Cost of ANU's reputational damage 'in the order of $100 million'

Interim vice-chancellor Rebekah Brown told a Senate committee the ANU's reputational damage had impacted its donor pipeline. (ABC News: David Sciasci)

The interim vice-chancellor of the Australian National University says a string of scandals, resignations and governance problems has potentially cost the university about $100 million in reputational damage.

Professor Rebekah Brown told a Senate Estimates Committee the full impact is still being calculated, but areas of the university had already suffered damage.

University regulator TEQSA also appeared, telling the committee it was aiming to finish a review into ANU's governance by next month.

The interim vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) says a string of governance problems has cost the university about $100 million in reputational damage.

Professor Rebekah Brown gave evidence in Senate estimates hearings today, following controversy around the university's now-aborted cost-cutting plan, Renew ANU.

The interim vice-chancellor told the committee that while the full extent of the impact was still being calculated, the financial consequences up to the end of last year had been considerable.

The prestige of the Australian National University is fast fading.

"[And it's had an] impact on our donor pipeline, and our international agents' work with international student recruitment."

But she told the committee she believed the university was "on the pathway of restoring confidence" with its donors.

"We have actually done a lot of work with our ACT alumni and donors, and with our international donors, particularly across the US and China," Professor Brown said.

"We've also contacted donors that wrote to us and let us know that because of Renew ANU, they didn't want to see new commitments go through.

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) also appeared at the hearings, telling the committee it had nearly finished a highly anticipated governance review.

Tertiary education watchdog TEQSA is currently undertaking a review of governance at the ANU. (ABC News: Callum Flinn)

But the university regulator said parts of that independent review into ANU's compliance and governance, overseen by former public service commissioner Lynelle Briggs, may not be made public.

TEQSA CEO Dr Mary Russell told the committee the watchdog was aiming to make as much of the report public as possible, but could not do so until it was completed.

"Ms Briggs's expert report is only a part of the information that's relevant for the commissioners to consider in coming to their final