Decades of policy decisions have made access to higher education harder for those who need it most.

Public trust and community confidence in universities in Australia and overseas are at all-time lows.

Political sentiment has shifted. Our centres of higher learning have leapfrogged big business to become easy political targets. And it’s no surprise; the sector has scored its fair share of own goals over the handling of unpaid wages, Vice-Chancellor salaries, free speech and safety on campus.

Ad hoc and insufficient government funding has forced universities down the path of corporatisation, drifting away from their role as public institutions with a mission to serve the public good.

Professor George Williams AO, drawing on his expertise in Australian constitutional law and democracy, describes the need for universities to claim agency, tackle the issues within their control, and replace self-interest with a genuine commitment to putting their students and communities first.

Without a reset the future looks grim. Our universities need to guard against misinformation and foster the next generation; the nation requires critical thinkers, researchers and innovators more than ever.

About the author

Professor George Williams AO is the Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University. He previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dean of Law and Anthony Mason Professor at the University of New South Wales. He is a leading constitutional lawyer, co-author with Professor Megan Davis of Everything You Need to Know about the Uluru Statement from the Heart and author and editor of dozens more books. He has appeared as a barrister in the High Court and led major public inquiries.