Australian public universities’ response to COVID-19

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the COVID-19 responses of Australian public universities, specifically the actions and measures taken to assist staff, students and the wider community. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses widely used content analysis to investigate the measures taken by these universities to support staff, students and the broader community, based on data from 37 Australian public universities’ published websites. Findings - The findings show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian public universities provided immediate assistance to students, faculty and the community. As part of their unanticipated COVID pandemic, they implemented online teaching, financial assistance, mental health support and COVID-19-related initiatives. In comparison to non-Go8 universities, the Group of Eight (Go8) universities demonstrated greater resources in delivering these initiatives. Practical implications - Given the integral role of universities in the Australian economy and society, this research contributes to our understanding of how these institutions navigate unprecedented COVID-19 situations while considering the needs of staff, students and the broader community. Originality/value - Universities in Australia have played an important role in the economy and society of the country. This paper is one of the first to look at how Australian universities were dealing with the unprecedented COVID-19 situation while taking into account all stakeholders, including staff, students and society.