The University of Sydney Senate oversees all major decisions concerning the conduct of the University. It is responsible for senior staff appointments and welfare, student welfare and discipline, financial matters and the physical and academic development of the University. It also awards all degrees and diplomas and is responsible to the Parliament of NSW.
Senate held its September reserve meeting to consider a range of important matters. This update provides an overview for the University community and other stakeholders of that meeting; it is not intended to cover every decision made at the meeting, nor to be the formal record of Senate’s decisions and discussions.
Senate considered a request to convene a meeting of Convocation. Senate decided not to do so and instead has committed to hold a University-wide community engagement forum in the first quarter of 2027 to discuss issues of significance to the University community, including freedom of expression and academic freedom. Read a full statement from the Chancellor on Senate’s decision.
Senate received an update on the University’s implementation of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. The update outlined progress in implementing the University’s Prevention and Response Plan, including work to strengthen governance, prevention initiatives, support services and institutional oversight while awaiting feedback on its compliance submission from the Gender-based Violence Regulator.
Noting that feedback from the regulator is still pending, Senate provided guidance on areas of focus for future reporting to Senate. Fellows reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a safe University environment and ensuring the University continues to strengthen its approach to preventing and responding to incidents of gender-based violence.
The Vice-Chancellor briefed Senate on serious concerns regarding the conduct of the recent Students’ Representative Council elections. The Vice-Chancellor said he was profoundly disappointed that the safety and wellbeing of the community, especially our Jewish students, were not adequately considered by some candidates running in the election and then by the independent election organisers when endorsing ticket names. Read a full statement. (Update: the University has subsequently commissioned independent reviews into matters arising from SRC actions.)
Senate received a briefing on Collective Excellence 2026–28, an integrated program of work designed to improve the University’s education and research performance over the next three years. Building on the first phase of the Sydney in 2032 strategy, the program brings together University-wide activity and initiatives developed by faculties to support progress towards the University’s 2032 targets. Senate was invited to provide feedback on the proposed targets for measuring progress and the roadmap for realising the program’s intended benefits.
Fellows welcomed the update, and the clear overview of intersections and interdependencies between the University’s major strategic programs. They also welcomed the positive direction of many of the indicators selected to track progress of the Collective Excellence work, recognising that in some areas, notably research, it may take some time for performance improvements to manifest in concrete outcomes. Noting that achieving the program’s goals will require sustained effort and commitment from staff, Fellows underscored the importance of maintaining ambition and celebrating progress to secure broad engagement across the University community.
Senate endorsed the University’s first institution-wide mid-year report on complaints management, part of ongoing work to strengthen complaints management and ensure concerns raised by students, staff and other members of the University community are addressed effectively and consistently. The University will commence public annual reporting on complaints management from next year.
The data provided to Senate showed an increase in recorded complaint matters across the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, alongside improvements in the time taken to resolve matters. Senate welcomed the update and encouraged refinements to future reporting, including greater visibility of complainants’ experience of the University’s approach to complaints management.
Senate received an update on the University's approach to artificial intelligence (AI), including recent work to support responsible adoption of AI technologies across teaching, research and professional services through development of an updated Responsible AI Framework.
The Vice-Chancellor also updated Senate on the University’s recently announced partnership with OpenAI, which will provide students and staff with access to ChatGPT Edu, which is intended to support equitable access to advanced AI capabilities while being accompanied by appropriate governance, training and responsible-use safeguards. Senate will have further discussion on governance issues for AI at a forthcoming meeting.
Fellows received an update on recent discussions at Senate’s Finance Committee relating to development of the 2027 budget, which will come to Senate for approval in December. Development of the budget is taking place in a context of sector-wide changes to student enrolments which have associated financial consequences.
Senate approved a new framework to guide the regular evaluation of Senate and the University’s academic governance arrangements. The new framework will facilitate continuous improvement in governance by providing a structured approach to assessing how effectively Senate and related governance bodies fulfil their responsibilities.
The proposed framework builds on existing internal and external evaluation processes while introducing new opportunities for feedback and reflection. These include regular conversations about the contribution of individual Senate Fellows, feedback mechanisms for external members of Senate committees, and a schedule of reviews designed to support good governance practice and expanded regulatory requirements.
Senate approved the appointment of Ms Robin Low as a Fellow of Senate for a four-year term from 1 December 2026, following the conclusion of Dr Lisa McIntyre’s term on 30 November 2026. Ms Low is a current external member of the Senate Finance and Audit Committee. Senate also approved the appointment of Dr Amelia Hill Salter as Chair of the Senate Finance Investment Subcommittee for a two-year term of office from 1 December, to replace Dr McIntyre. Read a news story about the appointments.
Present: David Thodey AO (Chancellor), Professor Mark Scott AO (Vice-Chancellor and President), Professor Jane Hanrahan (Chair of Academic Board), Professor Tom Calma AO, Shirley Chowdhary, Ethan Floyd, Edwina Grose, Weihong Liang, Susan Lloyd Hurwitz AM, Lisa McIntyre, Karen Moses OAM, Professor Joel Negin, Emeritus Professor Alan Pettigrew (Deputy Chancellor), Professor Ben Saul, Jason Yat-sen Li
Senate’s next meeting will be on 12 November 2026.
For questions regarding this update, email chancellor@sydney.edu.au