How is the Welsh Government responding to the recent StandWithUs UK report on the rise of antisemitism on British university campuses?
The Welsh Government is committed to an Anti-Racist Wales by 2030. Within our legislation ‘Well-being of Future Generations Act’, we have a goal of being an Equal Wales.
Our Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (ARWAP) makes it clear that racism of any kind has no place in any part of our society in Wales. The ARWAP provides a framework through which we will embed anti-racism into our education system. The Plan includes goals and actions to tackle antisemitism, including our ongoing support for victims of hate crime.
All universities in Wales have a Strategic Equality Plan setting out actions to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people.
Higher education institutions have a duty to ensure freedom of speech and academic freedom, but they must carry out their functions in full recognition of their obligations under the Equality Act (2010) Public Sector Equality Duty (2011).
We expect higher education institutions to discharge those responsibilities fully and to have robust policies and procedures in place to ensure students and staff are safeguarded and that they act within the law. We also expect them to act swiftly to address any instances of hate crime, including racism and antisemitism.