Adam Lucas
Adam Lucas is an honorary senior fellow at the University of Wollongong and a founding member of Better University Governance and Academics for Public Universities. Prior to working at UOW, he was a researcher and policy analyst in the NSW Cabinet Office and the Departments of State and Regional Development, Aboriginal Affairs and Housing.
Adam's recent articles
24 April 2025
Feeding the beast: The use of private consultants by public universities and its implications for tertiary education
Global consulting partnerships are not only reshaping public sector organisations along corporate lines and hollowing out government expertise in the process, but they have also been responsible for a significant decline in tertiary education quality and standards, including billions of dollars in wasteful expenditure on non-core business.
31 July 2023
The Australian Universities Accord Interim Report: the devil is in the detail
The Australian Universities Accord Interim Report (the Report) was made publicly available on 20 July 2023. Since Labor regained office in May of last year and the Accord process was announced, hopes have not been high that either the process or the Minister would make any commitments to reforming what is widely perceived as Australias dysfunctional, inequitable and authoritarian higher education system.
14 June 2023
The corporate-government power nexus
Mass surveillance and manipulation should not be allowed to become the new normal.
2 May 2022
If I were the Minister responsible for Higher Education in the next government these would be my priorities
What should be the top priorities of any incoming Federal Government concerning tertiary education in Australia after decades of cost-cutting, restructuring and corporatisation?
8 December 2021
Education left behind in the corporatisation of our universities
The rise of middle management and the non-democratic nature of university governance are undermining Australia's higher education system.
1 November 2021
Universities' wage theft as a business model must be stamped out
Wage theft is widespread at Australian universities. Independent prudential oversight and democratic reform of Australias public universities is long overdue.
17 June 2021
The authoritarian academy: corporate governance of Australias universities exploits staff and students and degrades academic standards. Part 3
The corporatization of Australias public universities has been driven by government funding cuts and regressive changes to how universities are governed. The rationale for corporatization was that it would encourage universities to become more entrepreneurial by turning vice-chancellors into CEOs and governing bodies into corporate boards. The resulting hybrid has been very successful at promoting university brands to international students but has utterly failed to maintain a supportive and collegial work environment for staff and students on university campuses.
16 June 2021
Coalition policies and corporatization of universities are premised on shifting costs to students and staff. Part 2
Australias tertiary education system is large, complex, and poorly regulated. Its government funding sources, governance structures and annual reporting requirements lack transparency and are inconsistent between and within jurisdictions. Distorted government priorities and discredited ideological fixations have created a dysfunctional system that devalues the work of academics and professional staff while imposing ever higher burdens on students to pay more for less.
15 June 2021
COVID cuts highlight intellectual bankruptcy of Coalition higher education policies. Part 1
Australian universities are in crisis, a crisis that has been a long time in the making, but is becoming increasingly obvious as the countrys borders remain closed to international students and the rivers of gold that had flowed from them rapidly evaporate.
7 October 2020
LobbyLand: Democracy on life support as the revolving door keeps swinging
Australian public policy is now routinely moulded to suit the interests of the highest corporate bidders and the lobbyists who represent their interests.