Arabic version: وصف جامعة ولونغونغ بأنها «النموذج الأبرز» لفشل الحوكمة

According to ABC News, the University of Wollongong has been labelled the “poster child” for governance failures in the university sector at a public forum in Wollongong. Union, student and community representatives called for action on a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the state’s 10 public universities.

The inquiry found university governance structures were “not fit for purpose” and that institutions had shifted too far towards corporatisation at the expense of education, research and public service. National Tertiary Education Union NSW secretary Vince Caughley said there was too much power concentrated in councils and senior management, with insufficient staff and student voice, poor transparency, reliance on consultants and weak accountability for major commercial decisions.

Labor MP Sarah Kaine, who chaired the inquiry, said she would press the Minns government to reform university governance. In the inquiry report, she wrote that universities are public institutions established by Parliament, supported by public resources and entrusted with education, research and the public good. The government has until late December to respond to the inquiry.

UOW student Caitlin Veigel told the forum that staff and course cuts had left some students unable to complete their degrees and damaged the university’s reputation. The report also renewed attention on former interim vice-chancellor John Dewar’s evidence regarding his relationship with consulting firm KordaMentha. UOW provost Ana Deletic said the university would consider the recommendations and continue its governance review, while Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan said the government would consider the findings and respond in due course. ICAC has yet to release its findings.