UOW centralises complaints, investigations amid sector scrutiny
Inquiry resumes later this month
The University of Wollongong is centralising its workplace complaints system and establishing a dedicated investigations unit as scrutiny of the sector continues to intensify.
The move will create a specialised team within a newly-structured complaints function, including a senior manager and investigation specialists, designed to handle sensitive and high-risk matters more consistently across the institution.
The changes form part of a broader organisational transformation rather than a response to any specific incident, a UOW spokesperson said.
“The University is establishing a single-entry point for complaints and disclosures, supported by a more contemporary investigations function within the Legal, Assurance and Integrity division,” they said. “This will provide a more consistent, streamlined and best-practice approach to managing workplace complaints and investigations.”
Previously, investigations were handled across multiple areas, including Integrity and People & Culture, alongside specialist staff embedded in individual portfolios. The new model consolidates those responsibilities into a single, dedicated team.
“The creation of these roles reflects UOW’s ongoing commitment to ensuring complaints are managed fairly, consistently and in line with best practice,” the spokesperson said.
Interim inquiry report handed down
The restructure comes as universities across the state face growing scrutiny over governance and accountability, with a parliamentary inquiry examining how institutions manage internal complaints, disclosures and broader operational risks.
An interim report from the inquiry, released earlier this month, called for immediate action at UOW and raised concerns about its oversight of overseas campuses in Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India and Saudi Arabia.
The report warned the university risked “sacrificing fundamental social benefits in the pursuit of corporate outcomes,” pointing to concerns it was drifting from its legislated responsibility to serve the Illawarra region.
Central to those concerns is Global Enterprises, the university’s commercial arm, which operates its international campuses and employs more than 1500 staff. The inquiry heard the subsidiary operates more like a private corporation than a public university, and noted UOW runs more overseas-controlled entities than any other NSW university.
This expansion has occurred as the university cuts courses and reduces staff locally in response to budget pressures.
The report also raised concerns about transparency in the use of external consultants, following revelations that former interim vice-chancellor John Dewar was still working part-time for consulting firm KordaMentha when he took on the role in 2024. Within days of his appointment, the university invited the firm to tender for a $3.8 million operational review, a contract it later secured.
UOW acknowledged the interim findings in a statement, noting the report and its recommendations are now with the government and that a final report is expected later this year.
The inquiry is scheduled to resume in Sydney on April 29.