The Council wants the ANU community's feedback on what attributes they are seeking in the University's next Chancellor.

Feedback is anonymous unless you choose to provide your contact details. 

The survey will remain open until Friday 15 May.

The University has updated the semester one examination schedule to enhance the student and staff experience. From semester one, the examination periods will be:

This change removes the first deferred examination period previously scheduled in semester one and is intended to establish a consistent examination pattern for future semester one teaching periods. The existing semester two arrangement of two deferred examination periods will remain unchanged.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) will take place from Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June, with the theme “All In”, calling on all Australians to commit to reconciliation every day.

Learn more about the ways staff and students can engage with reconciliation both during NRW and beyond.

Professor Peter Yu, ANU Vice-President (First Nations),  delivered the keynote speech at the Stronger, Smarter Together Summit in Meeanjin (Brisbane) on Friday 8 May.

The summit’s theme was ‘Reimagining Sovereignty’.

“The seminal 1992 case of Mabo Two did not, beyond rejecting the repugnant fiction of the Terra Nullius lie, that we were vacant country, address the question of our legal sovereignty. The High Court feared that any recognition of Indigenous sovereignty would fracture the legal skeleton of the Australian state,” Professor Yu said.

“We must ask on what premise do we continue to assert ourselves as Indigenous peoples?”

Read the transcript to learn more about Professor Yu’s reflections on sovereignty, truth-telling and the future of Indigenous self-determination.

This week’s trivia question is:

What are the three elements represented in the ANU Crest?

Congratulations to our recent trivia winners, staff winner Imogen Bailey and student winner Seungbin Kang. Please contact ANU Corporate Communications to collect your prize.

Last week’s question and answer:

How many Australian PMs are ANU alumni? Answer: Two – Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd.

Did you know? Other ANU graduates have gone on to become Nobel Prize winners, High Court judges, astronauts, Rhodes Scholars and internationally renowned comedians. Learn more about the famous faces you didn’t know studied at ANU.

Over the coming weeks, ANU Green is heading into campus landscapes and gardens with the ANU Landscape and Conservation and Kitchen Garden program sharing how our green spaces are cared for through Autumn and Winter. From managing green waste and improving soil health to planting for biodiversity and preparing for spring growth. 

Follow ANU Green on Instagram for simple gardening tips and sustainable practices you can apply at home, whether you have a backyard garden, balcony or a few pots on your windowsill.  

Three of the 30 artists and leaders featured in the Australian National Academy of Music’s 30 Stories project have connections to the ANU School of Music, highlighting the school’s strong ties to industry and community.

Featured in the project are alumni Ronan Apcar and James Munro, alongside current Head of School Chris Sainsbury. The project celebrates influential voices shaping Australia’s music landscape.

What are the challenges for One Nation in navigating a path to opposition status in Australian politics following a dominant political victory? Does Angus Taylor have the political capital to survive the long road back to political relevance for the Liberal Party of Australia?

Psephologist Ben Raue and Political scientist Dr Jill Sheppard dissect the Farrer by-election result and its implications, if any, on politics beyond.

Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić FAA is on a mission to inspire the next generation of scientists. The ANU researcher has just begun his Australian Laureate Fellowship to lead a research group on deep Earth and planetary seismology.

With over $3.8 million in funding from the Australian Research Council and significant support from ANU, this is important recognition of the value of curiosity-driven research.

“It’s exciting because of the trust placed on the research directions that I want to pursue,” says Professor Tkalčić from the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

The recent global Canvas outage, which affected some learning and teaching activities on the afternoon of Friday 8 May, was a result of a cyber incident impacting the provider of the system, based in North America. Access to Canvas has since been fully restored and is available for use as per normal. Please remain vigilant by:

The Information Security Office is offering two ANU students the opportunity to apply to attend CyberConnect Canberra 2026, featuring talks, panels, workshops and networking with professionals across cybersecurity, tech, AI, government and industry. 

Apply to attend by Friday 15 May, 12pm. Successful applicants and one waitlisted applicant will be notified via their ANU email address by 5pm on the same day.

Balancing study with parenting isn’t always easy. The ANU is an accredited breastfeeding friendly workplace and offers parenting and breastfeeding rooms across campus.

The University’s Breastfeeding Procedure contains guidance on all the breastfeeding spaces on campus including locations, access and opening times and the type of facilities in each room.

You are welcome to breastfeed anywhere on campus; these rooms are an additional option if you prefer privacy or a quiet moment.

Hantavirus is a rare but serious illness linked to rodent exposure. Students travelling overseas are encouraged to stay informed and follow simple precautions, although the current risk to the community remains low.

International SOS has provided the latest travel advisory update.

Smoking, vaping and the use of all smoking products are prohibited across all ANU campuses, including buildings, residences, grounds and vehicles.

Applications are open for the fourth cohort of the Planetary Health Equity Future Leaders Program, hosted by the Planetary Health Equity Hothouse and The Privilege Project, School of Regulation and Global Governance.

This fortnight-long program is for PhD students, early career researchers and professionals seeking to engage in theory, research methods and knowledge mobilisation related to planetary health equity.

Friday 15 May, 6–9pm

University Avenue is set to come alive with samba, capoeira, live music and Latin American street food. Expect local Latino-owned food vendors, DJs, dancers and a carnival atmosphere.

Come early for the food and stay for the music!

Saturday 16 May, 7.30–9pm

The Australian Chamber Orchestra will perform Schubert’s Fantasy & Octet at Llewellyn Hall, directed by Richard Tognetti. The program celebrates the emotional depth and lyrical beauty of Franz Schubert’s chamber music.

Tuesday 19 May, 1–2pm

Join ANU School of Music staff for a relaxed lunchtime concert featuring cello faculty member Rachel Johnston, with a program including Schumann’s Fantasiestücke and Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata

Friday 22 May, 6pm – Sunday 24 May 4.45pm

The Sign on Screen Festival celebrates Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) perspectives in filmmaking and explores the representation of sign languages across cinema, television and digital media. The festival will feature screenings, discussions and special guests from across the Australian screen industry, including Deaf and HoH filmmakers, actors and academics.

Saturday 23 May, 8–10am

Join ANU Sport for a day of strength, community and personal bests, with qualified judges assessing form and providing guidance across bench press, deadlift and squat. Whether you're competing for the first time or chasing a new PB, the event is designed to be both competitive and educational. Lifters will also receive a free event T-shirt on the day.

Frank Bongiorno will be in conversation with Joshua Black, Marija Taflaga and Peter Yu.

Monday 18 May, 6–7pm

Shaun Micallef will be in conversation with Adam Shirley

Monday 25 May, 6–7pm

Dr Dominique Dalla-Pozza, Senior Lecturer, ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy, shares what she is most passionate about in her work, her favourite spot on campus and what makes her most proud to work at ANU.

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.

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ANU Security at (02) 6125 2249