University of Sydney paid company it part-owns for mental health app and used students’ data for research

Exclusive: University of Sydney is a major shareholder in Innowell Pty Ltd, which developed the app

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The University of Sydney paid a for-profit company it part-owns to provide a mental health app to staff and students while using their de-identified data for research, a move the tertiary union has described as a violation of the university's relationship with its students".

The Innowell mental health app was developed by the company Innowell Pty Ltd, whose major shareholders are the University of Sydney (32%) and consultancy firm PwC (45%). University of Sydney professors Ian Hickie and Jane Burns are also minor shareholders.

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