Join us on Wednesday 11 March, 6pm for an ANU International Women’s Day event, aligned with this year’s theme, Balancing the Scales. This special panel will bring together women whose leadership spans community advocacy and public life, exploring how we create more equitable systems and opportunities across Australia.

Confirmed speakers include the Honourable Linda Burney and Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi.

Council advises that Ms Alison Kitchen AM has stepped down from her role as Pro-Chancellor, effective 18 February 2026, due to increasing workload commitments.

Importantly, Alison remains a committed member of Council. She will continue as Chair of the University’s Audit, Finance and Risk Committee and as a member of the Investment Committee. We are grateful for her ongoing contribution in these critical governance roles.

Alison has made a significant contribution to the University in her role as Pro-Chancellor, providing thoughtful and considered leadership. Council thanks her for her service and continued commitment to the University.

Council is currently considering the process around the appointment of a new Pro-Chancellor. 

Pro Vice-Chancellor, International and Future Students. As a key leader of the Chancelry Executive, University Leadership Group and Portfolio Leadership Team, the Pro Vice-Chancellor will drive the University’s global strategy and strengthen our future student pipeline. Applications close Sunday 8 March 2026, 11.55pm AEDT.

Interim Director, John Curtin School of Medical Research. Professor David Tscharke has been appointed as Interim Director of the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR). Professor Tscharke joined ANU in 2006 and has held senior roles across the Research School of Biology and JCSMR, including Associate Director (Education) and Head of the Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. An internationally recognised researcher in virology and immunology, Professor Tscharke has published more than 100 papers and secured consistent fellowship funding from the NHMRC and ARC.

We’re aware of Wi-Fi connectivity issues across the ANU campus and are taking active steps to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Did you know that interference to your Wi-Fi signal can disrupt or slow down your connection? Common causes include personal hotspots (particularly in lecture halls) and physical barriers such as walls or electronics like microwaves and Bluetooth devices. Turning off personal hotspots in shared spaces will help campus Wi-Fi perform reliably.

If you experience Wi-Fi issues, please log a ticket on ANUConnect. For support over the phone call +61 2 6125 4321.

Ensure your classes for Semester 2 (S2), Autumn and Spring 2026 are timetabled.

The Timetabling Data Collection App is open for staff to submit timetabling requirements for Semester 2, from Monday 16 March to Thursday 2 April.

The Teaching Unavailability App is also open for staff to record their teaching unavailability during this period.

Email timetabling@anu.edu.au to request individual assistance via MS Teams.

Whether you’re new to Canvas or refining your skills, a series of practical Zoom workshops throughout March, will cover setting up Quizzes, Assignments, Rubrics and Groups, using SpeedGrader effectively, incorporating Multimedia, and communicating clearly with students.

View the full workshop schedule and register, or request a one-on-one consultation for tailored support.

Advocate is the University's new academic integrity case management platform. It went live on Tuesday 10 February and replaces the Academic Integrity eForm.

ANU staff are invited to complete the new Certificate in AI for Higher Education, designed to support the ethical and effective integration of AI into University work.

The 20-hour program includes core modules and electives covering AI fundamentals, real-world applications in higher education, ethical and inclusive practice, and change management. The certificate will be available for the next 11 months.

The Carers’ Career Development Assistance Fund can help cover reasonable care-related costs, making it easier for staff to take part in key development and career building opportunities. Applications are now open. 

The Open Research Team offers free training on research data management for ANU staff and research students. This self-paced online course via Canvas, called Managing Research Data at ANU, provides practical guidance on managing, storing and sharing your research data, including the use of ANU Data Commons. 

To request enrolment, email repository.admin@anu.edu.au. 

For further support, contact servicedesk@anu.edu.au. 

Early Career Researchers, including Level A-C academics and similar grant-funded roles, are invited to apply for the 2026 NECTAR Mentoring Program. The program offers tailored mentoring, targeted career development workshops and valuable networking opportunities to support your academic progression at ANU. Places are limited.

From Tuesday 31 March, new three-day Leadership in Practice cohorts begin for staff. The program builds trust, reflection and shared learning over time, strengthening leadership capability and essential management skills.

ANU educators have been recognised in the 2025 Australian Awards for University Teaching, celebrating excellence and impact across the sector.

For weeks, the story of Punch the monkey has tugged at heartstrings around the world. Videos of this lonely baby monkey at Japan’s Ichikawa Zoo have triggered global outpourings of empathy, grief and outrage.

Punch is not the first captive animal to spark such strong emotional reactions.

A team of international astronomers including researchers from ANU have observed the central region of the Milky Way in unprecedented detail, revealing an intricate, turbulent network of cosmic gas filaments. 

The area captured by the image stretches more than 650 light-years and surrounds the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy.

The ANU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategies 2025 Progress Report is now available. It highlights the initiatives delivered over the past year and outlines progress against DEI priorities.  

The report reinforces the University’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. 

If what’s happening overseas,  or conversations about these events, here at work or at home, are impacting your wellbeing or your concern for people close to you, support is available:

The ANU Adviser to Staff provides free, confidential counselling and professional advice. Appointments can be made on 02 6125 3616 during business hours or via staff.adviser@anu.edu.au.

Further information and support options are also available at the Community Wellbeing page.

All staff with upcoming international travel should review their travel itineraries, particularly where bookings involve Middle Eastern airlines or transit through affected regions. The ANU Travel provider ATPI will proactively contact all affected travellers with upcoming bookings, prioritising in order of departure date.
Please ensure that:

Please note that University travel insurance does not provide coverage for destinations classified as Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”) under DFAT advice. If you require assistance or clarification regarding your travel plans, contact the ANU Travel Team at anu.au@atpi.com.

Help welcome future students and their families to campus on Saturday 28 March for ANU Open Day. Share your insights, answer questions and help visitors explore what ANU has to offer during a day of events and activities. Choose a time that suits you - flexible shifts are available.

Why volunteer?

The University has recently updated and refreshed its Corporate Plan, meeting our annual obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act. The revised Corporate Plan has now been approved by Council and sets out the University’s key objectives, performance measures and implementation priorities for the coming period.  We expect to further update the Corporate Plan at the same time next year so that it continues to align with our long-term strategic ambitions, which will be outlined in the University’s new Strategic Plan. 

Since introducing monthly leave reminders, we have been tracking balances in On Campus to encourage regular breaks and reduce leave liability. 

In February 2026, the University’s annual leave balance was up $457,891 from January 2026, as staff take less leave during this time, and down from the same period in the previous year by $1,896,968. 

Planning leave can help support a healthy work-life balance. Read the ANU Enterprise Agreement to understand how best to utilise your leave. 

Follow ANU Green on Instagram and join the ANU Green Network on Teams for events, tips and campus sustainability updates. 

Melanoma March is an annual campaign raising awareness and funds for melanoma research. Throughout March, events and activities promote sun safety and support vital research.

Protect yourself by:

For more information, visit the March Health and Wellbeing Newsletter.

This year’s IWD theme is Balance the Scales and calls for every woman and girl, regardless of background or identity, to be safe, heard and free to shape her own life.

ANU will acknowledge IWD with a series of events, including guest speakers and conversations about gender equality and inclusion, and ANU Sport is offering free group fitness classes. 

Wednesday 4 March, 4–6pm

Join the launch of the new McCusker Institute, an ambitious new chapter in collaborative, experiential learning. Meet the community driving change and find out how you can be part of it.

Wednesday 4 March, 11am–3pm

Join ANU Sport for an afternoon of lawn games, music and friendly competition. Bring your colleagues and enjoy the sunshine on Kambri Lawns.

No registration required, just show up.

Wednesday 4 March, 6–7pm

Louise Milligan will be in conversation with Virginia Haussegger on her second novel Shellybanks, a book with buried secrets, unimaginable trauma and how the love of family can pull you through to a brighter future.

Friday 6 March, 12–1pm

Professor Michael Williams discusses how modern geopolitics empowers radical conservative actors at home, underpins transnational strategies abroad and fundamentally restructures international order.

Michael Wesley

Monday 16 March, 6–7pm

Dervla McTiernan 

Monday 30 April, 6–7pm

All events must be submitted through Functions on Campus to ensure compliance and coordination with the relevant University teams.

Please note submission deadlines:

Tucked into the rocky slopes of Black Mountain is a laboratory dedicated to uncovering the magnetic history of our planet. Located in an old quarry to ensure a magnetically quiet environment, the lab houses highly sensitive instruments that measure tiny traces of Earth’s ancient magnetic field preserved in rocks and sediments. These measurements reveal how Earth’s magnetic field has changed over millions of years.

This week’s picture comes from Alida Gyory, Senior Consultant, Organisational Development, who captured a pink sunset on her walk home.

“Another day, another stunning sunset. It's tough being part of such a beautiful campus community, but someone's gotta do it.”

Got a photo you’re proud of? Send in your picture using this form and include a short description about why your snap is special to you.

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 – (02) 6125 7979 

Contact the media hotline during business hours or email media@anu.edu.au for media queries regarding the University and its operations, or to track down experts that aren’t listed in our Experts Guide.

Help is available if you need it. The University has a range of information and services that can be accessed by managers and staff.

Whether it's a work-related issue or a personal one, the University encourages you to seek counselling 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.