The vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), Professor Genevieve Bell, has resigned after a tumultuous two-year tenure marked by redundancies, proposed course closures, and allegations of a toxic work culture. Chancellor Julie Bishop confirmed the news following a decision made by Bell on Wednesday evening, with Provost Rebekah Brown set to act as interim vice chancellor. Bell mentioned that her decision to step down was not an easy one, reflecting on her term as the university’s 13th vice-chancellor as both an “extraordinary privilege and also a heavy responsibility.” Despite the challenges, she emphasized her belief in the university’s national mission and the need for a solid financial, cultural, and operational foundation.
Pressure for Bell to resign grew after five out of six college deans lost confidence in her leadership. Bishop conducted meetings on campus with deans, council members, and union members, and engaged with the ANU governance project, a group concerned about leadership issues at the university. A scathing report by the governance project found that 96% of respondents felt ANU’s governance was not fit for purpose and needed reform. Bishop will encourage the council to engage in open and constructive dialogue with the group on its proposed recommendations.
Bell’s of departures comes amid increased scrutiny of ANU’s governance following a drastic restructure that resulted in at least 399 redundancies and the proposed disestablishment of several centers and schools. The National Tertiary Education Union estimated around 100 staff still face redundancy as part of the Renew ANU process. In response to “significant concerns,” an investigation by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is ongoing. ANU has released a self-assurance report and a cover letter for TEQSA, and will conduct its own investigation into its council and senior leadership team following allegations of bullying during a Senate inquiry. Independent senator David Pocock called for further leadership changes and transparency from the university, while the NTEU ACT division secretary, Dr. Lachlan Clohesy, warned that Bell may not be the last vice-chancellor to resign unless other universities learn from the situation. Grassroots group Our ANU emphasized that the issues are deeper and require genuine accountability for the university to reset and rebuild.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/sep/11/anu-vice-chancellor-genevieve-bell-resigns-amid-crisis-of-confidence-in-leadership
