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Image: the Australian National University (ANU) Acton Campus, Canberra. Photo: Crystal Li/ ANU

Hi everyone,

This week is the first time a whole new cohort of students find themselves at ANU ready to start Semester 2 – and I have enjoyed opening events across campus and seeing their optimism, excitement (and nervousness!) about starting here. A huge shout-out to the teams working hard to ensure the first few weeks of semester run smoothly and our new students have a great experience as they settle in.

Read more: ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s update - O-Week

Image: the Australian National University (ANU) Acton Campus, Canberra. Photo: supplied

A common theme raised through staff forums and feedback channels is about the importance of having systems and processes that support our staff working together in new ways and in new structures. This is a perspective I fully share, and I am heartened by the Vice-Chancellor’s continued support for investment in the Digital Plan, even in these difficult financial circumstances.

This week I wanted to share some of the enhancements recently delivered through the Digital Plan, in partnership with stakeholders across the University, and acknowledge some of the recent challenges.

Read more: COO update: system improvements - smarter systems, smoother operations

Recently Renew ANU Change Proposals were released for the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), the College of Science and Medicine (CoSM), and the Research and Innovation (R&I) Portfolio. 

These change proposals are now open for consultation. Feedback can be submitted via the  until:

Townhall recordings, Change Proposals and feedback forms are all available .

Right now, nothing is changing. The Proposals do not affect academic programs, courses, HDR degrees or student support services. Should any changes be adopted in future, they would be carefully planned and clearly communicated with students.

If you feel that your studies or supervision are impacted, we encourage you to contact  in the first instance. For wellbeing or personal support, contact the  or the . 

To read the proposals and submit feedback, or for student FAQs visit the . 

Image: Kambri precinct on campus, Acton. Photo: supplied

The O-Week Campus Discovery Trail is the perfect way for new students to explore the ANU Acton campus, get familiar with key locations, and learn about the support and services available to help you succeed in your studies and beyond.

This self-paced activity fits easily into your O-Week schedule. You can take part anytime from Friday 11 July 2025 to Friday 18 July 2025, 11:59pm. Team up with friends and complete it, or take your time exploring solo in about an hour - it’s entirely up to you.

Image: ANU testamur tubes. Photo: supplied

The 2026 graduation celebrations will take place from Wednesday 28 January through Friday 6 February 2026 at Llewellyn Hall. Students who had their Award/s conferred in 2025 will receive an email invitation to either their ANU or ANU Alumni email account later this year. Click here for more details.

Image: Professor Rory Medcalf AM FAIIA, Dr Huong Le Thu, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Datuk Prof Mohd Faiz Abdullah and Thomas Danie (L-R). Photo: Daniel Walding/DFAT

In a new report, Professor Rory Medcalf AM (Head of NSC), Dr Huong Le Thu and Professor Bec Strating, highlight why proactive diplomacy is essential in today's volatile strategic environment – particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

The report was cited by Foreign Minister Senator the Hon Penny Wong in her speech in Kuala Lumpur. Professor Medcalf and Dr Le Thu joined Thomas Daniel for a discussion on the publication's key themes.

You can read the full publication .

Image: Dr Uday Yadav. Photo: David Fanner/ANU

Seven years ago, Dr Uday Yadav made a promise to his community in eastern Nepal.

“I can’t do it justice right now,” he told them. “But one day – one day I’ll get the funding, and I’ll come back and do the right thing that fits our ways of living and culture.”

The ‘right thing’ was finding a way to address a pressing problem – one that had touched too many lives around him: multimorbidity – the presence of two or more chronic conditions at once.

Image: Dr Elizabeth Williams is at the intersection of engineering, safety and systems design. Photo: Eric Byler/ANU

Dr Elizabeth Williams’ path to engineering was anything but conventional, and that’s part of what makes her work so impactful.

“I grew up reading science fiction and Scientific American magazines, thanks to my dad who was a poet with a love of astronomy,” she says.

This led her to experimental nuclear physics – a field where building and using complex technology is part of the discovery process.

Image: Self portrait taken by Oskah in South Korea. Photo: supplied

Since arriving at ANU in 2018, Oskah Dunnin has evolved from a student of International Relations to a storyteller of the Asia-Pacific. Now finishing his Master of Asian and Pacific Studies, he’s paired his studies with real-world experience - from writing briefs at the Embassy of Ecuador to photographing protests across Asia. 

Oskah’s photography featured in UN publications and New York galleries, capturing resilience in moments often overlooked: Korean protests, Indian cremation rituals, Iranian student movements. For Oskah, understanding Asia is not just about theory, it’s about listening, observing, and sharing stories that matter. 

Image: Professor Brownyn Parry, Dean at the College of Arts and Social Sciences. Photo: supplied

The ANU is one of Australia’s most cherished higher education institutions, beloved in Canberra, across the nation, and by its expansive alumni base internationally. Indeed, it was its unrivalled reputation as Australia’s preeminent centre of expertise in the social sciences and humanities that first attracted me here from London in 2022 to take up the role of Dean of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences. While operating deficits at ANU began before the pandemic, little could I have known that the University would soon be facing the worst financial crisis of its existence, an identified $250 million operational deficit.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Government Department of Education has announced changes to the Tertiary Access Payment (TAP), a one-off payment of up to $5,000 to support regional and remote students relocating to begin tertiary study.  

Under the updated criteria, students who are up to 22 years old and have taken one or more gap years after Year 12 are now eligible. These changes apply retrospectively from 1 January 2025, meaning students who began tertiary study in 2025 may now be eligible.  

Applications can be submitted through Services Australia by Wednesday 31 December of the student’s first year of study.  

For more information, visit the  

Image: the University House Visitors Book (left) beside the identical ANU Visitors Book. Photo: Jamie Kidston/ANU

For almost 40 years, an important record of ANU history was sitting in storage at Chancelry. When Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell moved into Building #10, a colleague handed her a leatherbound red book.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ National University Visitors Book holds signatures from prime ministers, royalty, diplomats, journalists, academics and other notable figures who have visited the university, dating back to November 1953.

Tuesday 8 July – Friday 8 August 

"Backbone" is a group exhibition featuring work by technical staff at the ANU School of Art & Design. These makers and artists are the quiet force behind our creative studios who share their knowledge and provide fundamental support for artistic exploration and research.

Wednesday 16 July, 3-5pm

A show-and-tell masterclass run by musicians of Opera Australia’s touring production of La Bohême. Applications to attend as a singer or training repetiteur for the masterclass should be made to sarah.mann@anu.edu.au. 

Register here: Opera Australia masterclass

Thursday 17 July, 6-7.30pm  

Nick Arley will be in conversation with Sally Pryor on the launch of his memoire King of the Desert - One man's world-record motorcycle crossing of Australia's ten deadly deserts.  

Tuesday 22 July, 6-7.30pm  

Lucy Nelson will be in conversation with Beejax Silcox on her new book Wait Here - A dazzling collection of hilarious and heart-wrenching stories united by a ground-breaking theme: each is a sidelong glance at the lives of women who – either by choice or by circumstance – will never be mothers and who feel every way it is possible to feel about it. 

Register here: In Conversation with Lucy Nelson 

Wednesday 23 July, 6-7pm 
 
Join Katherine Biber in conversation with Kate Fullagar as they discuss The Last Outlaws - a gripping work of historical true crime that revisits the dramatic story of Wiradjuri brothers Jimmy and Joe Governor, whose 1900 murder spree shocked the colony on the eve of Australian Federation. 

Thursday 31 July, 6-7pm  
 
Join author Adam Courtenay in conversation with Alex Sloan about his powerful memoir My Father Bryce. A deeply personal exploration of life with his father, bestselling author Bryce Courtenay. Reflecting on fame, family, grief and truth, Adam offers a moving portrait of a complex man who was both a literary icon and an enigma. 

Register here: Meet the author - Adam Courtney

As an ANU student, you are required to complete the Rights, Relationships and Respect program.  The program covers concepts relating to sexual consent and respectful relationships, as well as important information about ANU care and support services. By completing it, you will be helping to make ANU a more respectful, safe, and inclusive place for everyone. 

Learn more about the program here. Please contact rrr@anu.edu.au for any further questions. 

The University has updated the Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA) process, effective from Semester 2, 2025. These changes are designed to improve the transparency, accessibility, and consistency of the ECA process for both students and staff. 

The updated ECA process applies from all Semester 2, 2025 courses, commencing Monday 21 July. These changes do not apply to Winter Session or any earlier courses and will not be applied retrospectively. 

More information about these changes can be found here.

Image: Reusable mesh bag filled with fresh vegetables. Photo: Adobestock by  

As part of Plastic Free July, ANU Green is spotlighting simple, everyday actions to help you cut down on plastic and lighten your environmental footprint. Whether you are packing your lunch, doing a grocery run or sorting your waste, small steps can make a big impact.  

Try the Plastic Free Pantry challenge on the One Small Step x ANU app and discover how easy it is to make the switch to low-waste staples.

Image: peak ring granite. Photo: supplied

Did you know a piece of the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs is quietly sitting on campus? No fences, no fanfare. Just a 66-million-year-old clue to the Earth’s most dramatic plot twist, tucked away like a souvenir.

This unassuming chunk of pink granite was forged in fire, melted and launched upwards when the Chicxulub asteroid slammed into the Earth. The one that ended the Cretaceous, launched tsunamis, and darkened the skies. The impact sent shockwaves through the planet, turned bedrock into liquid, and brought granite from six miles underground to the surface in a matter of minutes.  

Recovered from deep beneath the seafloor, this melted fragment of Earth’s history holds the story of impact, fire and transformation.  

To , go where the Earth’s past is uncovered.

Image: ANU Alumni Awards. Photo: Coco Liu/ANU

Do you know an ANU alum who's changing the world? Now’s the time to celebrate them. Nominations for the 2027 ANU Alumni Awards are open! Help us shine a spotlight on remarkable alumni making a difference. 

Learn more: 2027 ANU Alumni Awards  

The ANUOK App has been updated so staff and students can easily provide feedback on University services. Similar to the University Services Feedback form, it is available for suggestions to improve University service delivery.  

If you see something that needs to be repaired, you can use the Fix My Campus option on the ANUOK App. 

The Biometrics in the Bush Capital conference is a forum for statisticians, data scientists and those interested in development and application of statistics to biosciences problems. Abstract submissions are due by Monday 21 July and the conference will be held on Monday 24 to Thursday 28 November. 

Help is available if you need it. If you are dealing with a personal or university-related issue, ANU encourages you to seek support through the Student Safety and Wellbeing team by emailing student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au or calling 02 6125 2211, Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm.

You can also visit our Urgent Support page for a list of 24/7 and crisis support options. 

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ANU Security at (02) 6125 2249