Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Max Lu AO on the University's Governance Reset program
From the day I arrived at the University of Wollongong, I could feel how much this university means to the people in our region. More than 50 years ago, residents, businesses and civic leaders helped lay the foundations of UOW, and that sense of pride and belonging remains strong today.
That deep connection makes the recent Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) public hearings particularly painful. I know many people in our community are hurt and disappointed.
We cannot pre-empt ICAC's findings, and there are limits to what we can say, but we know the university's reputation has taken a hit. We must rebuild trust through our actions.
While our staff continue their vital teaching and research work, we are also working hard to fix things we know need to be fixed. A major overhaul is underway to change how UOW is governed and held to account. And when the ICAC report arrives, we will engage openly and thoroughly with our community in response.
I understand the frustration behind calls for the whole Council to stand aside. I want to be honest about why that would do more harm than good.
Under the University of Wollongong Act, Council is UOW's governing body. Without a functioning Council, budgets cannot be approved and major decisions will stall, disrupting services relied on by students, staff and the wider community, and UOW's reputation will suffer further.
Some may not realise how much Council has changed since the period examined by ICAC. Of Council's current 13 members, five joined in 2026 and five in 2025, including respected community leader Nicky Sloan, former federal MP Professor Stephen Martin AO and former Commissioner of the national university regulator, TEQSA, Emeritus Professor Joan Cooper. Five members are staff and students, giving them a direct voice on Council.
This Council has the capacity and the responsibility to govern, and I believe it should continue to do so.
That does not mean the way we operate should stay as it was. Our University Governance Reset program began in early 2026 in response to the Australian Government's guidelines on university governance. Of its 42 actions, over half are in progress or have been completed. An independent expert will chair a steering committee that keeps the work on track. When the ICAC report arrives, we will check its recommendations against this program and act wherever further change is needed.
In short, the program will:
- improve how conflicts of interest are identified, declared and properly managed;
- strengthen recruitment so decisions are more robust, more transparent, merit-based and strictly in line with policy;
- improve procurement policy and processes, with best-practice oversight and accountability; and
- establish a stronger integrity function to review and investigate conduct, decisions and the exercise of authority, and make complaints processes clearer and more consistent, with appropriate escalation and effective oversight mechanisms.
We are adopting the Government's new governance standards, which require universities to publish council meeting outcomes, consultant spending, executives' external roles and remuneration. Through a new Council Charter, we are clarifying what is expected of Council members and management and strengthening oversight mechanisms.
There is more to do, including appointing a new Chancellor. We must get this decision right, without delay. Let me explain the process.
First, we have consulted widely with our community, asking what they want in our next Chancellor. Almost 800 responses were received, and what people want is someone they can trust who is open, honest and accountable. They also want a Chancellor who understands the difference between governance and management and who is humble and guided by a commitment to the university's values and its mission to benefit our community in the region.
The appointment of a Chancellor is not a conventional recruitment process. The legislation requires Council to elect a person to the position in accordance with the processes set out in the University of Wollongong Act.
The community feedback will guide a nominations panel as it searches for and assesses candidates. The panel includes Acting Chancellor Greg West; Nicky Sloan, Chair of Council's People and Culture Committee; Emeritus Professor Joan Cooper; Professor Nina Reynolds, Chair of UOW's Academic Senate; and Professor Peter Shergold AC, an experienced former Chancellor serving as an independent external member.
Then the full Council will meet to nominate candidates and elect a new Chancellor. Under the University of Wollongong Act, only Council can elect a Chancellor and candidates must be nominated by two Council members. Every Council member can take part. No committee or panel makes the appointment.
None of this means standing still on our broader mission. Thanks to our staff, partners and supporters, demand for a UOW education remains strong, and our researchers continue to deliver work that benefits our region and beyond. Vision 2035 and our Strategic Plan 2030 set out where UOW is heading, and that work continues alongside governance reform.
As Vice-Chancellor, I understand the scale of the task and the importance of getting it right. Our students and community need UOW to act decisively and build trust. And our community wants us to carry on the important work of delivering our strategy. We ask our community to judge us by our actions and support the university as it moves forward.
This article was first published in the Illawarra Mercury.
