With increasing student mobility and numerous international opportunities, security of students becomes an important concern. In past years a growing number of international university students have been attacked in Australia – mostly beaten but recently one murdered as well - by non educated and unemployed youth gangs. The victims were mostly Indians, but Chinese, African and other Asian cases were identified. Countries in question increasingly voice their fury and call for an end to the violence against their youth. Yet, the Australian government highlights that the country is one of the safest and most tolerant English speaking destinations in the world.

How could violence and racism be effectively contained? Whose responsibility is it to take care of the security of international students? How could total security be guaranteed and who is to take concrete actions: the government, institutions, communities or individuals? What is the critical level of political and economic pressure to start facilitating a discussion at the global level on international student security? Who is competent in this regard at all?

Violence is a problem in every part of the world, attacking other races is not a unique case, but is certainly less expected in the academic sector. The real question, however, is to what extent this problem is linked to international students themselves or to the much wider problem of immigration and consequently the social responses to it.