ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp

The Final Change Plan reflects extensive consultation, with feedback leading to significant adjustments and improvements.  

The Final Change Plan achieves $21M in recurrent savings resulting from a reduction of 91.6 full time equivalent positions. 

Some disciplines originally proposed for closure will now be retained through staffing and curriculum changes, including Human Geography and some teaching in Earth Sciences, French, Spanish and English Language and Linguistics. At the time of the release of the final plan, around three-quarters of the staff that will leave the university under this plan will do so through voluntary redundancy. 

The detailed feedback and outcomes of Stage 2 Consultation can be found in the Final Change Plan <link> 

Of the 25 disciplines originally identified as being in-scope for the process: 

• 15 disciplines are now finalised having achieved the required reductions in staffing and/or curriculum changes. 

• 6 disciplines are finalised in-principle but require further FTE reduction and will now move to an Expression of Interest (EOI) process to achieve viable staffing levels.  

• 4 disciplines remain unviable and will be disestablished in accordance with the implementation plan outlined in the Final Change Plan and in line with the Enterprise Agreement, with tailored support provided to affected staff. 

Feedback in consultation stage 1 helped to ensure that the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp is considering a range of staff, students and community issues and concerns in the Revised Change Proposal. 

The actions and outcomes from the feedback are outlined in the Revised Change Proposal. 

Consultation during Stage 1 has led to several amendments to the Change Proposal with the 25 disciplines originally identified as being in-scope, now separated into three distinct categories for Consultation Stage 2:  

1. Further consultation required – consultation will continue with disciplines in relation to the proposal, with no substantive change to the proposal outcome. 
2. Progress to resolution – in-principle agreement has been reached on necessary curriculum changes and/or FTE reduction to deliver viability. Further consultation will be undertaken with affected staff to reach a resolution.
3. Finalised – agreement has been reached with affected staff through necessary curriculum changes and a sufficient number of expressions of interest for voluntary redundancies to deliver viability. Further consultation will not be required for these disciplines. 

Between 4 and 29 November 2024, we received thoughtful and constructive feedback from staff, students, and stakeholders. Key themes included: 

• Data transparency and accuracy – concerns about the methodology and accuracy of data were addressed by reviewing viability assessments with affected disciplines, resulting in some corrections and clearer explanations in the proposal.
• Impact on staff and students – feedback highlighted concerns about workloads, change fatigue, morale, and student experience. The Revised Proposal outlines measures to manage workloads and maintain quality while emphasising support through the initiative.
• Implementation and process – suggestions included improving communication, phasing changes, and ensuring transparency in voluntary redundancy processes. These have been incorporated, along with stronger recognition of affected staff contributions.
• Reputation and strategic alignment – concerns about reputational risks and future-proofing have informed adjustments to align changes with UOW’s strategic priorities and safeguard our long-term growth. 

Following constructive discussions facilitated by the Fair Work Commission, the UOW has reached an agreement with the NTEU to resolve two outstanding disputes regarding UOW’s ongoing Workplace Change Process. This resolution reflects our shared commitment to moving forward with clarity and collaboration as we navigate this process.  

The Stage 2 consultation period have been extended until 10 January 2025. This additional time will allow for further staff feedback and will enable affected staff to continue to contribute to the consultation process.  

In the meantime, UOW will continue to work closely with affected staff to make the necessary curriculum changes or reductions in staffing levels required to deliver viability moving forward. 

The Final Change and Implementation Plan will be released, and affected staff notified by 15 January 2025. 

Students should contact AskUOW with any questions or concerns they may have.

If a course is impacted by this change, we will be reaching out to affected students directly. The results of the consultation will be released on 20 December 2024. We will contact students from this date to discuss their options.

Any credit for prior learning (CPL) you have been awarded will be counted/honored, however subjects you have received credit for may be replaced with alternatives. During enrolment, UOW will consult with you about subject availability and selection, and how this might impact your progression and expected course completion.

If your supervisor leaves the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp, Faculty and Graduate Research School staff will work with you to identify and appoint an alternative supervisor so that interruption to your project is minimised.

If your supervisor remains with the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp as an honorary staff member, Faculty and Graduate Research School staff will work with you and your supervisor to form an appropriate supervisory team so that interruption to your project is minimised.

The Graduate Research School and the Research Services Office will work to find a funding solution for your scholarship. You may be able to move university with the grant holding academic, or there may be other funding available at UOW. 

Every research project is unique and changing your research project is possible in certain circumstances, but would need to be carefully considered in terms of your accrued EFTSl, your progress to date, the degree of change etc. 

We will try to ensure that all outbound short programs can go ahead as planned. If your Project Coordinator is directly involved in this consultation process and there are any changes to your program we will liaise with you direct.

Information on the disciplines potentially impacted by the change are now available on the website. As we progress through the change process and can share more detail we will continue to communicate with students about any impacts to course or subject selection.

For any specific questions about subject selection, please contact AskUOW for advice.

We are committed to ensuring you can continue to progress successfully in your studies, and delivering the support needed for you to do so. Please reach out to AskUOW for additional support. 

UOW has a number of forums for students to give their feedback and thoughts. We work through these existing forums to ensure the voice of the student is heard and incorporated into our planning.

CSP funding will continue to be available and students may receive it subject to eligibility. We will work through this with students when details of impacts are confirmed.

The ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵapp remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing, health, and safety of our staff and students during this period. 

We remain focused on providing a high-quality learning environment which fosters academic excellence. We are committed to ensuring you can continue to progress successfully in your studies, and delivering the support needed for you to do so. If you require support, please remember that you can access a range of wellbeing services, including the UOW 24-hour Wellbeing Support Line. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Yes. UOW will be in contact with all partner institutions where there is any significant impact to course(s), including major(s) and specialisation(s) or subjects that form part of a formal agreement. 

The impact on programs delivered at offshore locations or campuses may vary depending on the specific teaching location and the regulatory accreditation requirements in both Australia and the respective offshore region. UOW will reach out to you directly in December 2024 with more information. 

If you have any additional concerns or questions, we encourage you to reach out to the appropriate contact person below:

• For programs operating in Singapore, Hong Kong (SAR), and Dubai, please contact Amanda Hiron (amandaw@uow.edu.au).
• For programs operating in China, please contact Lily An (huimin@uow.edu.au). 

No. Our offshore partners and campuses are not in scope for the initial phase of change.