10 Questions Every Governing Council Should Ask Before Summer
Opinion
The Bureau of Meteorology has declared that Australia is now in an El Niño phase, bringing an increased likelihood of hotter and drier conditions across parts of northern, eastern and southern Australia. Historically, El Niño events have been associated with reduced rainfall, a weaker than normal monsoon, higher temperatures and elevated bushfire risk.
For universities, this is more than a weather event. It is a reminder that climate resilience has become a core governance, operational and financial responsibility.
As Geoff Henderson, CEO of sector protection provider Unimutual, explains:
"El Niño is a reminder that resilience is not something we build after a crisis. It is something we invest in beforehand. The universities that will be best positioned over the next decade will be those that use periods of calm to prepare for periods of disruption."
University campuses support thousands of students and staff, critical research infrastructure, residential accommodation, cultural collections, data centres and essential community services. A significant heatwave, bushfire, smoke event or major power disruption can affect far more than buildings—it can disrupt teaching, research and student wellbeing.
The good news is that preparedness starts long before the first emergency warning is issued.
1. Have we identified and assessed climate-related risks?
Are climate resilience, operational continuity and extreme weather risks clearly identified, monitored and managed?
2. Do we understand our highest-risk locations?
Which campuses, research stations, accommodation facilities or regional sites face the greatest exposure to bushfire, extreme heat or water scarcity?
3. Have we reviewed and tested our bushfire preparedness plans?
A documented plan is important, but when was it last exercised and tested?
4. Are our critical research assets protected?
What arrangements are in place if power, cooling systems or site access are disrupted?
5. Can we maintain essential operations during a major weather event?
Could teaching, student services and key administrative functions continue if a campus was impacted for several days or longer?
6. How resilient is our energy infrastructure?
Periods of extreme heat place pressure on electricity networks. Have backup arrangements and critical dependencies been assessed?
7. Are we prepared for prolonged heatwaves?
Heat can affect staff wellbeing, student safety, laboratories, accommodation, and older buildings. Are those risks adequately understood?
8. Have we reviewed vegetation management and campus maintenance programs?
Simple preventative measures undertaken before summer can significantly reduce exposure to bushfire risks. Have Asset Protection Zones been adequately maintained?
9. Are our crisis communications arrangements ready?
Could we communicate quickly and effectively with students, staff, researchers and stakeholders during a rapidly evolving event?
10. Are we preparing now—or waiting to react later?
The most resilient institutions are rarely those that respond best during a crisis. They are the institutions that prepared before it occurred.
Why This Matters
A recent Unimutual report on resilient campuses highlights the importance of strengthening infrastructure, enhancing emergency preparedness, building energy and water resilience, and ensuring continuity of operations during extreme weather events.
While no two campuses will experience El Niño in exactly the same way, every institution can benefit from reviewing its preparedness before summer arrives. The costs of preparation are almost always lower than the costs of disruption.
A Conversation Worth Having
As a sector-owned mutual, Unimutual's role extends beyond responding when losses occur. We work alongside members to better understand emerging risks, strengthen resilience and support the long-term protection of Australia's higher education and research sector.
If your institution has not yet reviewed its preparedness for the coming summer, now is the time. Bring together your facilities, risk, emergency management and insurance teams. Challenge existing assumptions. Identify critical vulnerabilities. Test response plans.
The best time to prepare is before the temperature rises, before vegetation dries out and before the first emergency warning is issued.
El Niño is coming. The question is not whether your campus will be affected, but whether it will be ready.