RegNet Annual Report 2024
We are delighted to share the RegNet Annual Report 2024, which provides an overview of what we have been up to as a community over the past year.
Explore inspiring success stories, impactful research, events and initiatives, educational programs and other innovative contributions enabled by our vibrant intellectual community. This report reflects our commitment to excellence, collaboration and research that makes a difference. Join us in celebrating these milestones!
View the online report or download your copy here.
Director's note
It’s been an exciting five years serving as Director of RegNet, The Australian National University’s School of Regulation and Global Governance. So much has happened since 2020, and I am proud of the School’s continued commitment to research and teaching that aim to make a positive difference in the world. This year’s annual report captures colleagues’ ambitious work across a wide range of regulatory concerns and governance issues, showcasing the value of our collective embrace of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches.
I remember writing my message for last year’s annual report, noting how 2023 provided important reminders that we live in uncertain times. 2024 was no different in that regard: while we watched the outcomes of several elections across the world, we managed some changes closer to home in Canberra.
In terms of highlights, we were thrilled to welcome our largest incoming cohort of PhD scholars to RegNet. We also had new staff members join us: Associate Professor Nick Bainton and three new postdoctoral fellows, Michael Cabalfin, Art Cotterell and Hridesh Gajurel. Their work covers several important issues, which are detailed in the pages ahead.
Unfortunately, we were also deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of two dear colleagues, Professor Susan Sell and Dr Naing Ko Ko. Both were bright lights in the RegNet community, and this year’s annual report shares more about the wonderful contributions they made.
Managing the highs and lows of 2024, our scholars have continued to work on the major societal challenges affecting us regionally and globally and produced impactful research to support more equitable approaches to regulation and governance.
This annual report summarises the many things we have done together over the last year.
We celebrated many research achievements, notably Professor John Braithwaite’s prestigious International Balzan Prize. He was recognised for his important work in developing and promoting the practice, theory and evaluation of restorative justice. We also secured government support, international grants and philanthropic funding for new programmes of research on a wide range of topics, including emergency management in times of crisis and measures of regulatory burden and value. Our list of awards highlights these and other projects.
In 2024, RegNet continued its strong engagement with academic partners, civil society and government practitioners. Professor Alan Gamlen and the ANU Migration Hub held its second Migration Update, doing so in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). We also expanded our secondment programme, enabling Associate Professor Christian Downie to spend six months doing policy-relevant work with the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Professor Sharon Friel and her Laureate team hosted the second iteration of the Planetary Health Equity Future Leaders Program. For two weeks, early career participants from across Australia and the world gathered to discuss and develop governance strategies for supporting planetary health equity. We also partnered with collaborators from the ANU, Rutgers University, University of Connecticut and University of Pretoria to support a two[1]week institute dedicated to developing and applying design justice principles to improve AI development and governance.
The School’s research-led educational offerings have continued to grow. In addition to our postgraduate degrees in the areas of regulation and governance and technology governance, our professional education programme, The Professional Regulator: Foundations, has taken off. Nearly 1,700 people have registered since we launched it last year with our co-design partner, the National Regulators Community of Practice (NRCoP).
2024 was a productive and busy year for our researchers and students. We are delighted to share what the School has achieved. Our successes depend on the collective action of individuals working together, and we are grateful for our professional team’s support.
We also invite you to look at our plans for the coming year. You can stay up to date in real time by joining our mailing list, following us on LinkedIn or visiting us in person.
Thank you for your ongoing interest in the work of RegNet. We wish you well in the year ahead.
Professor Kathryn (Kate) Henne
Director, RegNet