University failed Jewish students after pro-Palestine protest, ombudsman finds

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) was found to have inadequately handled complaints from Jewish students following a pro-Palestine demonstration, according to a report by the National Student Ombudsman, as reported by braidwoodtimes.com.au and bendigoadvertiser.com.au.

The report concluded that UTS did not follow its complaints policy and failed to respond effectively to student feedback after some Jewish students said they were singled out based on their identity during a National Day of Action for Palestine rally in March 2025.

During the protest, a guest speaker addressed a counter-protester with remarks that made Jewish students feel uncomfortable, which led to complaints. The ombudsman noted that some students received no response to their complaints, while others were given generic replies that did not address their specific concerns.

UTS had commissioned an external review to assess the situation and the risks of harm, but the ombudsman found that the university mishandled both the review and the complaints process.

The external review was expanded to include an event organized by the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) in April 2025, which discussed the impact of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. An unauthorized protest occurred during this event, but the ombudsman clarified that the external review incorrectly criticized AUJS for not following event organization procedures.

Education Minister Jason Clare commented that the report showed UTS had let Jewish students down, highlighting the university's shortcomings in managing the situation and supporting affected students.