Sophia Hamblin Wang, joint winner of Young Alumna of the Year (Image: ANU)

Last night, the University proudly celebrated the outstanding contributions of its alumni community at the 2023 ANU Alumni Awards.

From grassroots community initiatives to the highest levels of global politics, alumni of ANU are doing their bit to make the world a better place.

This year’s ANU Alumni Awards recognised seven outstanding members of the alumni community, who embody the University’s ethos of excellence, leadership and service.

Read about our seven extraordinary alumni

Sunday 3 December is International Day of People with Disability, which marks an opportunity to understand the experiences of individuals with disability and how we can continue to create positive change at ANU. 

We have made significant progress this year and have a lot to celebrate. In 2023, ANU: 

- placed fourth nationally (and first for universities) in the Australian Network on Disability Access and Inclusion Index. The Index is a widely used tool that helps organisations to improve accessibility. The ANU has made gradual and sustainable progress in our participation over the last three years.  

- developed a better understanding of the experiences of staff with disabilities through our ANYOU Staff Engagement Survey. People and Culture will continue to engage with staff through surveys and staff networks in 2024. 

- improved the application form in ANU recruit allowing individuals to voluntarily and securely disclose disability and/or request adjustments in a recruitment process.  

- provided training to HR and recruitment support staff on unconscious bias, advertising approaches and the provision of adjustments to remove barriers in recruitment and selection.   

- renewed the Disability Action Plan to provide targeted direction for implementation in 2024. 

We know there is still work to do to support staff with disabilities. People and Culture will continue to work on actions in partnership with our staff network. Staff can find additional information and resources on the Staff disability support webpage and the DAP SharePoint page. There is also fantastic resources on the International Day of People with Disability website including event hosting kits. 

If you are a staff member with lived experience of disability and would like to join the discussion, please email staffdiversity@anu.edu.au.   

Thursday 30 November, 10am-12.30pm 

In celebration of the International Day of People with Disability, we will be hosting award-winning film director Dan Sanguineti along with student presentations on improving the lives of people with disabilities. Dan Sanguineti was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in his 30s. His award-winning film, The Way Sam Sees It is about a talented photographer with Down Syndrome. 
 
Come for a screening and discussion followed by a Q&A and provided catering at the Innovation Space, ANU.  

Register via email

This week there are further updates about recruitment processes for senior vacancies with advertising going live for two key senior leadership roles. 

Chief Financial Officer 

This key executive role is now live, presenting an exceptional opportunity to lead the University’s finance and business operations. Applications close on 18 December 2023 with the selection process to be finalised early in 2024. 

Provost and Senior Vice-President 

A unique opportunity for an outstanding leader is now live. This role will support the Vice-Chancellor and President in leading and shaping the future of the University. Applications close on 21 January 2024, with the process to be finalised in the first quarter of 2024. 

 
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) 

Applications have closed overnight, and the shortlisting process has commenced, the intention is to interview and reach an appointment decision before the break. We anticipate making an announcement on this appointment late in December or early January 2024. 

To stay connected to our community and leadership team, keep reading On Campus every Tuesday for updates on key new appointments and movements. 

Wednesday 29 November, 6-7pm 

Join us for the launch of the monograph Ken Whisson: Painting & Drawing, authored by Quentin Sprague and designed by Small Tasks. This insightful book, co-published by Drill Hall Gallery Publishing and The Miegunyah Press, is a rich exploration of Ken Whisson's unique artistic journey. The event will include a conversation with Quentin Sprague and Terence Maloon, former ANU Drill Hall Gallery Director, offering a deep dive into Whisson's work, characterized by his reliance on memory and creative intuition. 

Register now 

Thursday 30 November, 8-5.30pm

This event promises to be a landmark gathering of leading scholars, practitioners and policymakers in the field of Islamic science. The symposium will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and interactive sessions focussed on current trends, challenges and opportunities in Islamic finance, particularly within the Australian context. 

Register now

Monday 4 December, 6-7pm 

Embark on an enlightening journey into the world of nuclear science with our free public lecture at the ANU new Physics Building Auditorium. Discover the evolution of this fascinating field from the Manhattan Project, led by Australian physicist Mark Oliphant, to the groundbreaking advancements of today. 

Register now

Tuesday 5 December, 10-11.30am 

Hosted by the Crawford School of Public Policy, come celebrate the launch of a pivotal book derived from the 2022 Indonesia Update, exploring 20 years of shifting gender relations in Australia's most important neighbour. The Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality, Ms Stephanie Copus Campbell will launch the book. 

Register now

The Rights, Relationships and Respect (RRR) consent and healthy relationships program has been shortlisted for the Nurturing Values and Ethics Award. This year’s awards were exceptionally competitive as the judging panel received more than 1200 submissions across 17 awards categories. First implemented in 2023, RRR is a consent and healthy relationships education program for ANU students. The module introduces students to core concepts relating to sexual consent and respectful relationships, as well as important information about ANU care and support services. 

Read more about the RRR program

In line with the ANU Digital Master Plan, we're upgrading to Microsoft 365 in order to enhance our digital framework. This change will automatically occur on all ANU devices starting Monday 4 December and be visible upon your next restart. This move to M365 is crucial for improving our digital efficiency and interactions. We appreciate your cooperation during this transition and are excited about the improved digital experience it will bring. 

As of this month Cipherise, the University’s passwordless solution provider, has made the decision to exit the market and will no longer be supported. This decision was unexpected and has required us to enact a quick resolution to ensure the continued security and functionality of our systems.  

As a result, we will be reverting to our previous form of authentication – username and password with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). ANU remains committed to a passwordless solution for our community and will explore alternatives and develop options early 2024 for a new solution.  

What this means for you

From 30 November you will no longer be able to use the Cipherise app to authenticate. 

You will need to log in using your username and password, followed by MFA which has already been enabled on all staff and student accounts. 

Instead of seeing the Cipherise authentication screen with QR code, you will see the username & password login screen, as below. 

You can uninstall the Cipherise app from your device if not used for any other services. 

 Support and Assistance 

If you need assistance or have difficulties, you can: 

Lodge a Service Now ticket through https://servicedesk.anu.edu.au; 

Send an email to passwordless@anu.edu.au; or 

Phone the Service Desk on Ph.: 612 54321 during business hours. Dial 2, 2, and then 2 to get directly to the MFA Service Desk 

Need help resetting your password? Head to Identity - Password Reset. 

Read more 

Keep reading On Campus for updates about a new provider in 2024.  

From Friday 8 December the Art & Music Library will be closed because of the hail remediation work on the building. Following that the Art & Music Library services will operate from the Chifley Library on an ongoing basis and be available 24/7. When the building reopens the area currently used for the Art & Music Library will be repurposed as a study space.  

Keep reading On Campus for information and updates throughout this process. 

After some two years of consultation, co-design and collaboration, we’re delighted to announce that the feature-laden study site is now up and running (literally). 

The mission of the study site is to deliver a seamless student experience by providing a one-stop destination for prospects - from consideration, to conversion, to commencement. 

Go and check out the study site, and if you feel inspired to pursue further studies at ANU, you might be eligible for the ANU Staff and Family Tuition Fee Discount. 

Read the full message

Check out the brand new study site at study.anu.edu.au. 

Don't miss out on the opportunity to showcase your baking skills in the ‘Great Brian Bake Off’ competition at this year's End of Year Staff Party. Two winners will walk away with $200 VISA vouchers, and every participant will receive an exclusive tea towel as a token of appreciation. To assist you in selecting the perfect recipe, we've curated a list of creative baking ideas below:

- How about a Red Wine Chocolate Cake inspired by Brian's love for wine-making? https://www.sbs.com.au/food/the-cook-up-with-adam-liaw/recipe/red-wine-chocolate-cake/gyz9likko

- Celebrate Brian's Nobel Prize with galaxy-themed cupcakes https://www.fergusonplarre.com.au/stars-cupcake-cake

- Who says baking must be sweet? Channel Brian's passion for sourdough with a cob loaf https://michelineandrews.com.au/bacon-and-corn-sourdough-cob-loaf/

- Brian was born in the USA! Go all-American with an All-American Cake or a Great Pumpkin Pie https://iwashyoudry.com/all-american-cake/) | https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/the-great-pumpkin-pie-recipe/

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.