SEXUAL harassment in universities is to be investigated by the National Union of Students, in the UK’s first ever survey of staff sexual misconduct in higher education.

SIn the investigation, students will be asked about whether they have ever experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct from higher education staff and their experience of reporting such behaviours to their institution.

The research project is being carried out by the NUS Women’s Campaign in partnership with lobby organisation The 1752 Group.

“As it currently stands, many institutions are ill-equipped to deal with instances of student-staff harassment or, indeed, harassment in general,” NUS women’s officer Hareem Ghani said.

“For too long, these problems have been at best sidelined and at worst silenced by institutions.

“We need to talk about the open secrets that plague academia, to challenge cultures of entitlement and stop abuses of power wherever they happen.”