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������ý National University (ANU) has released an expert external Report focused on gender and culture into the former ANU College of Health and Medicine (CHM).

After disclosures of harm were brought to the attention of the Provost and the Vice-Chancellor in 2024, ANU  former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Professor Christine Nixon to conduct a Review at the College and its three former schools: the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, the School of Medicine and Psychology, and the John Curtin School of Medical Research.

Professor Nixon’s report is published in full on the ANU website. As part of the Review process, Professor Nixon heard from 83 former and current staff and students, and received 67 written submissions. This follows a number of routine academic and other reviews conducted since the 1970s.

The Review outlines eight key findings and 17 recommendations which the University is working to address. Some of the recommendations will be applicable across all areas of ANU, ranging from implementing further accountability measures to standardising recruitment practices and improving respectful behaviours.

Vice-Chancellor Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell said Professor Nixon’s Review was sobering, and that the University needs to address the concerns raised from staff and students.

“When I commenced as Vice-Chancellor in January 2024, I was determined to address behaviours that fall short of our community’s expectations,” Distinguished Professor Bell said.

“Former reports commissioned had good intentions, but the institution has not been good at creating clear accountability and follow-through to make real and meaningful change on these important issues.

“Every member of our community has the right and expectation that they will work and study in a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment. We will address every recommendation and ensure that our progress is externally monitored.

“I know that many members of our community work hard every day to ensure ANU is a place that is inclusive and welcoming. But I also know, in some cases, we have fallen short as an institution, and we have let our people down.

“To all of the students and staff who have been affected by these behaviours and this culture over many years, we at ANU say sorry.”

ANU Provost Professor Rebekah Brown said the University had already implemented some of the recommendations, while others would take more time.

“We welcome all 17 of Professor Nixon’s recommendations. They provide a robust and actionable roadmap to help us begin to rebuild a new cultural foundation that is grounded in core principles of safety, respect and collegiality,” Professor Brown said.

“We also thank the many current and former staff and students who attended interviews or made written submissions. We acknowledge that sharing experiences and insights can be difficult and we are committed to upholding our responsibilities to take these accounts to shape a better work and study environment.”

Director of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at ANU, Professor Hilary Bambrick, said she and her fellow School Directors welcomed the findings of the Nixon Review.

“We particularly appreciate the acknowledgment that job insecurity and substantial budget constraints have been longstanding issues in the three Schools,” Professor Bambrick said.

“While each of the Schools have made significant progress in addressing this fundamental challenge in recent years, we look forward to building on this momentum with the backing of the Review and the support of the University.”

In order to ensure that the recommendations are actioned appropriately, ANU has established the Nixon Implementation Steering Group, chaired by the Provost. It will include key members of the Executive, college deans and the ANU Students’ Association (ANUSA).

It will be responsible for holding the University accountable as it works to address each of Professor Nixon’s recommendations. It will report to the Vice-Chancellor, ANU Council and the ANU community on progress made regularly.

ANU is also inviting our community to participate in a series of thematic Working Groups, where our staff and students can offer their expertise and suggestions for the University to address the issues raised in the Review and drive campus-wide cultural reform.

The seven Working Groups will focus on a range of areas to address the issues specifically raised in this Review. They include complaints handling, bias and discrimination, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience, culture, wellbeing, management skills, and accountability and data.

The full report, along with a series of FAQs, is available on the University’s Nixon Review webpage. ANU will continue to provide our community with regular updates, assessments and tracking of our progress on this webpage.

There is a separate, confidential report which outlines specific accounts of potential misconduct against named individuals. ANU will appoint an external investigation officer, and – where appropriate – these individuals will be subject to action for serious misconduct.