The National Tertiary Education Union has strongly endorsed the Victorian government's announcement of a parliamentary inquiry into university governance.
The inquiry follows the national Expert Panel on University Governance's findings and federal Education Minister Jason Clare's announcement that new governance principles will be enforced across the sector.
This is a significant victory for NTEU members who have long campaigned for reform.
NTEU Victorian Division Assistant Secretary Professor Joo-Cheong Tham welcomed the inquiry's focus on restoring universities' social licence and ensuring genuine diversity in governance structures.
"The NTEU strongly welcomes the inquiry and its focus on putting students and staff at the centre of university decision-making," he said.
"The inquiry provides a vital opportunity to reform a broken governance system that has marginalised staff and student voices and undermined Victorian universities as institutions of education and research.
"The NTEU will be advocating for increased staff and student representation on university councils and effective mechanisms where staff and students - particularly through their elected representatives - can engage in an open dialogue with university leadership.
"To serve their public mission, Victorian universities need to have staff and students at the heart of their decision-making."
NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes said the inquiry signalled a national crisis that governments can no longer ignore.
"This is now the third separate parliamentary inquiry into university governance, with federal and NSW parliaments still conducting their investigations," Dr Barnes said.
"NTEU members have presented damning evidence at both inquiries – sadly, we expect Victoria will reveal the same systemic failures.
"This represents a national crisis in university governance and we're finally seeing governments recognise the urgent need for major reform.
"NTEU members have exposed more than $280 million in wage theft, outrageous executive pay packages, toxic governance cultures, boards stacked with corporate appointees, and serious conflicts of interest."
NTEU Victorian Secretary Sarah Roberts said: "Victorian university staff and students deserve a seat at the table where decisions about their futures are made."
