Antisemitism in UK Universities: Education Secretary Pledges More Support

Over recent years, antisemitism on university campuses in the United Kingdom has emerged as a serious concern. Jewish students, academics, and staff have reported rising cases of abuse, harassment and threatening behaviour. In response, the UK’s Education Secretary has committed to introducing further support and stronger measures to protect those affected — promising that universities will not only be held to higher standards, but also enabled with practical tools to tackle antisemitism effectively.

The Scale of the Problem

According to the Community Security Trust (CST), antisemitic incidents linked to universities have increased dramatically. Between the 2022‑23 and 2023‑24 academic years, there were 272 such incidents — the highest on record for a single university year.
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That represents a 117% increase compared with the 150 incidents recorded in 2020‑2022.
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While there has been a recent fall in incident reports — from 189 in 2023 to 145 in 2024 — the numbers remain well above pre‑2023 levels.
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Even with the drop, the figures reflect an environment in which many Jewish students still feel unsafe or marginalized. Some blame under‑reporting as well: when students grow disillusioned about whether reporting will lead to meaningful change, incidents go unreported.
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What Triggers the Surge

Much of the recent rise has been linked to external geopolitical events, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas following the events of October 7, 2023. The CST notes a sharp spike in antisemitic incidents immediately following that date, both in universities and more broadly across British society.
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Political tensions, protest activity, student encampments, social media discourse, and wider societal polarization have all been implicated in sparking or amplifying antisemitic behaviour on campuses.
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Universities also face internal challenges: the way student unions or university governance responds to complaints, inconsistent enforcement of policies, and sometimes lack of training for academic or administrative staff in handling antisemitic behaviour.
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Government Response: What Support Has Been Offered

In light of this, the UK government, led by the Education Secretary, has begun rolling out several measures and promises aimed at mitigating the problem and supporting affected individuals.

Funding for Antisemitism Education and Prevention
In October 2024, the Department for Education confirmed £7 million in funding to address antisemitism across schools, colleges, and universities.
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Part of this funding is directed to awareness‑raising, prevention work, and helping institutions build resilience to misinformation.
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Also, a portion — about £500,000 — has been earmarked for welfare support for Jewish students through the University Jewish Chaplaincy.
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Adoption of the IHRA Definition
The government has encouraged universities to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. While not compulsory (given universities’ autonomy), there is strong promotion of its adoption for clarity and consistency. By early 2024, 245 higher education providers in England had already adopted the IHRA definition.
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Quality Seal and Champion Role
To ensure accountability, the Department for Education is developing a “Tackling Antisemitism Quality Seal”, which will recognise institutions meeting exemplary standards in handling antisemitism — in terms of communication, complaint procedures, training, and student welfare.
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Additionally, there is to be an appointed Tackling Antisemitism Champion, someone respected by both the Jewish community and the higher education sector, to help guide universities toward those standards.
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Holocaust Education and Campus Leadership Training
Another measure is the provision of new funding to support Holocaust education within universities. One programme involves the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), which over three years will engage university student leaders, academics, and media in learning first‑hand about the Holocaust (including site visits), followed by seminars focused on how antisemitism manifests on campus.
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Support for University Policy and Reporting Mechanisms
The government is pushing for more robust reporting and response frameworks at universities — making policies clearer, ensuring staff are trained to understand what constitutes antisemitism, and that they take reports seriously.
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What More Needs to Be Done

While the government’s actions are welcomed by many in the Jewish community and by student organisations, observers say more is needed in several areas to ensure promises turn into real improvements.

Consistency in Reporting and Transparency
Better systems are needed across all universities to log, investigate, and publicise incident numbers and outcomes. Students must trust that reporting leads to meaningful redress, not just administrative burdens.

Cultural Change
Policy and funding are important, but they must be accompanied by change in culture. This means visible leadership from vice‑chancellors, heads of student unions, and academics speaking out. It also means integrating antisemitism awareness and sensitivity training into orientation, curricula, and staff development.

Balancing Freedom of Speech with Protection
Universities often cite freedom of expression to defend contentious speakers or protests. There is a tension between protecting academic freedom and ensuring that speech does not cross into harassment or hate. Clearer guidance and application of what is permissible — and what isn’t — are needed, especially in protest or debate situations.

Support for Students’ Wellbeing
Jewish students affected by antisemitic incidents report feeling unsafe, isolated, or afraid to participate fully in campus life. Mental health and welfare services need to be equipped and funded to provide counselling and support specifically for victims of antisemitism.

Monitoring and Evaluation
Any new initiative (such as the Quality Seal or awareness training) needs to be rigorously evaluated. Are incidents declining? Are students reporting more? Are institutions applying policies effectively? Without data and oversight, good intentions may not translate into change.

Education Secretary’s Stance and Latest Statements

The Education Secretary has described the rise in campus antisemitism as unacceptable. She has emphasised that no student should have to fear for their safety or feel excluded because of their religious identity. She has urged universities to take “practical and proportionate steps” to protect Jewish students and ensure that antisemitic behaviour is challenged swiftly.
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In a letter to university leadership, the Education Secretary has called for strengthened policies against harassment, clear reporting channels, and stronger accountability. The new regulations introduced require that formal anti‑harassment policies be in place, along with mechanisms for disciplinary action.
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Challenges and Criticisms

Even with these efforts, there are several criticisms and difficulties:

Underreporting: As noted, many incidents may go unreported either because students doubt institutions will take action, or because they fear backlash. This means official figures may understate reality.
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Distinguishing Criticism of Israel vs Antisemitism: One of the most complex issues is distinguishing between legitimate political debate over Israel/Palestine and antisemitism. Some critics argue that criticism is sometimes unfairly labelled antisemitic, while Jewish students say that rhetoric in protest sometimes crosses a line into harassment or hate. Universities must manage this carefully.
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Resource and Implementation Gaps: Policy pronouncements require funding, trained staff, consistent enforcement. There is variation across universities in how well‑prepared they are, how clear their policies are, and how responsive their leadership is.

Campus Autonomy and Variability: Universities in the UK enjoy considerable autonomy. That means that even where the government encourages adoption of definitions or standards, actual implementation may lag or vary. Some institutions may adopt the IHRA definition more fully than others. Some may not fully integrate the new frameworks.

Looking Ahead

The Education Secretary’s recent pledges mark an important moment: not merely acknowledging the problem, but allocating resources and demanding accountability. But impact will depend on whether the promised measures are implemented with speed, clarity, and serious oversight.

Key indicators to watch in the coming year include:

The number of universities that adopt the Quality Seal and how many meet the criteria.

Whether reports from students go up (which could indicate trust in systems), and whether serious incidents decline.

How universities respond to external pressures during protests, media coverage, and in student union debates.

How welfare, counselling, and chaplaincy support are enhanced, and whether Jewish students feel safer, more included, and more supported.

Conclusion

Antisemitism in UK universities is not a theoretical or remote problem. The evidence shows rising levels of abuse, harassment and exclusion faced by Jewish members of higher education. The Education Secretary’s response — more funding, new policy tools, leadership oversight and stronger educational work — is necessary, and, by many accounts, long overdue.

If universities take these commitments seriously — embedding change into culture rather than seeing them as box‑ticking exercises — there is reason to hope for safer, more inclusive campuses. All students, regardless of faith, deserve an educational environment free from hatred and fear. And under the current spotlight, universities, government, and student bodies must act in concert to ensure that promise becomes reality.

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