SYDNEY, 14 July 2026 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has released findings from its 2026 Independent Schools Risk Report, which identifies cyber risk as the leading concern among participating independent schools in Australia.
One in four schools surveyed experienced a cyber incident in 2026, up from one in five schools in 2024, reinforcing the importance of cyber resilience as schools increasingly rely on digital technologies to support teaching, learning, administration, finance and communications. As a result, cyber resilience has become a key governance priority for school leaders and boards.
“Cyber risk is no longer simply an IT issue for schools. It is a governance priority that can influence every aspect of school operations, from teaching continuity to financial management, student safety and community trust,” said Lachlan Bowden, practice group leader of education for Australia at Aon. “As schools continue to embrace digital technologies, boards and leadership teams need confidence that cyber risks are understood, managed and governed effectively.”
Schools are strengthening their cyber preparedness, with 76 per cent reporting documented preventative measures to manage cyber risk, up from 66 per cent in 2024. At the same time, 81 per cent are outsourcing IT functions to third-party technology providers, highlighting the importance of strong cyber governance across both internal operations and external providers.
While schools are strengthening preventative controls, survey findings suggest opportunities remain to further align board confidence with cyber capability.
School leaders recognise cyber risk, but survey findings suggest boards can further strengthen governance by deepening their understanding of technology risk and ensuring preparedness extends beyond technical controls to incident response, business continuity and third-party risk management.
Findings reinforce the value of strong cyber governance through board education, independent assessment of third-party providers, incident preparedness and investment aligned to organisational risk.
“Cyber resilience is built through preparation, not perfection. Schools that establish strong governance, understand their digital ecosystem and prepare for incidents will be better placed to respond when cyber events occur,” said Bowden.
About the Survey
Since 2014, Aon’s Independent Schools Risk Survey has been conducted biennially to provide insight into the risks facing the education sector from the perspective of professionals working in schools. To access the full report, visit schoolsriskreport.aon.com.au.
This year, the survey was conducted from January to March 2026. Three hundred and six independent schools took part in the survey from all states and territories across Australia (except for the Northern Territory). Participating schools include non-denominational and religious schools, as well as schools offering special assistance and Steiner and Montessori-led education.
For the purpose of this survey, an independent school is generally defined as a non-government school that operates independently of state and territory education departments and is typically governed by its own board or organisation rather than by a church or government authority.
The information in this media release is based on survey responses from participating schools and reflects their views at the time of the survey. It is not intended to be representative of all independent schools in Australia.
About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.
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