ANU is the 16th best university in the world for social and environmental sustainability, improving 32 places compared to the previous year, according to the QS World University Rankings Sustainability 2026.   

Out of 38 Australian institutions, ANU ranks third in the country, climbing four places. The University’s overall score increased by 5.1 points to 97.2 out of 100.   

QS also recognised ANU as a leader in environmental sustainability and knowledge exchange, ranking it second in Australia in both areas. 

Learn more: ANU 16th best university in the world for sustainability 

Each year, the ANU Art & Design Grad Show transforms the gallery into a maze of colour, sound and unexpected encounters; a place where materials behave strangely, ideas take on physical form, and students reveal the work that has shaped them. 

Four emerging artists capture that spirit with practices grounded in storytelling, identity and the body: stitched, cast, painted and polished into being. 

Learn more: Storytelling and self-expression: step inside our 2025 Art & Design Grad Show 

Congratulations to Professor Katerina Teaiwa, Professor Caillan Davenport, Professor Philip Piper and Professor Gillian K Russell, who have been announced as new Fellows of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. 

Election to the Academy is the highest honour in the humanities nationally and recognises the impact academics' work has had on Australia’s social, cultural and democratic life. 

Learn more: ANU academics named new Fellows of the Australian Academy of the Humanities 

The Labor Party’s landslide victory at the polls in 2025 was shaped by several factors, including a clear advantage on policy issues, the relative popularity of Anthony Albanese and strong support from younger voters and women, according to a major study of Australian political attitudes and behaviour.  

The 2025 Australian Election Study (AES), led by ANU and Griffith University, and released in full today, shows voters preferred Labor’s policies on nine of 10 issues examined in the study.  

“The Coalition had a long-term advantage on economic policy, until this year,” study co-author ANU Professor Ian McAllister said. 

The full study is available online. You can also access the launch event presentation slides. 

Learn more: 2025 Australian Election Study reveals factors that led to ‘unprecedented’ Labor win 

As we approach the release of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-30, we're revisiting the Strategy’s theme of ‘strength in connection’, highlighting that wellbeing grows through building strong relationships with peers and colleagues. 

Felicity Gouldthorp, Director of the Residential Experience Division, explains how her team works to create safe, supportive and connected residential communities where our students can thrive. 

Learn more: Strength in connection 

By mid-December, ANU will be fully transitioned to our new Learning Management System, Canvas. This means that from Wednesday 17 December, most ANU students will lose access to the old Learning Management System, Wattle, and content in Wattle will no longer be accessible to students.  

If there are files in Wattle you would like to retain, please download and save these before this date. Instructions to complete this process can be found on the Online access for courses webpage. 

Some students have already been granted extended access to Wattle, so if you need it and think we may have missed you, please let us know by raising a ticket via Service Portal. 

There will be two planned critical infrastructure outages to enable service upgrades this week. They will take place overnight to reduce disruption.  

Affected applications include Moodle, Echo360, timetabling, e-Forms and others. 

Please plan ahead for these outage periods and if you experience issues after the outage window, please contact the ANU Service Desk at +61 2  6125 4321 during business hours. 

Ready to push your sporting and academic potential further? The ANU Sport Elite Athlete Scholarship empowers outstanding athletes to pursue excellence in both their academic and athletic endeavours. The scholarship is valued at $25,000 per annum and offers valuable help for domestic and international applicants aiming to excel at ANU and in their sport. 

Applications close Sunday 7 December. 

Learn more: ANU Sport Elite Athlete Scholarship 

ANU proudly observes International Day of Persons with Disability on 3 December, a time to reflect on inclusion, accessibility and the role each of us plays in creating a supportive community. 

The University is developing the Disability Action Plan 2026–2028 and invites students and staff to provide feedback. To support a more inclusive workplace, SensusAccess, an online tool to convert documents into more accessible formats, is being launched for staff. 

Tuesday 2 December, 6–7pm 

Niki Savva will be in conversation with Kerry-Anne Walsh on her new book Earthquake, the election that shook Australia, a collection of Savva's most groundbreaking columns from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, along with a riveting and deeply informed analysis of Australia’s epoch-making 2025 election. 

Register here for Meet the author: Niki Savva 

Thursday 4 December, 3.30pm–5pm

Join Dr Emma Dalton, Japanese studies scholar, for a seminar highlighting the problem inherent in the claim that Japan is one of the healthiest countries in the world by arguing that disordered eating in Japan is widespread amongst the country’s women and girls.

Register here for A feminist analysis of disordered eating in Japan

Friday 5 December, 11.30am–1.30pm 

This panel discussion event will mark the launch of the 2025 Our Lives: Women in the ACT report. The findings of the report are based on the biennial Our Lives Survey which captures the lived experiences of women and non-binary people in Canberra and surrounding regions. 

Register here for 2025 Our Lives: Women in the ACT panel 

Tucked quietly inside the Banks Building once sat one of the University’s most surprising hidden gems: a sun-drenched, leafy courtyard that worked overtime as a garden, gathering place and a mini wildlife sanctuary.  

What made the courtyard truly special wasn’t just the greenery – though the towering Banksia trees, tree ferns and Magnolia certainly helped. The courtyard was also home to a surprisingly vibrant community of animals, many of which became beloved unofficial mascots of the building. The large Banksia tree was a favourite roost for ringtail and brushtail possums. For a year, a pair affectionately known as Yoda and Yodette could often be seen curled into a fork in the trunk. Above and around the tree, the Banksia flowers lured flying foxes, honeyeaters, wattlebirds, rosellas and even gang-gang cockatoos – a birdwatcher’s dream in the middle of campus.  

On the ground, Gippsland water dragons staged dramatic territorial showdowns (Stumpy, the long-reigning king, is still the stuff of legend), while a patient bluetongue skink lingered at lunchtime hoping for handouts and occasionally licking the toes of anyone wearing thongs. Nearby, the courtyard pond supported its own cast: eastern long-neck and Murray River short-neck turtles, reeds, fish and the rumoured “mythical eel.”  

For everyone who worked or studied in Banks, these creatures, this garden and this shared space became part of the collective memory of campus life. While the courtyard is currently inaccessible, the memories remain – along with hope for many more to come. 

Daley Road will be closed at the intersection of North Road from Monday 1 December until Friday 19 December. The closure is required to undertake pedestrian safety improvement works. 

Access to all ANU car parks and buildings will be maintained, however, there will be significant detours and temporary traffic management measures. 

Look at the map and plan your trip to minimise delays and assist with easing congestion. 

The ANU Green Awards have wrapped up for 2025, celebrating staff and students who turned everyday sustainable choices into real impact. This year’s winner, Claire Pepper, stood out for her hands-on approach and innovative solutions.  

Read the full story to see how Claire's work is making sustainability more visible, practical and achievable in everyday life.  

Looking for ways to level up your own sustainable habits? ANU is introducing a new bus service in early 2026. It will connect the campus with major public transport hubs in the city, making low-carbon travel simpler, cheaper and easier. Stay tuned via On Campus or join the ANU Green Network for updates. 

You are now able to self-identify your current gender at any time through ANUHub without needing to provide supporting documentation.   

Navigate to ANUHub homepage > Personal Data > Profile > Personal Details > Biographic > Gender to update your gender.  

The Updates to gender data collection for ANU students webpage contains information and context about the changes and lists support available.  

If you experience any technical difficulties throughout this process, please reach out to Student Central for support. 

Learn more: View and update your gender in ANUHub

ANU is reviewing its Student Discipline Framework, and a draft is now available for feedback. 

Read the Draft Recommendations Report to help shape the framework.  

Register to attend an information session to learn more and share your feedback via the survey: 

Learn more: Final call for the feedback on the Student Discipline Framework draft recommendations 

There’s still time to submit a festive photo of your pet/s. One entry per pet, so the more pets, the more chances to win! 

There are three prizes to be won: 

All winners will be revealed in the final 2025 edition of On Campus on Tuesday 16 December. Every pet photo will be featured in a merry holiday gallery so you can enjoy the cuteness overload. 

Submit your photo via this entry form by Friday 12 December

Whispering Gums recently published a detailed write-up of the ANU Meet the Author event held on 19 November, which saw a 500-seat theatre filled to capacity. 

The discussion featured two of Australia’s most celebrated nonfiction writers, Helen Garner and Sarah Krasnostein, joined by critic and interviewer Beejay Silcox for a powerful conversation centred on The Mushroom Tapes, their new collaborative book (co-written with Chloe Hooper) exploring the Leongatha mushroom tragedy and the public fascination surrounding it. 

Whispering Gums captured the event’s impact and the insightful conversation that unfolded during this major literary moment at ANU. 

Read more: Helen Garner and Sarah Krasnostein in conversation with Beejay Silcox 

This week’s picture comes from Iris Zheng, Senior Program Administration Officer at the National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health, who captured the open sky framed by the glass windows of the Research School of Social Sciences. 

“This photo is special to me because it captures a peaceful moment on campus that often goes unnoticed, it reminds me to pause, look up, and appreciate the beauty around us, even on a busy day,” said Iris.  

Got a photo to share? Send in your picture using this form and include a short description about why your snap is special to you.

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