Rishi Sunak will meet with university bosses in Downing Street on Thursday to call on them to take a “zero tolerance” approach to antisemitism.
The prime minister has invited vice-chancellors of leading universities for a meeting to address the rise in antisemitic abuse on campus and disruption to students’ learning.
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Jewish students have said they face a “toxic” environment as a growing number of Pro-Palestine encampments are set up at universities in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
While there has not been violent scenes like those seen in the US, the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) has warned the rhetoric emanating from these encampments “is increasing in hostility” – and called on university leaders to do more to keep Jewish students safe.
The meeting, which will include representatives from the UJS, will help inform upcoming government guidance on combatting antisemitism on campus, Downing Street said.
University leaders will be asked to take immediate disciplinary action if any student is found to be inciting racial hatred or violence, and to contact the police if a criminal act has been committed.
Mr Sunak said: “Universities should be places of rigorous debate but also bastions of tolerance and respect for every member of their community.
“A vocal minority on our campuses are disrupting the lives and studies of their fellow students and, in some cases, propagating outright harassment and antisemitic abuse. That has to stop”.
The meeting will come alongside £500,000 of funding going to the University Jewish Chaplaincy, which helps students deal with incidents of antisemitism and intimidation.
The money is part of the £7m of support announced by Jeremy Hunt in the Autumn Statement to tackle antisemitism in schools and universities.
In 2023, 182 university-related antisemitic incidents were recorded by the CST compared with 60 incidents in 2022 – a rise of 203%.
A spokesman for the UJS said: “Government and university leaders must acknowledge the surge in antisemitic incidents since October 7, UJS’s increased support efforts, and the resilience of Jewish students.
“Universities must act decisively to combat hate on campus. UJS stands ready to work with all stakeholders to tackle this urgent issue.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan will also attend the meeting, alongside Communities Secretary Michael Gove and Security Minister Tom Tugendhat.
Ms Keegan said: “I have made it absolutely clear that universities must crack down on antisemitic abuse and ensure that protests do not unduly disrupt university life.”
Oxford and Cambridge university students have set up pro-Palestinian encampments on campus lawns in recent days.
Encampments have also been set up at the universities of Manchester, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle while in Edinburgh five students are on a hunger strike.
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The wave of university protests in the UK follows a series of violent clashes at campuses across the US, most prominently at Columbia University in New York.
Encampments have also been set up in recent days in France, Ireland and Finland.
Protest groups in the UK have called on their universities to divest from Israel in response to its military operation in Gaza, launched in the wake of the Hamas atrocities on 7 October.
This would mean selling off stock in Israeli companies or otherwise dropping financial ties.
The UCU academics union has backed students taking part in peaceful protests, saying that “freedom of speech and freedom of assembly within the law are fundamental human rights and civil liberties which must be upheld”.
