More than a quarter of ANU students (26.1 per cent) had been sexually harassed and 12.3 per cent had been sexually assaulted since starting their studies.

Nationally, one in six had experienced sexual harassment and one in 20 (4.5 per cent) had been sexually assaulted since their first year.

ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said the problem was a societal issue.

"I want to make it clear that ANU is a unique campus environment," Professor Schmidt said.

"It is the most residential environment in Australia and so we are having to create best practice as we go."

Professor Schmidt said he had apologised to victims in the past but now was the time for action.

University of Canberra students reported slightly above-average rates of sexual harassment and assault. The university has received one report of sexual assault this year which is under investigation.

Vice-chancellor Paddy Nixon said in the short term the University of Canberra would launch a communication campaign about respect on campus to improve the awareness of support services for students, staff and visitors.

"There's absolutely no good news in those results from my perspective, and ... the acceptable numbers zero so the results were disappointing, dismaying, if you will, and certainly it's quite clear that there are things that we need to do," Professor Nixon said.

The ANU Students' Association women's officer Avan Daruwalla was not surprised about the high rate of incidents and said many students still didn't know how to get support.

"One that I often hear is that people have tried multiple avenues already and just feel lost and stuck," Ms Daruwalla said.

"They don't know exactly what to do to get help and they also feel that often they disclose and go through a really traumatic process of unloading their experience and then nothing happens, which is a huge disincentive to get further help."

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The student union president Christian Flynn called on halls to employ one pastoral care worker per 150 residents, opposed to the current situation where one staff member was responsible for up to 500 students.

"At the end of the day, what it's about is the behaviour of individuals, but where they're able to be living in a residential hall and putting people at risk in the residential hall is something the ANU has control over," Mr Flynn said.

On Monday the university pledged $3.3 million per year to employ 14 workers to support students in residences and as case managers as well as mandatory consent training for all students.

Professor Schmidt said students would be consulted on the roles which would be filled as soon as possible.

"We're going to spend what we need to spend to keep evolving our best practice," he said.

Ms Daruwalla said sexual harassment and assault could have a profound impact on students.

"I think that for a lot of students, the trauma that comes with those experiences, stays with them throughout their life," Ms Daruwalla said.

"And there's a lot of ways to cope and heal, but unfortunately, if they don't feel like the environment is safe for them, they might never come back from that."

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