An anti-corruption watchdog is set to begin a public inquiry into Australia’s University of Wollongong amid concerns about the governance at the institution.
Senior figures including chancellor Michael Still and chief governance officer and secretary, Alyssa White, have been named as part of the investigation by the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption which gets under way on 22 June.
It will consider the awarding of contracts to two consultancy firms with alleged links to members of senior management as well as the recruitment processes used for governance roles.
Unions have long criticised consultancy spend at Wollongong, which amounted to A$14 million (£7.4 million) in 2023, up from A$9 million the previous year.
In 2024, the firm KordaMentha was engaged to undertake two reviews into the university’s financial sustainability.
