The organisation is responsible for supporting the priorities of the traditional owners and their use of land. Over many years the community has derived economic value from the organisation entering into mining agreements on their behalf and in line with their wishes. However, over the last 15 years the traditional owners have highlighted the need to diversify their economy and redefining value through other uses of land.

In the past, mining companies would have approached the traditional owners seeking to mine the land, which at the time would have been a new and unfamiliar concept. In return the mining company would pay lucrative rents and royalties to lease the land. Traditional owners have over the years derived economic benefit from mining agreements which provided an attractive value proposition, with mining as the main economy for the community. Over the years, through rents and royalties receipts, mining in the region supported the delivery of programs to preserve culture and support community development.

In recent years the organisation has had to respond to the desire from traditional owners to use their land in alternative and environmentally sustainable ways. The organisation has shifted its focus from mining opportunities presented by the land to exploring other land uses to generate economic benefit. The organisation has responded by investing mining royalties into investigating alternative industries. Through understanding the traditional owners shifting desires, the organisation has shifted its focus in order to generate renewed customer value.

For example the organisation has supported the research and development of aquaculture enterprises and found that this type of enterprise aligns more closely with traditional owner’s values.  Aquaculture as an industry reflects the historical trading of trepang carried out between traditional owners and Macassar traders many years ago. The establishment of the aquaculture enterprise supports the traditional owner’s goals to diversify their economy. It also reflects the traditional owners taking ownership and self-determining what industries drive their economy. Further adopting environmentally sustainable practices to operate the aquaculture enterprise provides traditional owners with land use attributes in line with their values.

Within this context, the risk of losing competitive advantage to other competitors is not relevant. However, had the organisation not adopted customer value learning, developed a customer value delivery strategy and used that to inform decision making, then traditional owners would express their dissatisfaction, and this would cause problems for the organisation whose primary responsibility is to the traditional owners.

As someone who has spent many years guiding organisations through transformation, I see Western Sydney University’s core products and services — education programs, student support, research, and community engagement — as the foundation of its current value proposition. Right now, students and stakeholders are looking for outcomes that are practical and immediate: employability (terribly important), accessibility, a supportive student experience, strong industry connections (linked to employability and access), and research that matters to their communities. These translate into higher‑order values such as social mobility, equity, future readiness, and regional impact (specific for Western Sydney University's brand proposition).

But the landscape is shifting.

Customers — in this case, students (of all types)— are increasingly concerned about how artificial intelligence will reshape their careers, how climate change will affect their futures, and how digital identity and social media will influence their professional lives. They want universities to prepare them not just for today’s jobs but for tomorrow’s challenges.

That means embedding AI literacy and ethics into curricula, taking a leadership role in sustainability, offering flexible and lifelong learning pathways, and supporting students in managing their digital presence.

What Western Sydney University has learned — and must continue to act on — is that value creation is no longer about delivering degrees alone.

It’s about being a partner in lifelong transformation. The institution must evolve to embed AI, climate action, digital empowerment, and continuous upskilling into its core proposition.

This aligns directly with Western 2030’s strategic goals: transforming lives, driving regional prosperity, and leading innovation.