it's also important to think about the times when we haven't engaged in anti-racism and to think about, okay, well, what projects have we sidelined because we think that maybe they're too difficult or we think that they're not relevant?

I know UTS has done a lot of work over the years to commit to diversity awareness and anti-racism, so I guess I'd really like to see it really embedded into subjects and curriculum.

You've got to be really deliberate about learning more about things and taking action on those yourself. So it's not just about knowing in theory, it's about thinking, what practically can I do?

Now we are here to witness the installation of the signs. We are the first university to do so.

These signs point us in the right direction. They orient us towards being actively anti-racist.

The signs are not just signs that state our intent. They are signs that also reassure people that they're welcome here, wherever you come from, whatever your view, whatever your background, whatever you look like, this is a community for you.

I'm a Yuwaalaraay man from north west New South Wales, and it is my privilege to live and work on Gadigal country. And so on days like these, with the signs and other things we are, we do end up asking ourselves what we can do to actively combat this.

From a structural and institutional point of view, it's really important to think about how the policies we have in place and systems we have in place at the university impact on likelihood of racism occurring and affecting the university students and staff here at UTS.

I would love to get a part of more anti-racist endeavours like this. If there are more avenues and spaces where we can sort of impact anti-racist endeavours, I would love to be a part of that.

A place where we have zero tolerance for racism, whether overt or subtle, done knowingly or unknowingly. Racism, along with all forms of racial discrimination, is not welcome and not accepted at UTS.

Everyone has their own kind of sphere of influence, and so I think it's about thinking about the work that you do and whether it brings— you know, is it a safe space for people to engage with? Is it a safe place for Black and Indigenous people?

We're part of a university community here at UTS and we're part of a campus community, but we also bring communities in from outside the university, looking outwards as well, thinking about how UTS as a university influences and affects change in broader society as well.

It is not a sad day. This is a day where we need to be positive, we need to work together and be together as a community.

This is the day for the elimination of racial discrimination, but let's make this a lifetime.

Resources and support services for racism incidents

Crisis support

  • Lifeline Australia (call 13 11 14) – a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
  • Beyond Blue (call 1300 224 636) – a free and confidential counselling and information service for anyone going through a hard time or looking for ways to support someone they care about.
  • Yarn (call 13 YARN or 13 92 76) – a crisis support line run for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
  • headspace is Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation, providing early intervention mental health services to 12–25-year-olds.

Reporting racism

Resources and support for UTS staff and students

  • Students can access our free and confidential Counselling Service, who can help with a wide range of personal, psychological and study-related matters.
  • Staff have access to personal support via our Employee Assistance Program with TELUS Health.
  • Indigenous staff also have access to Yamurrah EAP which is a collective of First Nations clinicians, educators, academics, trauma specialists and legal professions who provide wellbeing support. To access, staff can either text 0451 500 584 or email info@yamurrah.com.au.

Complaints and grievances

  • Student complaints should be reported to the Student Complaints Resolution Office (SCRO). Students can get in touch with the SCRO directly about complaints including around race discrimination via email at student.complaints@uts.edu.au, by phone on 9514 8462 or through the complaints form on the student portal.
  • Staff experiencing any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination should consult the Complaints portal (internal SharePoint page – login required) and refer the matter to their immediate supervisor in the first instance (where possible). Staff may also seek confidential information and advice from the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion, the People Unit or any relevant external agency.