Staff at the Australian National University (ANU) Dictionary Centre have received reassuring news regarding their job security for the next two years, following a significant anonymous donation. The centre, which faced closure after proposed budget cuts in July 2025, will continue its operations, although the search for sustainable funding remains ongoing.
Funding Secured Amid Uncertainty
Director Amanda Laugesen expressed her relief upon learning about the donation, which will guarantee the centre’s functioning through 2026. “I am happy and relieved,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of the donation in securing the positions of staff members like herself and researcher Mark Gwynn.
Despite the positive news, Laugesen noted that the future funding model beyond this period is still unclear. “We still may not know quite what the model for sustainability beyond that will look like,” she remarked, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding long-term financial viability.
The ANU Dictionary Centre plays a critical role in documenting and studying the Australian lexicon through its major project, the Australian National Dictionary. Laugesen explained that this work is unique, as it focuses exclusively on Australian words and phrases, something no other institution currently undertakes.
Leadership Changes and Future Directions
The announcement of the donation was made by interim vice-chancellor Rebekah Brown during an all-staff town hall meeting. Though the amount of the donation remains undisclosed, ANU confirmed that operational levels at the Dictionary Centre will remain stable for two years. It is estimated that the annual operational cost for the centre is around $250,000.
Brown commented on the significance of the centre, stating, “It helps shape what we know about Australian English, and how it is used. It’s welcome news that this generous gift will allow the Centre to continue this important work while we seek to secure alternative long-term funding.”
In a related development, it has been confirmed that Genevieve Bell, the former vice-chancellor who resigned on September 10, 2025, did not contribute to securing this donation.
In addition to its research, the Dictionary Centre is known for its annual “word of the year.” For 2024, the chosen term was “Colesworth,” a blend of the supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths. Gwynn noted that the term was selected due to the public’s cynical perception of the two retailers, and he and Laugesen traced its usage back to 1959, when it appeared in the Australian Women’s Weekly.
While the immediate future appears secure, the ANU community remains vigilant regarding the pursuit of long-term funding solutions to ensure the continued success of the Dictionary Centre and its critical work in Australian linguistics.
