ANU unveils 2030 plan amid vacant leadership and ongoing regulator probe
Interim Vice-Chancellor Rebekah Brown presented a new 2030 strategy for the Australian National University while key senior posts remain empty and a governance review is still pending.
The Australian National University has launched a forward-looking "ANU by 2030" plan under interim Vice-Chancellor Rebekah Brown, who took the role after former vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell stepped down amid controversy over a $250 million savings scheme. Brown dismissed claims that she acted against Bell and expressed hope that past grievances are settled. The new strategy highlights the need to increase student numbers and to strengthen research rigor in a world saturated with information and artificial-intelligence challenges.
Leadership gaps persist, with the chancellor, vice-chancellor and several council seats still vacant while the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency continues its governance probe. The announcement aligns with the university’s 80th birthday celebrations and the reopening of University House, a historic building recently repaired at a cost of $120 million, most of which was covered by insurance.
Why it matters
The plan signals how a leading Australian university aims to recover its reputation and address governance issues while shaping future education.
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