The Australian National University's dire financial situation is "improving" but the institution's interim vice-chancellor says more students are needed to return to financial stability.

At a meeting of staff today, interim vice-chancellor Rebekah Brown, who took on the role after the resignation of Genevieve Bell, declared the institution would focus on lifting revenue rather than making savings, with a new target of delivering a surplus by the end of 2026.

"Our financial situation is improving but we still need to be very, very careful,"

she said.

"We have been operating in a very turbulent environment, and going forward we need a strategy and a budget model that will help us modulate that."

Deficit 'under half' of what was projected

Professor Bell stepped down after months of cont

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