Last week, ANU’s Freedom of Information team knocked back a request for documents relating to Jennifer Hutchinson’s secondment to the university. “The relevant areas of the university were contacted and searches were conducted for documents within the scope of your request, but no documents were located,” was the reason. Perhaps this is a different Jennifer Hutchinson to the one now on a six-month secondment to ANU as University Secretary, managing the Privacy and (ahem) FOI teams. Her appointment was in an all-staff newsletter on July 16.
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The Australian Research Council’s decadal strategy is out – it is bound to be successful – what with no hard targets to achieve. One of the evaluation principles, for example, is “research insights” achieved by, “we draw on evidence, traditional and non-traditional metrics, and expert analysis to provide insights on the performance, quality and impact of Australian research.” Such as? There is information in the 2026-27 Budget Papers, just not much; there will be a Research Insights Capability, in place of the cancelled Excellence in Research for Australia and Engagement and Impact. The new capability “will be a “a new research evaluation framework to evaluate research excellence, impact and depth in Australia.” So how’s it going? According to the portfolio budget statement, it is, “on track.”
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The Government wants a parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, with 14 terms of reference, including, “the adequacy” of the education system. How fortunate, given a tight timeline, there are AI copy generators to help with submissions.
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Will Macquarie U appeal its Fair Work Commission loss in the case brought by casual academic Gregory Baker (FC last Friday)? Commissioner Crawford found Mr Baker’s pattern of hours meant he qualified as a part-time employee under the National Employment Standards, which trump the university’s enterprise agreement. (Macquarie U had argued Mr Baker could not be a continuing academic as he was not employed to research, which is required under the EA).
FC asked the university and was politely no-commented. Perhaps management is worried the case will be a precedent and that other casuals will apply for continuing employment, with the improved conditions that brings. Unless they are gleeful that the decision means they can hire continuing part time teaching-only staff, who get no work hours for research.
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Larry Marshall joins the external member exodus from ANU Council, announcing his exit as Pro Chancellor two days after Gordon de Brouwer arrived as Chancellor. Of the seven spots for Minister-appointed Council members, six are now vacant.
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Education Minister Jason Clare is a great media performer, even on a bad day. Such as Monday when he got caught in the weeds in an interview with Andrew Clennell who wanted to know why international student numbers are up this year on last. Mr Clare explained that student numbers include people already here and the net overseas migration number was down. But while that may not have been clear to all in the audience, the Minister also made three less talking than shouting-from-the rooftop points.
That, “there are dodgy providers who try and make a quick buck out of international students. That is why I introduced legislation into the parliament last year to tackle the integrity issues in this system.”
And that Uni Sydney will not be allowed to have any extra internationals if they exceed 50%.
Plus the tripled student visa charge, “pays for more for more Aussie students to do a uni degree.”
It reminded FC of another great Labor master of putting the politics in complex policy, former NSW premier Bob Carr. “Hang on,” you ask, “didn’t Mr Clare once work for Carr?” He did .
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Incoming NTEU National Assistant Secretary Lachlan Clohesy says the Commonwealth proposal for equal numbers of appointed and staff/student elected members of ANU Council. “may be a model for reform at other universities across the country." That looks like the general idea.
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The very grown-up, and generally parties of government bi-partisan Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has ticked the Bill updating oversight of university and State/Territory arrangements with foreign powers.
The Committee is ok with the change for universities, including covering overseas campuses that operate under local law, supporting “a measured response to a recognised gap in the current framework (so) the scheme remains fit for purpose as international education delivery models evolve.”
But PJCIS acknowledges the Bill does not cover relations between individual researchers here and overseas, that do not involve the Australian universities where any of them work. It is “is imperative that universities and academics need to exercise greater care preventing partnerships contrary to the national interest.” Good-o, but not enough for Liberal member of the committee Ted O’Brien, who pointed out, “the national security risk does not disappear because the paperwork has a researcher's name on it instead of the employing university.” He proposed an amendment requiring universities to notify government of staff members in offshore research collaborations which the employer has nothing to do with.
The Government knocked it back in the Reps, but there is always the Senate.
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IDP reports FY 2026 revenue was down 9%, to $A794m, “international student volumes declined significantly as policy settings continued to reduce global student mobility.” Won’t the Government be pleased!