Western Sydney University welcomes third cohort in sector-leading academic decasualisation program
Dr Jiahe Chen, Associate Lecturer in Business Analytics in the School of Business; Vice-Chancellor and President, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO; Professor Maryanne Dever, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education and Students; Dr Erika Smith, Lecturer at the School of Social Sciences; Dr Pegah Marandi, Associate Lecturer and Professional Experience Advisor (Secondary) at the School of Education; Professor Kevin Dunn, Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Academic Transformation; and Professor Jeff Powell, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies & Researcher Development
Over half of all teaching in Australian universities is delivered by casual staff on short-term contracts. Western Sydney University has responded to this major problem of insecure work by developing a sector-leading decasualisation program.
The University is proud to announce the third group of ongoing academic staff appointed as part of this pioneering program, developed in collaboration with the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
This ambitious initiative has now successfully appointed 160 ongoing academic staff, meeting the target set in the University's Academic Staff Agreement. Over the past three years, the program has significantly increased the number of secure, early career academic positions available at the University.
In 2025, 60 successful candidates have been appointed as part of the program, adding to the 100 appointments made in 2023 and 2024. Sixty per cent of the appointees were women, further strengthening Western’s credentials as an employer of choice for women. This round of recruitment also saw the appointment of four Indigenous staff, reinforcing the University’s commitment to Indigenous excellence and leadership. Across the life of the program, a total of nine Indigenous staff have been appointed, representing 6 per cent of all appointments.
The newest group was warmly welcomed at a special event attended by senior leaders, including Vice-Chancellor and President, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO, and Professor Kevin Dunn, Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Academic Transformation. Staff representatives from previous cohorts also joined to welcome their new colleagues.
Appointees have shared how the career stability gained through the program has enabled them to confidently plan for the future, support their families, and pursue their career ambitions and research goals.
Vice-Chancellor and President, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO
Professor Williams said Western Sydney University is proud to lead the sector in delivering this meaningful program to address insecure work in higher education.
“We celebrate the appointment of 60 outstanding individuals as part of this ambitious initiative. These talented educators and researchers are already enriching the student experience and making a valuable contribution to our community. These new ongoing positions, now totalling 160, reflect a significant commitment by both Western Sydney University and the NTEU to address insecure work in the sector and provide our academic staff with greater certainty and opportunity,” said Professor Williams.
The University and the NTEU welcomed this latest milestone as an important step in a large-scale undertaking to address the long-term challenges of academic precarity, which addresses the over-reliance on academic casualisation identified in the Australian Universities Accord final report.
“The NTEU is immensely proud that this academic decasualisation program, which aims to convert a substantial part of the labour previously performed by casual staff to ongoing roles, was the first of its kind in the sector, reflecting Western's historical commitment to decency and fairness. We offer our warm congratulations to this final group of successful staff, and we look forward to supporting them in their new roles. Western was first into this crucial initiative, and also the first to finish the job. However, we also urge the University to ensure that the program does indeed reduce our dependence on casual labour, as has been intended all along,” said Dr David Burchell, Branch President, National Tertiary Education Union, Western Sydney University Branch.
Dr Pegah Marandi and Dr Erika Smith, both appointees from previous cohorts, were also among the academic speakers at the event, sharing their experiences and highlighting the impact of the decasualisation program.
Dr Pegah Marandi
Dr Pegah Marandi, Associate Lecturer and Professional Experience Advisor (Secondary) at the School of Education, was an appointee of the program in 2024. An expert in English Literacy Education (K-12), Dr Marandi described how job security has enabled her to thrive.
“The career security afforded by my position as an Associate Lecturer at Western Sydney University has enabled me to pursue ambitious research avenues and deeply invest in my professional development. This opportunity has not only advanced my academic career, but profoundly enriched my everyday life,” said Dr Marandi.
Dr Erika Smith
Dr Erika Smith, Lecturer at the School of Social Sciences, was among the first appointees of the program in 2023. A sociologist and expert in contrapower harassment in tertiary education, Dr Smith emphasised the new research opportunities that came with a permanent role.
"While Western Sydney University offers some research opportunities to casually employed academics, it was only after securing a permanent position that I gained meaningful access to research support, such as mentoring, collaboration, funding, and dedicated time to undertake research. This institutional investment in research has been pivotal in the development of my academic profile," said Dr Smith.
Dr Jiahe Chen
Dr Jiahe Chen, Associate Lecturer in Business Analytics in the School of Business, is part of this year’s cohort of appointees. A passionate educator and curious researcher, Dr Chen focuses on demonstrating the business value of IT applications.
“Thanks to the decasualisation program, I’ve found my academic home at Western Sydney University – a secure foundation to grow beyond teaching into research and long-term career development. This stability and support have also strengthened my connections with my students and colleagues, making every day rewarding,” said Dr Chen.
ENDS
30 July 2025
Photo credit: Sally Tsoutas
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