Australian Human Rights Commission Respect at Uni Interim Report December 2024 (b) Scope and design The scope and design of the focus groups will be defined and developed by the provider in consultation and agreement with the Commission with input from the Advisory Committee. The focus group design will: • Centre the voices of those who have experienced racism at Australian universities as experts in identifying the prevalence, nature, experiences and impact of racism. • Enable culturally safe and trauma-informed participation, grounded in the human rights principles of participation, accountability, nondiscrimination, equality, empowerment and emphasising lived experience, • Involve diverse groups of students and staff in Australian universities including: o The voices of Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff, international students and those from negatively racialised or culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds. o From a diverse range of intersectional identities and lived experiences, such as, but not limited to, cultural and ethnic background, socio-economic background, sexuality and gender identity, disability, migrant and refugee background, faith-based background and rural, regional and remote status. (c) Themes/discussion guide The provider will work with the Commission to identify key themes to be discussed in the focus groups. They will also develop the discussion guides for the focus group sessions. (d) Format of focus groups The focus groups provider will provide recommendations for the format of the focus groups, including the: • optimal number and size of focus groups sessions • optimal composition and length of each focus group • location of focus groups, including consideration of in person (the Commission’s preference where possible and if within budget) or via 69