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The recent earthquake in Myanmar is deeply saddening. Our thoughts are with students or staff who have family or friends there. We understand this can impact your wellbeing and studies. Here are some support services available:

Wellbeing support: The Health, safety & wellbeing webpage offers various support options, including ANU Counselling Services and the Student Safety and Wellbeing team. The University provides a 24-hour wellbeing and support line for free, confidential support. Call 1300 050 327 or text 0488 884 170.

Academic support: If the situation is impacting your studies, please email urgent-student@anu.edu.au.

Financial support: The University offers financial support, including emergency grants.

The ANU Myanmar Students Association has launched an . Our thoughts are with you and your loved ones. Please reach out if we can support you. 

Last Friday morning, the cannons sounded, signalling that the Governor-General has prorogued Parliament ahead of the Federal Election on 3 May. Between now and 3 May, we will see a lot of conversations unfolding nationally about what matters to Australians – and it is clear economic stability remains front and centre for many of us across the country. And regardless of who “wins," our sector is going to continue to face external scrutiny and regulatory interventions that change the way we work.

This doesn’t mean we change who we are or what we are here doing each day – but it does mean we will have to consider the changing context around us and continue to evolve and reshape how we continue to do our work against this backdrop. And it means being clear about our value and our values, and about the role we play, as a national institution and a university.

Read more: VC's Update - Changing Context

Image: Professor Grady Venville at ANU in Canberra, ACT, Australia, 04 April, 2022.. Photo: Tracey Nearmy/ANU.

After seven years at ANU and six years as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Grady Venville has resigned from her role at ANU. Throughout her tenure, Grady has been a passionate advocate for academic excellence and student success, leading transformative initiatives that have strengthened the University's commitment to research-led education and innovative teaching practices. 

We thank Grady for her leadership, vision and dedication and wish her all the best for her epic caravan trip through the top end of Australia. Her last day at ANU is this Friday 4 April. Farewell Grady – you will be missed! 

Image: 2025 ANU Young Alum of the Year Lee Constable has written two science books for children. Photo: Supplied.

Imagine you’re a superhero tasked with solving the world’s big problems. What would your superpowers be? This is a question Lee Constable asks Australia’s schoolkids in her workshops. “Kids are really good at imagining the ways that superheroes might use otherwise horrendous bodily functions for good and not evil,” she says. “And I always find that hilarious.”   

The ANU graduate’s work as a writer, presenter and youth mentor has seen her named the University’s 2025 Young Alum of the Year. She uses humour to make science approachable and says this sense of light-heartedness is important to her advocacy.   

Image: ANU astronomer Dr Takafumi Tsukui says the discovery will significantly expand our understanding of black holes in the early universe. Photo: Jamie Kidston/ANU

Scientists have detected radio signals from hot gas surrounding a supermassive black hole that existed 12.9 billion years ago, according to  from an international team of scientists, including researchers from The Australian ¾«¶«´«Ã½app University (ANU). 

This finding is the closest look ever at hot molecular gas near a black hole from such an early time in the universe, revealing in remarkable detail the conditions of a rapidly growing black hole. The study suggests that many black holes may remain hidden behind dust but could be uncovered by this new observational approach. 

Image: Chinese Fellows. Photo: Reuben Kozary 

The Australian Centre on China in the World has secured $1 million from the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Foundation for Australia-China Relations to fund a four-year China studies fellowship program. The program will send 50 ANU graduates to China for a year of intensive study at Xi’an-Jiaotong Liverpool University as a strategic investment into Australia-China relations. 

In 2024, the University commissioned Professor Christine Nixon to conduct an independent review of gender and cultural matters within the former ANU College of Health and Medicine and its constituent schools. The final report was delivered to the University in February 2025, and Professor Nixon presented a high-level summary of the recommendations to Council last Friday. A summary of these recommendations and our response will be shared with the University community in the next couple of weeks.

Tuesday 8 April, 10am – 12pm

Join this interactive online session with Professor Danny Liu (University of Sydney) as he explores meaningful ways to integrate AI into the classroom. Professor Danny Liu will discuss both a framework for action and a call for transformative change in how we prepare students, educators, academics, and administrators for an AI-enabled future.  
Hosted by A/Prof Geoff Hinchcliffe, Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching), this interactive session will include time for audience questions and discussion. 
 
 

Monday 7 April, 6-7pm

Join acclaimed historian Joan Beaumont as she discusses her powerful new book, Gull Force: Australian POWs on Ambon and Hainan, 1941–45, with Professor Christina Twomey. Delving into the harrowing experiences of Australian soldiers in captivity, this conversation sheds light on one of World War II’s most tragic and overlooked stories. Books available for signing from 5.30pm. 

Register now: Meet the author – Joan Beaumont 

Thursday 10 April, 6-7pm 

Journalist and proud Gamilaroi woman Brooke Boney joins Virginia Haussegger to discuss her deeply personal and thought-provoking new book, All of It. Through a collection of witty and heartfelt essays, Boney explores love, loss, ambition, and the complexities of public and private life. Don’t miss this insightful conversation with one of Australia’s most compelling voices. Books available for signing from 5.30pm. 
 
Register now: Meet the author - Brooke Boney 

Tuesday 15 April, 6-7pm 

What does it mean to live on land taken from others? Bestselling author Kate Grenville explores the complexities of history, land, and legacy in her powerful new book, Unsettled: A Journey Through Time and Place. In conversation with historian Ann McGrath, Grenville reflects on her family's past, the impact of colonisation, and what it means to reckon with history today. Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion. Books available for signing from 5.30pm. 
 
 

Thursday 17 April, 4-5.30pm 

Why has China’s stance toward its homegrown internet companies shifted so abruptly from enthusiastic support to overt repression? Through a detailed account of the corporate-state relationship in the case of Didi Chuxing, China’s ride-hailing giant, this talk will explain how both political and corporate power have found common ground in reappropriating the positive meaning of innovation and technological solutionism for their own—often mundane—purposes. 

Wi-Fi load, or channel utilisation, refers to how much traffic a Wi-Fi channel is handling—similar to traffic congestion during rush hour. The heavier the traffic, the more congestion, and the slower the Wi-Fi connection. When connecting to ANU-Secure Wi-Fi, devices typically connect to the access point with the strongest signal. Heavy traffic on one point slows down the connection, leading to poor experiences.  

The good news? We're adding more access points across campus to ease the load. So far, around 2,000 end of life access points in Residencies have been replaced with newer, more capable models. More upgrades are planned across campus buildings to ensure seamless connectivity for everyone. 

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.