Image: The School of Art and Design building at the Australian National University. Photo: ANU

I’ve been returning gradually from sick leave and want to acknowledge some of the statements made at the governance inquiry last week. Although we cannot address individual allegations publicly, I was really saddened to see members of our University in such distress, both those who appeared at the inquiry and those on our campus who have been impacted. The University is provided with a right of reply and we will address the concerns raised with the Senate committee. Due process is important for everyone involved and I ask that people are respectful of the many staff impacted by this hearing. We do have support services available and if you need them, please make sure you reach out.

Read more: VC's update – ongoing conversations 

Image: Associate Professor Robert Wellington. Photo: ANU

Since his teens, fashion has served as a kind of armour for Robert Wellington – a way of wearing self-confidence on his sleeve.  

He still remembers one of the first times his dad gave him money to go shopping.

Most boys his age would have returned home with a soccer tee, a cap or maybe a pair of Nike trainers.

Wellington came back with a big faux fur, leopard print coat from a local thrift shop.

Read more: Meet Robert: a life gilded in punk couture, queer expression and royal opulence

The remit of the Safety and Wellbeing Committee is expanding to include consideration of the safety of staff, contractors and visitors as well as students.

Students who wish to be considered for appointment to the Committee should submit an Expression of Interest addressed to the Chancellor via email to director.governance@anu.edu.au, by 5pm, Wednesday 3 September.

More information: Safety and Wellbeing Committee

Nominations open this Wednesday for the 2025 ANUSA General Election. All undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree by research (HDR) students are encouraged to participate, nominate and vote.

Nomination forms and further information is available on the Elections page of the ANUSA website.

More information: ANUSA elections – call for nominations

Image: PhD scholar Lhendup Tharchen. Photo: Supplied

PhD scholar Lhendup Tharchen has spent his career tracking big cats and wants to ensure the apex predators can coexist with humans.

The snow-capped peaks of Himalayan mountains of Bhutan are home to hidden residents – always watching and waiting.

The snow leopard is an elusive figure. Just because you haven’t spotted the big cat, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t seen you.

Read more: By following snow leopards, this ANU PhD scholar learnt about the power of coexistence

Image: Racism@Uni logo. Photo: Supplied

Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission asked all universities to stage the rollout of the Racism@Uni Survey. With around 1.5 million staff and students set to take part nationwide, care needed to be taken to avoid server impacts from the very high response volumes anticipated. As a result, the ANU survey deployment, originally scheduled for 14 August, began as of yesterday.

Staff and students aged 18 and over should have received a personalised survey link via email. The Survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and participation is anonymous meaning all responses will be de-identified. By taking part, you’ll help create a clearer picture of what’s happening on campus and online – and what needs to change.

Read more: Racism@Uni Survey – your voice matters 

Thursday 21 August, 12–1pm

ANIP is a one-semester research-based internship for academic credit.

ANIP interns can go to the Commonwealth Parliament, research centres, peak industry bodies, think tanks and more.

Applications for ANIP Internships for Semester 1 2026 (for placements in February to May) close on 30 September 2025.

Learn more: Australian National Internships Program (ANIP) information session

Monday 1 September, 5pm

Join Professor Richard Bryant for a compelling and thought-provoking presentation on the future of PTSD treatment.

As part of the Cecil Gibb Public Lecture series, Professor Bryant will explore the complex mechanisms that sustain PTSD symptoms and reveal how deeper insights into these processes can pave the way for more effective, personalised interventions.

Register here: Advancing treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Monday 8 September – Saturday 20 September

Immersia 2025 is your passport to the cultures, histories and languages of Asia and the Pacific—right here at ANU. Across two vibrant weeks, experience performances, workshops, games, talks, food and more, with most events open and accessible to all. Family-friendly and full of discovery, it’s a chance to see the world differently, connect with community and celebrate what makes our region extraordinary.

Read more: 2025 Immersia: Engaging with Asia and the Pacific

Tuesday 9 September, 5pm – Wednesday 10 September, 8.30pm 

2025 has brought Taiwan into a period of heightened uncertainty and instability. This year’s update examines Taiwan’s economic statecraft, energy security challenges and deepening political polarisation, as well as the revitalisation of Indigenous knowledge through video games. The award-winning film Gaga – centred on a local election for township chief – is not to be missed.

Find out more: 2025 ANU Taiwan update

The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) invites you to submit creative photographs – from tiny insects and majestic trees to vibrant flowers and rare animals – on the theme “biodiversity on our campus.”

The goal is to create a global gallery showcasing unique perspectives on how biodiversity is experienced and observed across university campuses worldwide.

The pictures will be judged by an international jury and the winning pictures will be exhibited on all participating university campuses.

Winning entries will be featured internationally within the IARU network, which includes 11 leading universities.

Submissions close 31 October.

Learn more and participate: Biodiversity photo contest

Image: Macramé tapestry by early feminist artist Janet Brereton. Photo: Supplied

On the left wall by the Birch Building staircase hangs Erosion of Memory, a macramé tapestry by feminist artist Janet Brereton that has survived two fires, decades of absence and the shifting tides of technology.

First acclaimed at a craft festival in 1975, it explored the idea of the “new woman” in a digital world. Returned to Birch in 2022 for the launch of the ANU School of Cybernetics, it now stands as both survivor and seer – a woven prophecy still asking: How do we remain human in a world of machines?

Lean close. Some say you can still smell the smoke. 

The ANU Disability Research Network invites proposals for our second Disability Research Showcase on Monday 27 October. Academics, professional staff and students working on disability-related topics (broadly defined) are welcome to contribute in any format.

All submissions must be made by 8 September and should be no longer than 250 words.

Call for Proposals: ANU Disability Research Showcase 2025

YWCA Canberra is a not-for-profit feminist organisation that has conducted recurring surveys of women and non-binary people aged 16+ who live, work and study in the ACT.

The survey results are captured in the Our Lives: Women in the ACT reports, which provide vital insights into the lived experiences of women and gender-diverse people in the ACT.

In 2019, 2021 and 2023 the survey received over 1,000 responses. This year, YWCA is aiming to hear from their largest sample yet, to ensure their advocacy is grounded in the voices and realities of the community. The survey takes just five minutes to complete and will help provide vital insights to guide policy and advocacy efforts that support women and non-binary people in our community.

Take the survey: Our lives: women in the ACT survey 2025

Image: Children playing netball. Photo: Australian Sports Camps

Looking for school holiday activities? Australian Sports Camps are running two three day camps in basketball, AFL, cricket, netball and soccer at ANU Sport these Term 3 holidays.

Register here: Australian Sports Camps

Wi-Fi load or channel utilisation, refers to how much traffic a Wi-Fi channel is handling - like traffic congestion during rush hour. The heavier the traffic, the more congestion and the slower the Wi-Fi connection.

When connecting to ANU-Secure Wi-Fi, devices typically connect to the access point with the strongest signal. If too many users hit the same point, speeds drop and the experience suffers.

The good news? We're adding more access points across campus to ease the load and improve connection speeds.

Learn more: Get Connected at ANU

Help is available if you need it. If you are dealing with a personal or university-related issue, ANU encourages you to seek support through the Student Safety and Wellbeing team by emailing student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au or calling 02 6125 2211, Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm.

You can also visit our Urgent Support page for a list of 24/7 and crisis support options. 

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ANU Security at (02) 6125 2249