Anti-Discrimination Policies

In 2024, the University of Newcastle maintained a clear and comprehensive Workplace Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy, which outlines our commitment to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all members of the University community.

The policy explicitly states that the University will not tolerate, and is committed to preventing, all forms of:

  • Workplace bullying
  • Unlawful harassment
  • Unlawful discrimination

Section 7 – Discrimination addresses the University’s obligations under relevant legislation, including the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), and affirms that all staff, students, and affiliates must be treated fairly and equitably regardless of personal characteristics such as race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age, or religious belief.

This policy underpins the University's broader strategic commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion across all aspects of academic and professional life.

This policy was effective from the 8th of April 2024 and will be reviewed in April 2027.


Learn more about what's happening at the University:


News • 06 May 2024

Sector-first approach to Indigenous health research

Community members and top medical bodies across the Hunter and New England regions have joined forces in a powerful bid …

News • 06 May 2024

Sector-first approach to Indigenous health research

Community members and top medical bodies across the Hunter and New England regions have joined forces in a powerful bid …

News • 06 May 2024

Sector-first approach to Indigenous health research

Community members and top medical bodies across the Hunter and New England regions have joined forces in a powerful bid …

News • 07 Mar 2023

Beginning teachers deliver same quality of teaching as experienced teachers

Early career teachers deliver the same quality of teaching as their more experienced colleagues, new research from the University of Newcastle’s Teachers and Teaching Research Centre (TTRC) reveals.

News • 31 Jan 2023

University of Newcastle Professor Appointed UNESCO Chair

The University of Newcastle’s Professor Penny Jane Burke has today been appointed a UNESCO Chair in Equity, Social Justice and Higher Education – a globally-prestigious role that will see her working to improve the lives of marginalised groups around the world.

News • 28 Jun 2022

Tertiary system can better support victims of gender-based violence

New research by the University of Newcastle has found students who are victim-survivors of gender-based violence overcome major challenges to access and fully participate in higher education – and the institution is pushing for change.

News • 06 Apr 2022

Young refugee adults learn about Aboriginal resilience and survival

In the spirit of public pedagogy, young adults belonging to the Hunter region’s refugee cohort, visited the University of Newcastle’s (UoN) Gallery to see the Looking Through Windows exhibition and learn about Aboriginal Australians who grew up and lived on the missions, reserves and fringe camps at

News • 18 Feb 2022

Welcoming students from refugee backgrounds to study at Newcastle Law School

Newcastle Law School and the Centre for Law and Social Justice are celebrating the commencement of four new students of refugee background in the undergraduate Law program.

News • 20 Jun 2021

Understanding the impact of gender based violence on access to and participation in higher education

A team at the University of Newcastle, Professor Penny Jane Burke, Dr Julia Coffey, Felicity Cocuzzoli and Dr Stephanie Hardacre, have launched a new research project to explore the impact of gendered violence on access to and participation in higher education.

News • 28 Jul 2020

Professor Penny Jane Burke joins new Australian Equity in Higher Education Panel

Professor Penny Jane Burke (Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education) attended the first meeting of the new Federal government Equity in Higher Education Panel (EHEP) as one of two invited research experts in the field.

News • 12 May 2020

Collaboration with the University of Bath through Global Chair role

The award of the 2020-2021 Global Chair role to Professor Penny Jane Burke will support ongoing research collaboration with the University of Bath. Professor Burke will provide mentorship to colleagues in the UK and co-develop research projects and online courses.

News • 05 Mar 2020

Writing Program for equity practitioners in full swing

The 2020 National Writing Program for Equity and Widening Participation Practitioners was recently launched, along with the upcoming publications for 2019 participants.