Deficit, consultants and global travel: The key takeaways from UOW’s Annual Report
UOW spent $23m on consultants and records hundreds of overseas travel activities
The University of Wollongong spent almost $23 million on consultants in 2025 as it undertook a sweeping organisational transformation, while also recording hundreds of overseas trips linked to research, conferences and international operations.
The figures, disclosed in UOW’s newly released Annual Report, come as universities across NSW face mounting scrutiny over spending, governance and financial management during a State Parliamentary Inquiry into the higher education sector.
UOW reported total consultant expenditure of $22.96 million in 2025, up from $16.5 million the previous year. The university said the increase was “largely attributable” to its transformation program and major investment in IT systems and infrastructure.
The largest single category of spending was “Research and Teaching activities”, accounting for $7.04 million, followed closely by $6.07 million tied to the university’s transformation program, including “planning and coordination, staff support and advice, and technical and system support”.
Other significant consultancy spending included $3.02 million on “Unibiz”, $1.51 million on IT infrastructure and programs, and nearly $1 million on cybersecurity upgrades.
UOW’s disclosure comes amid broader scrutiny of university spending and governance across NSW, including through the State Parliamentary Inquiry into the university sector conducted by the NSW Parliament’s Standing Committee on Social Issues.
The inquiry has examined governance, financial sustainability and spending practices across the university sector.
UOW’s annual report acknowledged the heightened scrutiny, noting that while NSW Treasury reporting guidelines do not require universities to publish detailed consultancy data, the university had chosen to provide expanded disclosure “to demonstrate openness”.
The university also backed calls for “clear and consistent reporting requirements …to ensure annual reports meet public expectations.
UOW reported a consolidated deficit of $16.9 million for 2025, compared with a $29 million deficit in 2024. The university said the 2025 result included $39 million in transformation costs associated with redundancies and organisational restructuring.
The annual report also noted that if those “abnormal items” were excluded, the university would have recorded an adjusted consolidated surplus of $22 million for 2025.
The consultancy spending coincided with a difficult financial year for the university. UOW reported a consolidated deficit of $16.9 million for 2025 after absorbing $39 million in transformation-related costs linked to redundancies and operational restructuring.
At the same time, the annual report revealed the scale of UOW’s international travel footprint. Staff undertook overseas trips to dozens of countries during 2025 for conferences, research, teaching, marketing, study tours and business meetings. The costs of these trips were not highlighted as a stand-alone expense in the annual report.
China accounted for the highest volume of travel, with 92 travel activities involving 67 people, followed by the USA with 65 travel activities involving 65 people, and Singapore with 53 travel activities involving 39 staff.
Vietnam, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vanuatu and Japan were among the total 634 travel activities involving 615 people.
UOW said continued growth across its offshore campuses helped diversify revenue and offset softer international enrolments in Australia, highlighting the strategic importance of its operations in Dubai, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
UOW also continued investing in the development of its Liverpool campus during 2025, with the university reporting total capital expenditure of $73 million as part of broader infrastructure and expansion plans aimed at strengthening its presence in Western Sydney.
The University said the results were representative of a period of significant change and a move towards long-term financial sustainability.
“2025 was a significant year for UOW. We celebrated our 50th Anniversary, launched our new Vision 2035 and Strategic Plan 2030, and underwent an organisation-wide transformation to strengthen our long-term sustainability,” Vice-Chancellor and President Professor G.Q. Max Lu AO said.
“By our 60th anniversary, UOW aims to be recognised among the world’s top 100 universities.”
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