At least one-in-five students at every public university in Australia don't feel free to express their views on campus, according to a new analysis of government survey data.
The findings come from a report by the Liberal-aligned Menzies Research Centre, based on responses to the federal government's annual Student Experiences Survey.
The survey has asked higher education students about freedom of expression since 2021 but university-level results have not previously been released.
The report says the trend has worsened in recent years and universities should be held accountable for how free students feel in expressing themselves.
"Universities exist to test ideas," Menzies Research Centre executive director David Hughes said.
"If students at every publicly funded university are telling government they do not feel free to speak, the sector has a serious problem."
