The Australian National University has become the only public university with conditions on its registration after a series of failures relating to governance, culture and conflicts of interest.
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has imposed four conditions after conducting a review of the ANU's compliance with the higher education standards.
"TEQSA found that the ANU did not meet these provisions due to identified concerns regarding culture; confidentiality; conflicts of interest; strategic planning; informed decision-making; risk management; oversight of performance and subsidiaries; record-keeping; and training," the decision said.
An ANU spokesperson said the conditions reflected the suite of reforms the ANU council has already committed to.
"ANU is committed to best practice governance," the spokesperson said.
"The university will continue to work openly and constructively with TEQSA as we continue to strengthen the University's governance arrangements."
National Tertiary Education Union ACT division secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy welcomed the action from TEQSA.
"ANU now has the dubious distinction of being the only public university in Australia with conditions on its registration," Dr Clohesy said.
"That means our national university has conditions placed on its permission to operate as a university. This is due in large part to the management, leadership and governance failures of the Bishop-Bell regime."
ANU chancellor Gordon de Brouwer said in a submission to the government the council was committed to rebuilding trust and confidence in the university's governance.
"The ANU Council is appalled and dismayed by the documented failures of administration and governance that have occurred over the past two years," the submission said.
"It is unacceptable that events have led members of our community to lose trust in the university's governance.
"We acknowledge that those failures caused considerable hurt and distress and have contributed to the need to consider reforms to the ANU's governing framework."
The conditions require the university to conduct a governance and council strengthening program led by an independent expert or panel of experts over two years.
The program must include a financial sustainability plan, an academic strategy, a review of risk management processes and a review of the way the ANU council operates.
TEQSA will have the power to approve the expert or panel and approve the terms of reference for the governance and council strengthening program.
The university must put in place a series of integrity measures relating to managing conflicts of interest and creating a "speak up" culture where staff and students feel safe to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal.
The ANU must also train council members on their obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act and improve the quality of information provided to council members to inform deliberations.
The regulator began its compliance review on June 30, 2025, and it concluded on September 2, 2026.
The review came amid the Renew ANU program which aimed to cut spending by $250 million. The Auditor-General found Renew ANU lacked evidence and that council members were discouraged from debating matters during 2024 and 2025.
A separate report by Christine Nixon found the ANU College of Health and Medicine was riddled with bullying, gender bias, sexism and racial discrimination.
Former vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell resigned in September 2025 following mounting calls for new leadership at the university.
Julie Bishop resigned as chancellor in May along with multiple council members. Ms Bishop complained of "regulatory overreach" in the governance of the higher education sector.
The federal government is moving to reform the legislation governing the ANU with a focus on the makeup and responsibilities of the council.
