‘A global vision anchored in the Illawarra’: UOW’s new VC charts bold course through sector turbulence

Professor Max Lu brings global ambition to Wollongong, with plans to transform UOW into a top 100 university and strengthen local impact

University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor Professor Max Lu AO. Picture supplied

The University of Wollongong is preparing for its next era under new Vice-Chancellor Professor Max Lu AO, who brings with him a global pedigree and an ambition to future-proof the institution amid a rapidly changing landscape.

Professor Lu, who stepped into the role on May 28, says he is returning “home” after nearly a decade leading the University of Surrey in the UK. “I'm very pleased to return home and to be close to my children and family and to be here in this fabulous town,” he said.

It’s a homecoming with high stakes. UOW posted a “headline loss” of $28.7 million in 2024, largely, it says, due to falling international enrolments following changes in federal migration policy. The adjusted deficit of $13.3 million - an improvement from 2023 - reflects the financial pressures facing the sector.