A new group has been launched to tackle rising antisemitism on campus under the leadership of Professor Anthony Julius.

The Intra-Communal Professorial Group has begun research on anti-Jewish hostility at British universities and plans to make recommendations on how to improve life for Jewish students and staff.

More than 25 academics from various institutions including Oxford and Cambridge Universities and several London colleges are supporting the initiative.

Professor Julius, the chair of the ICPG, who has a chair in University College London’s law faculty, said, “We have formed the ICPG in response to the increasing levels of hostility and fear to which Jewish students and staff have been subjected in recent months at universities across the UK."

The group’s goal was, he said, “to devise actionable, effective strategies to enable a safe and secure environment for all students and staff. We will work with university leaders to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against antisemitism on campus.”

Deputy chair of the ICPG is Professor Daniel Hochhauser, Kathleen Ferrier Chair of Medical Oncology, University College London, while the group’s director is Odeliya Lanir Zafir.

Dave Rich, the CST’s director of policy, said, “We have seen a dramatic and concerning increase in reported incidents of antisemitism at UK universities since 7 October. CST is working hard to keep our whole community safe during this extremely difficult time and we see the ICPG as an important and welcome initiative for understanding and tackling university-related antisemitism, to help ensure that this hatred is no longer tolerated.”

Arieh Miller, chief executive of the Union of Jewish Students, said since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, “we have seen the biggest antisemitism crisis on campus in a generation. It has not only impacted Jewish students, but Jewish faculty, and administrators too. We are looking forward to partnering with the ICPG to ensure the experience of all Jewish people on campus is continually recorded and presented to university senior management to ensure all Jewish voices on campus are heard.”

For further details, contact Odeliya.lz@icpg.org.uk