On Tuesday 29 April the University participated in a conference before the Fair Work Commission to seek to resolve the dispute lodged by the NTEU in relation to Renew ANU 2025.

The Commissioner supported both parties in reaching a resolution to the dispute, which has been resolved, and the Commission issued a statement reflecting that resolution.

The key points agreed upon align with and confirm the commitments the University had already made in the Renew ANU 2025 Change Principles Implementation Plan.  It is reassuring to have these points confirmed.

Read more: ANU and NTEU Fair Work Outcome

Since February 2025, we have been providing updates on the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS). You can see previous updates in On Campus, with the last update occurring on Tuesday 8 April.

To date, 325 EOIs have been received. Of those, 175 have been accepted by the central Recruitment Advisory Committee (RAC). As of Wednesday 30 April 2025, 23 staff have accepted the separation and have scheduled a departure from the University.

Staff will continue to work with People and Culture to confirm acceptance and a departure date. All staff who applied will be contacted by mid-May. We thank all departing staff for all their hard work at the University and wish them well for their time beyond ANU.

As we prepare for the departure of valued team members, it’s important that we all do our part to ensure a smooth transition and maintain strong data hygiene across the institution. This same approach also applies when staff take extended leave. Whether you're leaving the organisation or stepping away temporarily, effective handover practices help to minimise disruption and keep things running smoothly. 

We encourage all staff to take a moment to review their current processes and ensure important knowledge is well documented and accessible. If you hold information or processes that aren't yet captured anywhere, now is the time to improve on that. 

A quality handover includes:

By taking these simple steps, you’ll help your team as well as preserve business continuity, avoid knowledge gaps, and support a more resilient and collaborative workplace. Thank you for doing your part to keep our data and processes strong.

The University continues its commitment to fostering a healthier and more supportive work environment and collectively decreasing our leave liability through the management of annual and long service leave liabilities. April saw a small decrease in the University’s collective leave balance in comparison to March – noting this period contained a student break and public holidays which incentivised leave.

The University will continue using rostered leave arrangements for staff with excess annual and long service leave balances. Staff will be contacted by People and Culture throughout the year, notifying them of their excess leave balance and encouraging them to develop a leave management plan with their supervisor to reduce their leave in accordance with the ANU Enterprise Agreement.

I spent last night at the Australian Studies Institute Visiting Fellows dinner, which was a lovely evening to meet with visiting academics to ANU and hear about their research and experiences on our campus and their experiences from around the world. Hosting academics from other institutions (from as far as the Australian Public  Service and the University of Bologna!) is one of the many ways we ensure our research and teaching is international, expansive and connected beyond ANU. With the dis-establishments and encroachment on US institutions unfolding on a nearly daily basis, it is now more critical to be a place that welcomes and supports academics, research and ideas that challenge the world around us. 

Read more: VC’s Update, April news

As we have done in previous years, the University has sought permission from the Minister of Education to pre-release high level financial information from the ANU Annual Report before it is tabled in Parliament. Updates for 2020; 2021; 2022 and 2023 are published to the University’s website.

This year, we are expanding the update to include a quarterly financial update. The first of those for 2025 is above, which includes an update on the 2024 financial results and the Q1 2025 update.

The 2024 ANU Annual Report will be tabled in Parliament later this year, and once approved, will be published on the ANU website. Previous updates are available online.

The 2025-2030 ANU Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy outlines a clear path and actionable steps towards a more supportive and sustainable University environment. Shaped by the suggestions of 275 students and staff the strategy aims to address the diverse needs of the community.

Ahead of the official launch of the strategy in September, we want to hear from you. Your feedback on the insights reflected in the strategy overview and appendices will help us refine the strategy, guide our immediate priorities and inform leadership decision-making.

University Experience Executive Lyndall Strazdins says, "We feel that executing this strategy is crucial to maintaining staff and student wellbeing through this tough period of change. Your feedback will help us set the right goalposts to deliver impactful support to our community."

The feedback form closes on Tuesday 6 May.

Have your say: ANU Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

We are delighted to congratulate three of our scientific researchers on their recent awards from the Australian Academy of Science, including:

Congratulations to Professor Alison Rodger, Professor Yuri Kivshar and Associate Professor Daniel Noble for your tremendous achievements.

The ANU Tax Clinic is a free and confidential service designed to assist taxpayers in understanding and meeting their tax affairs and obligations. This friendly, student-led clinic provides clients with information and guidance on a wide range of simple and complex tax matters under the supervision of experienced tax practitioners. Appointments are available via phone, videoconferencing, or in person. 

Learn more: ANU Tax Clinic

As Australians head to the polls on Saturday 3 May, ANU experts are urging the incoming government to act decisively on the nation’s most pressing issues. From intergenerational inequality and housing affordability to climate change and national security, the stakes are high. Experts warn that young Australians are being left behind, with policies failing to address their concerns or restore hope for the future. ANU experts agree it’s time for policies that are bold, future-focused and grounded in evidence.

Read more: What should the incoming government prioritise?

Who won the four election debates, and do they even change people’s minds? In a scenario where we end up with a minority government, what can we expect from the crossbench? And which questions still remain in our live audience’s minds?  

On this live episode of Democracy Sausage, recorded at an ANU pub, Dr Jill Sheppard and Professor Frank Bongiorno join Dr Marija Taflaga and Professor Mark Kenny for a final rundown of the 2025 election.  

Listen now: Democracy Sausage, the pub test

Friday 2 May, 12-2pm 

What does wellbeing mean to you—and how does spirituality fit in? Join the ANU Chaplaincy for an open and inclusive conversation exploring the role of spirituality in wellbeing across different cultures and perspectives. Facilitated by Valerie Albrecht, speech pathologist, yoga practitioner and author, this informal session invites you to listen, share, and reflect. All welcome – bring your lunch. 

Register now: Lunch box conversation, wellbeing and spirituality

Wednesday 7 May, 10-11.30am 

This free online workshop delivered by the Director of Corporate Governance and Risk Office - Phillip Tweedie, will serve as a briefing and facilitated discussion of the key elements of governance at ANU. Learn what legislation governs the University, the role of ANU Council and its Committees, the legal duties of officials and staff and more.  

Register now: ANU Governance Essentials

Thursday 8 May, 8.30-10am 

This seminar brings together three emerging scholars whose research represents the vibrant new directions in the historical study of international relations in Asia. While their projects differ in empirical scope and focus, all three contribute to a shared effort to rethink how Asian historical experiences can enrich, challenge and expand the theoretical foundations of international relations. 

Register now: Emerging perspectives on the historical international relations of Asia

Thursday 8 May, 6-7pm 

Steve Vizard will be in conversation with Frank Bongiorno about his book, Nation, Memory, Myth. Gallipoli and the Australian Imaginary. In this book, Vizard brings an original perspective to the foundational myth of Gallipoli as a sacred bearer of Australian national values and identity.  

In this meticulously researched analysis of the Gallipoli mythology, Vizard examines the common elements of national myths that transform them into compelling symbolic representations of cultural memory and kinship. He unpacks the tensions and clarifies the ambiguities embodied within these myths. 

Register now: Meet the author, Steve Vizard

Monday 12 May, 9.45-10.30am 

A new training centre housed at ANU will equip the next generation of scientists to tackle some of Australia and the world’s biggest biosecurity challenges, including the bee-killing Varroa mite. Join us for the virtual launch of the ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity in conjunction with the International Day of Plant Health. 

Register now: Virtual launch of the ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity

Thursday 15 May, 5-6.30pm 

Southeast Asia has long been a region caught in the crosshairs of overlapping order transitions. Today, the world faces a rapidly changing international order in the face of great power revisionism, assertion and aggression, the rise of radicalism, economic de-coupling and the second Trump presidency.  In this lecture, ANU scholars will unpack how Southeast Asia managing the ongoing contestations and renegotiation of key global, regional and national compacts. 

Register now: Rules-based order? Southeast Asia in the age of the deal

Here’s the thing about a good teacher – you never forget them. Economist, Professor Creina Day from the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy is one of these teachers. Part of what makes Day’s teaching approach so effective is the way she uses economic models to explain contemporary challenges. Her approach emphasises relevance, research-led curricula and reflective practice – principles that not only enhance student understanding but also inspire future generations of economists.

Read more: Award-winning ANU economist on leading the way in transformative teaching

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the new Indigenous Strategy Working Group, which has replaced the previous Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group. This new group will lead the development of a University strategy that better reflects our evolving priorities and objectives and strengthens our ongoing commitment to Indigenous engagement and reconciliation.

Learn more: Indigenous Strategy Working Group

If you would like a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues, strengthen Indigenous cultural competence and empower Indigenous voices join the ANU Indigenous Staff Network. This staff-led community is open to both Indigenous Australians and Indigenous peoples from across the globe. To join the network and partake in the upcoming staff networking event on Thursday 8 May contact staffdiversity@anu.edu.au. 

Learn more: ANU Staff networks 

Abstract submissions are now open for the Digital Humanities Australasia 2025 Conference, taking place from Tuesday 2 December to Friday 5 December at ANU. The conference welcomes papers on: 

The deadline to submit abstracts via ConfTool is Friday 9 May and notifications of acceptance will be sent by Tuesday 13 June.

Learn more: Digital Humanities Australasia 2025 Conference

We’d like to thank staff for embracing the University's new performance and development system, ANU Focus. 59 per cent of all eligible academic and professional staff have completed the first step of this process – goal setting. If you or your team haven’t completed this yet, please use this week as an opportunity to do so, to help clearly set your work and development goals for 2025.  

Information, guidance and other training resources are available on the ANU Focus website and ANU Focus SharePoint.

Navigating change can be difficult, but we are here to support you. The Safety and Wellbeing team has designed a new section of the Health and Wellbeing SharePoint site to support staff in navigating organisational change.  

Find resources on:

There are links to best practices, tools, strategies, supports and resources related to each sub-section to help you effectively manage and lead your teams during transitions.

Learn more: Guiding teams through change

ANU is offering free flu vaccinations to support staff health and wellbeing during the upcoming flu season. Vaccinations are available on campus at the ANU Medical Centre (by appointment) and ANU Pharmacy (walk-in), or off campus at Terry White Chemists using a voucher (available in HORUS from April 2025).

Learn more: Free Flu Vaccinations

Take the opportunity to strengthen your online security this World Password Day, Thursday 1 May. We all know we should avoid reusing passwords and steer clear of personal details like your date of birth or pet’s name—but creating strong, unique passwords for every account can be overwhelming. Learn how to create strong, memorable passwords with easy-to-follow visuals created by ANU Cyber Sense.

Learn more: Celebrating World Password Day

The Student Equity team is proud to introduce the First Generation Community Newsletter. Being a first-generation student means being among the first in your immediate family's generation to attend University.

This newsletter is for any students, staff and alumni who are part of, or want to support, the first-generation student community. The bi-monthly newsletter shares stories of first-generation success, tips and advice for current students, resources and invitations to events and networking opportunities.

Sign up to the mailing list: First Generation Community Newsletter

I hope you had a lovely Easter. I want to hear from you – what you’d like to see more of, what you might like to see less of and how we can ensure OC is your go-to update every week. You can reach me at editor.oncampus@anu.edu.au.

Lou Adena, Editor, On Campus

ANU Security - (02) 6125 2249 

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ANU Security.  

Media hotline 24/7 - (02) 6125 7979 

Contact the 24/7 media hotline for media queries regarding the University and its operations, or to track down experts that aren’t listed in our Experts Guide.  

Do you need support? Help is available if you need it. Whether it's a work-related issue or a personal one, the University encourages you to seek support through the Employee Assistance Program.

If you need to support a student in distress, please refer to this guide developed by the Student Safety and Wellbeing team.