Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Watch leading constitutional expert and university reform advocate Professor George Williams AO as he outlines the bold changes needed to restore trust in Australiaโs higher education system, in conversation with The Fifth Estate host Sally Warhaft.
Originally presented on 19 February 2026 by The Wheeler Centre.
In this revelatory session, Professor George Williams AO drew upon his vantage point as Vice Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University to set out the bold reforms needed to rescue Australiaโs higher education system. He argued for a sector that abandons self-interest, reinvests in its students and re-earns its social licence through transparency, integrity and genuine public engagement.
With rare candour, Williams unpacked how trust in universities has faltered and what must change to ensure the next generation of critical thinkers, researchers and innovators inherit institutions capable of meeting the moment. Donโt miss watching this timely edition of the first of our 2026 editions of The Fifth Estate with host Sally Warhaft.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ-๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
youtube.com/@WheelerCentre
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐
The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne.
๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐
Live and digital conversations, debates, readings, podcasts and discussions at The Wheeler Centre.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐
๐ Website: wheelercentre.com
๐ Instagram: instagram.com/wheelercentre
๐ Facebook: facebook.com/wheelercentre
๐Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wheelercentre.bsky.social
๐ LISTEN wherever you get your podcasts: tinyurl.com/TWCLISTEN
Watch leading constitutional expert and university reform advocate Professor George Williams AO as he outlines the bold changes needed to restore trust in Australiaโs higher education system, in conversation with The Fifth Estate host Sally Warhaft.
Originally presented on 19 February 2026 by The Wheeler Centre.
In this revelatory session, Professor George Williams AO drew upon his vantage point as Vice Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University to set out the bold reforms needed to rescue Australiaโs higher education system. He argued for a sector that abandons self-interest, reinvests in its students and re-earns its social licence through transparency, integrity and genuine public engagement.
With rare candour, Williams unpacked how trust in universities has faltered and what must change to ensure the next generation of critical thinkers, researchers and innovators inherit institutions capable of meeting the moment. Donโt miss watching this timely edition of the first of our 2026 editions of The Fifth Estate with host Sally Warhaft.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ-๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
youtube.com/@WheelerCentre
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐
The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne.
๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐
Live and digital conversations, debates, readings, podcasts and discussions at The Wheeler Centre.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐
๐ Website: wheelercentre.com
๐ Instagram: instagram.com/wheelercentre
๐ Facebook: facebook.com/wheelercentre
๐Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wheelercentre.bsky.social
๐ LISTEN wherever you get your podcasts: tinyurl.com/TWCLISTEN
