Leading through scrutiny: Rebuilding trust in higher education
Trust in our universities is under strain like never before. Headlines about underpayments, governance failures, and campus culture have dominated the news. Politicians are weighing in with enquiries and negative public commentary. Public confidence is slipping.
For university leaders, the question isn’t why this is happening—it’s what now?
The sector finds itself at a crossroads. How can university leaders restore trust and demonstrate genuine accountability?
This is why we convened 30 senior university leaders across major Australian cities for a series of roundtable discussions at the end of 2025. The focus of these discussions was: what practical steps can leaders take to restore trust? And what lessons can be learned from other sectors that have endured similar storms.
The following is a summary of those discussions.
Own and accept reality
The first step toward rebuilding trust is a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Progress starts with honesty, and universities must acknowledge the need for change rather than dismissing criticism as mere media sensationalism or a comms problem.
When issues such as casualisation, underpayments or campus safety are addresses only after external pressure, it signals reactive rather than proactive culture.
The sector has a choice: own the problems and lead the change or wait for someone else to do it for us.
Don’t accept what’s taken for granted in your sector
Many practices in higher education persist simply because they are widespread, not because they meet community expectations. The sector must have the courage to question what has long been taken for granted. This could have been a way to head off some current concerns, such as wage underpayments. Are there others? For example, some are starting to question the adequacy of entry standards for international students – is this another issue on which universities need to act proactively?
Identifying and addressing these issues takes real courage, a willingness to challenge ingrained practice, to set a new standard and to move beyond compliance to genuine cultural transformation. This will help to reset relationships with key stakeholders, such as politicians and the media.
Understand your customer and break legacy habits
A recurrent theme is the need for universities to reconnect with their primary stakeholders: students. The pandemic has shifted student priorities, yet many institutions still focus on research rankings and international revenue than on the student experience. University leaders, and the councils that set their KPIs, must refocus strategic priorities to better understand and serve students.
This means listening carefully to their views, especially their complaints, and offering them simple transparent systems that genuinely serve their needs. A sector that loses touch with its students risks irrelevance and further erosion of trust.
Transparency matters
Transparency is a powerful tool for building trust. Simple measures, such as publishing details of executive remuneration or consultant expenditure, can demystify decision-making and foster greater understanding among stakeholders.
The recent report of the Expert Council on University Governance recommended greater transparency in Council proceedings, subject to confidentiality, by communicating decisions to affected stakeholders with the reasons why those decisions were made. This can help to promote better understanding of the workings of Council, the complexity of the matters they deal with, and the reasons for decisions.
Leverage new perspectives
Universities tend to benchmark themselves against others in the same sector. Looking outward to other sectors, especially those that have been through a similar experience, can help to generate new insights and enables a more objective appraisal of the current state. Further insights from other sectors experiencing similar change, such as Banking, Gaming, and Aged Care, can inform sector leaders as they grapple with change in their own organisations.
As in other sectors that have experienced intense scrutiny, it is easy to look past bad practice because it is widely accepted in the sector.
Communicate consistently to build trust
A strong, consistent narrative is essential during times of change. Communication should focus on addressing the concerns of key stakeholders, not just promoting institutional achievements.
Engaging with emotion rather than with facts is also important – often, challenges to public trust and social licence are driven by feelings. Clear communication of vision and strategy is vital to protect reputation during periods of change. Consistent internal and external messaging reinforces direction, helping stakeholders understand the broader context and fostering a sense of community.
Collaborate for reform
Finally, sector-wide collaboration is essential to rebuild trust. A unified, consistent message that acknowledges the need for change and demonstrates collective action can significantly improve the sector’s reputation. While collaboration is challenging, it is essential for meaningful reform and for restoring public confidence.
By embracing all of the above, university leaders can begin to rebuild the trust that is so vital to the future of higher education.
