Education Secretary calls on university leaders to ‘expel antisemitic abuse from campuses’
Bridget Phillipson addressed addressed over 80 senior university leaders and student unions at the inaugural Union of Jewish Students Vice Chancellors’ Conference
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has told university leaders they must “expel antisemitic abuse from campuses,” in a speech at a high-level conference.
She also made clear her position that “antisemitic abuse is not free speech” as she addressed over 80 senior leaders from universities and student unions at the inaugural Union of Jewish Students Vice Chancellors’ Conference.
Phillipson stressed the critical role educational chiefs now play in efforts to combat anti-Jewish hatred among young people. Addressing senior university leaders, the Secretary of State claimed that “in education we have a responsibility to lead,” and that “education can be a lasting cure to antisemitic hatred.”
She described stories of harassment and assault of Jewish students as “a drumbeat of hatred directed at bright young students,” calling them “heartbreaking, just as it was chilling.”
Phillipson added: “These students are right to feel frustrated, they are right to feel angry: that still in 2026, here in the UK, on the campuses of our universities, they are made to feel unsafe for no other reason than their Jewish identity.”
She repeated her earlier call for universities to “do everything in their power to drive out antisemitism,” which the cabinet minister said “has no place in our campuses.”
Over 80 senior leaders from universities and student unions were brought to JW3 in North London by UJS for a high-level conference focused on tackling antisemitism in higher education.
The Education Secretary also endorsed UJS’s new best practice guidance for higher education institutions, saying that universities “owe it” to Jewish students to “see it through.”
Her speech was followed by a question and answer session with UJS President Louis Danker.
Alongside sessions delivered by UJS sabbatical officers and a panel of Jewish student leaders, speakers included Dr Arif Ahmed (Director of Free Speech and Academic Freedom, Office for Students), Sir David Bell (University of Sunderland and author of the Bell Review into antisemitism in schools and colleges), and representatives from the Community Security Trust (CST).
The conference was attended by 81 sector principals and university and student union senior leaders from across 46 universities. The event forms part of a wider programme, delivered by the Union of Jewish Students and supported by the Department for Education, to strengthen antisemitism awareness and embed best practice across universities.
Danker, UJS President, said: “This conference marks an important moment for the higher education sector. We have set out both the reality facing Jewish students and a clear pathway to change. It is now essential that universities translate commitment into continued action, ensuring campuses are safe, inclusive environments for all.”
Ruth Wagner, Project Manager for Tackling Antisemitism in Higher Education at UJS, said: “Vice Chancellors play a critical role in shaping institutional culture. By engaging directly with this work and committing to ongoing antisemitism awareness and training, university leaders can drive meaningful, lasting change across their institutions.”
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