Universities Australia has released the new measures after a damning report released last year revealed one in five students from Australia's 39 universities was sexually harassed in 2016.

The guidelines recommend creating a stand-alone policy to address sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Universities should minimise the number of times a student needs to recount a traumatic experience and streamline arrangements for academic special consideration.

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said the guidelines were part of sector-wide action on sexual assault and harassment.

"Every student should feel - and be - safe, both on campus and in the wider community," Ms Jackson said.

The guidelines say universities should ensure the majority of staff with student-facing roles have the skills to respond to reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment with compassion and care

They should also make sure there is multiple ways to make a formal report, including through online reporting tools and safety apps.

"Many of these actions and policies are ones that universities already have in place or are actively considering," Ms Jackson said.

"These guidelines are not intended to replace institutional approaches to dealing with these unacceptable behaviours, but rather provide further advice."

Australian Associated Press