A NSW parliamentary inquiry released last week has raised concerns about the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) governance and global commercial operations, prompting calls for greater transparency about how the university spends its money.
The NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues’ interim report examined UOW’s obligations to the Illawarra region alongside the operation of its global commercial arm, UOW Global Enterprises, which runs overseas campuses in Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India.
UOW Student Advisory Council Chair Alex Tegg said the university’s 2025 restructure had a tangible effect on students.
“We have seen the direct impact on students, reduced subject availability, less access to staff and some uncertainty around progression through degrees,” Mr Tegg said.
“The changes to professional staff also have an indirect impact on students which is often overlooked, and we often see impacts [including] delays, unclear communication and changes in processes, disproportionately affecting vulnerable student groups.”
The report found UOW spent $9.5 million on consultants before announcing 160 voluntary redundancies in 2025 to address a $35 million budget shortfall. The committee made four immediate recommendations, including calling on the NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education to request a full report from UOW on its commercial activities.
Committee chair Dr Sarah Kaine said students deserved clarity about how the university was allocating its resources.
“When local courses are being cut and overseas campuses are growing, students deserve transparency about how their university is spending money,” Dr Kaine said.
“The university should be prioritising the Illawarra.”
The interim report noted UOW’s council had no undergraduate student representative at the time of its findings. Mr Tegg confirmed this reflected a temporary vacancy following a graduation and said a new representative had since been appointed.
“Student voice is critical to the success of any higher education provider,” Mr Tegg said.
“All universities should be continually reflecting on how they can strengthen and better embed meaningful student representation in decision-making processes.”
UOW responded to the report in a statement.
“The University of Wollongong acknowledges the release of the interim report of the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the university sector. We note that the report and its recommendations are now with the government for consideration, and that a final report will be released in due course,” a spokesperson said.
“We welcomed the opportunity to participate in the inquiry because we recognise that trust in our universities is fundamental.”
The committee’s final report, with further findings and recommendations, is expected later in 2026.
Source: NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues, Interim Report No. 67, April 2026
