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AHUA Expert Exchange: An Australian Approach to Enhancing the Culture of HE Governance

This event is for AHUA members only (no alternates)

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Genevieve Beart is a Partner at Oliver Wyman (a Marsh Business) and was a co-author of the report on Australian university governance challenges, which includes a focus on culture and risk (report here [oliverwyman.com]). The report, ‘Universities must address root governance weaknesses’, identified the potential risks associated with Australian university governance culture being under the spotlight, as scrutiny of governance rises alongside expectations and accountability. It also highlighted significant questions about how culture was shaping the quality of governance. The report suggested that the challenge for Australian universities was no longer whether they would act on negative perceptions of governance conduct, but whether they were willing to address the cultural drivers behind them.

In this Expert Exchange, Genevieve will reflect on her experience in Australia of supporting sector change and consider what lessons there might be for the UK. She will share some of her thinking on the relationship between organisational culture, risk culture and outcomes, and how these can establish and reinforce conduct and organisational culture as part of sustainable improvement in governance.

The session will provide a significant opportunity for members to ask questions about the Australian context and journey on a Chatham House Rule basis, as well as to share their own thoughts on how they are seeking to address similar questions about governance culture in the UK.

Speakers

Genevieve Beart

Genevieve Beart is a Partner in Oliver Wyman’s Government and Public Institutions Practice, with more than 14 years’ experience advising universities, governments and other mission-driven organisations across the Asia-Pacific region.

She has worked extensively with leading Australian universities on governance, risk and major institutional change. This work has included advising university Councils and Senior Executives on strategic choices, decision-making, governance effectiveness and risk management. Her work has also spanned structural reform and whole-of-institution improvement, especially in response to financial challenges or system policy change.

Across this work, Genevieve has developed a particular interest in how governance arrangements, risk management and organisational practices influence decision-making and institutional outcomes - and how these can be strengthened to support sustainable change.

Genevieve holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical, Honours) from the University of Melbourne and an MBA (Distinction) from London Business School.