Cultivating an anti-racist campus culture

At UTS, our diversity is our strength, with half of our staff and students born overseas and over 40 per cent coming from non-English language backgrounds. Despite this rich tapestry of cultures, universities can still be places where racist conduct and practices occur. 

Our keynote speaker Giridharan Sivaraman, Race Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission, will share his perspective on the higher education sector's role in combating racism, and discuss the historic anti-racism study at universities. 

Following his address, Giridharan Sivaraman will join a panel discussion with Professor Robynne Quiggin, Professor Kylie Readman, Glen Babington, Salma Elmubasher and Dr. Elaine Laforteza (moderator). Together, they will explore the role UTS is playing in driving anti-racism efforts both on and off campus and discuss the necessary steps universities must take to foster an environment of pride and belonging for all.

Event details

The event will also be live-streamed, so you can attend in person or tune in online! 

• 9.45 am: Doors open
• 10.00 am: Event commences
• 10.10 am: Keynote speaker
• 10.30 am: Panel session commences
• 11.30 am: Event concludes

Zoom link for today's event: https://utsmeet.zoom.us/j/8110...

Speakers

Giridharan Sivaraman is Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, whose role is to promote equality between people of different backgrounds, conduct research and educational programs to combat racial discrimination, and protect people from unfair treatment or vilification on the basis of their race, colour, descent, visa status, or national or ethnic origin. Previously, he was Principal Lawyer with Maurice, the Chair of Multicultural Australia, and was a member of the Queensland Multicultural Advisory Council.  

Professor Robynne Quiggin is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership and Engagement) at UTS. Robynne is a Wiradyuri lawyer who has worked on legal and policy issues of relevance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including business, investment, financial services, consumer issues, human rights, governance, rights to culture, heritage and the arts.

Professor Kylie Readman is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) at UTS and an experienced leader in the education sector. She is responsible for overseeing UTS's key priorities in teaching, learning, and the student experience. She has a particular focus on engagement, belonging, wellbeing, and partnerships with students.  

Glen Babington is the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President at UTS, and is responsible for the university’s finance, marketing/communications, property, IT, HR and legal functions as well as the data analytics and insights unit. He oversees the development and implementation of a range of strategies to support a progressive and sustainable operating model.  

Salma Elmubasher is a proud Palestinian-Australian Muslim woman. She grew up in Kuwait and attended an international school. Salma has extensive leadership experience and has participated in international conferences. She currently serves as President of the Palestinian Youth Society and Ethnocultural Officer at UTS.

Professor Michael Blumenstein is currently the Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) in the Faculty of Engineering & IT at UTS (UTS’s largest and most diverse faculty). Over two decades, Michael has successfully led the growth of cutting-edge research at a number of universities. Michael is passionate about developing technology that has a positive effect on society, focusing on AI for good.

Dr Elaine Laforteza (moderator) is the Equity and Diversity Project Officer (Cultural Diversity) at UTS. Elaine’s work has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals and community media, and she authored the book The Somatechnics of Whiteness and Race. Elaine hosts SBS’s award-winning podcast, My Bilingual Family, and is also an emerging playwright.