This week sees a lot of activity across campus with ANU students back from break, whilst many staff and students are having to balance family carer responsibilities with the ACT/NSW school holidays. A big thanks to our staff who are balancing these important commitments, and to the teams around them for ensuring staff can access leave in this period. For those heading on leave, please make the most of your time off and spending time doing things that recharge you. I’ll be spending next week in the field, travelling along some of the old East-West Telegraph Line and I’m looking forward to the sky, sand and stepping back into Australia’s lesser-known technological past.

Read more: VC message, responsibilities

Following an internal Expression of Interest process and a competitive field of applicants, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Joan Leach as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). Professor Leach brings a wealth of experience and a bold, future-oriented vision to the role. She believes that ANU and the higher education sector has a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to come together and reassert our value to society in what is a challenging period for universities amid heightened global political tensions. 

Read more: New Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) urges collegiality amid challenging time for university sector 

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the Renew ANU 2025 Change Principles: Consultation Paper. The consultation invited input on the proposed approach to change, as well as the principles for Academic and Research Activities and the ANU Operating Model.  

The University received 145 individual submissions, an open letter, and input from the Union. Each submission was reviewed by the Executive team and will help shape the implementation of these guiding principles.

A summary of the feedback received has now been published.

Your ongoing contribution to Renew ANU is valued and will continue to play an important role in shaping the future of the University.

The ANU Council is the governing body of the University and provides strategic oversight and direction for the entire institution.  There is currently a casual vacancy open, until the term ends on 29 September 2026, for an Academic staff member.

Nominations will strictly close on Tuesday 29 April at 5pm.

Learn more: Nominations open for ANU Council Academic Staff member

Twenty-four bush stone-curlews will be reintroduced to the wild on Phillip Island (Milawul) as part of a landmark project involving ANU researchers to help the species regain a foothold in Victoria, where it is critically endangered.
It comes after the success of an initial trail release which saw 12 birds fitted with tiny GPS-tracking backpacks and identification bands released on Phillip Island. The trial has recorded a 75 per cent survival rate – one of the best outcomes for the species at this stage of a reintroduction.

Read more: Birds with backpacks released on Phillip Island

While some progress has been made towards gender equality in Australian elections, a new report from ANU shows women remain under-represented among candidates in the 2025 federal election. The report highlights fewer women than men running in the election with women also more likely to be running in ‘glass cliff’ seats that are hard to win and precarious to hold. While women make up more than half (56 per cent) of the candidates being put forward by the Australian Labor Party (ALP), less than a third (32 per cent) of the Coalition’s candidates are women.

Read more: Women disproportionately placed in high-risk seats ahead of federal election

It can happen anywhere, at any time. And while it may look different for every child, the consequences of online bullying almost always extend beyond the screen and into real life.  Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Dr Dave Pasalich warns that online bullying can surround a young person 24/7, making it much more pervasive in its nature with more widespread consequences. However, there are preventative measures that parents can take to reduce the intensity and effects of online bullying.

Read more: Is your child getting bullied online?

My name is Lou Adena and I am delighted to be writing as the 2025 Editor of your ANU On Campus (OC) weekly newsletter. In Q1, we have been quietly working through the editorial content to give greater clarity, consistency and predictability. We’ve added some regular updates, and we’ve also retired some content, trying to better respond to what our community wants to read, and the information you need in your inbox. And we have seen a positive trend towards higher open rates and clicks for both the staff and student editions compared to Q1, 2024. A big thanks to everyone who has been reading the copy.

To best serve our community, 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.

With good wishes for April,

Lou

Read the full letter from the Editor

Women remain under-represented among candidates in the 2025 federal election and are more likely to be running in 'glass cliff' seats that are hard to win and precarious to hold. Dr Elise Stephenson is co-author of the new report from the Global Institute for Women's Leadership. In the latest ANU Expert Explainer video, she says both major parties have work to do to remove systemic barriers to improve representation in Parliament.

Monday 5 May, 12.30pm

In light of recent global market changes, UniSuper is offering a helpful webinar to support you in planning for retirement with confidence. Discover key considerations before retirement and learn about different types of pensions, how pensions work and how UniSuper can support you.

Register now: UniSuper webinar, understanding retirement income

Wednesday 30 April, 5-6.30pm 

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Thailand, Professor Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, will deliver a keynote lecture hosted by the ANU Myanmar Research Centre. Dr Sathirathai will discuss the need for Track 1 and Track 2 diplomacy in Myanmar to achieve a sustainable political solution to the Myanmar crisis.  

Register now: Regional and global responses to the crisis in Myanmar

Wednesday 30 April, 6-7pm 

Best-selling author Dervla McTiernan will be in conversation with Chris Hammer with her much anticipated new crime novel in the Cormac Reilly series, The Unquiet Grave. For years the boglands of Northern Europe have given up bodies of the long deceased. Bodies that are thousands of years old, uncannily preserved. Bodies with strange injuries that suggest ritual torture and human sacrifice. When a corpse is found in a bog in Galway, Cormac Reilly assumes the find is historical. But closer examination reveals a more recent story. 

Register now: Meet the author, Dervla McTiernan 

ANU has a dedicated service that allows the community to report non-urgent issues and maintenance concerns across the ANU campus. Fix My Campus enables staff, students and visitors to report a broken light, damaged pathway, faulty door, or a general facility issue. Reporting these issues help us maintain a safe, functional and welcoming environment for everyone. 

Submit an issue in two easy ways:  

We encourage everyone to use this service regularly to ensure issues are addressed promptly and campus standards are maintained. 

Thank you for doing your part in keeping ANU in great shape.  

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

The Menzies Foundation has announced an expanded partnership with ANU, increasing its support for the CSS Cybernetics Leadership Program with an additional $510,000 over two years (2025–2026). This significant investment reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to equip current and emerging leaders with the tools to thrive in a fast, interconnected and complex world. In response to global disruptions—pandemics, natural disasters, conflict—and the growing dominance of digital systems, this program reimagines traditional leadership.

Learn more:  The Cybernetics Leadership Program 

There are a few public holidays coming up in April which means an opportunity to rest and recover. However, we recognise the holidays can also be a challenging time for many. Please know that you are not alone. Over this period there are support services available 24/7 if you need any mental health or wellbeing connection.    

ACT-based support services available 24/7

National support services available 24/7

Currently both, the ANU Adviser to Staff, and Staff Respect Consultant are not available for appointments due to planned leave. The ANU Advisor to Staff will be back on campus from Tuesday 6 May, you can reach out via staff.adviser@anu.edu.au. Additionally, the Staff Respect Consultant will be available for appointments in person or online from Monday 28 April 2025. Book an appointment via this link.

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.

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.