The "systems and complexity thinker" who scored more than $8.5 million in consulting contracts from the Canberra Institute of Technology had no prior relationship with anyone on the board or in the executive, the institute has said.
Patrick Hollingworth was selected to give a keynote speech at the institute in February 2017 and was paid $8000, a spokesman said.
Mr Hollingworth was selected based on "recommendations following a presentation he made at a national human resources industry event".
The institute's spokesman on Friday said the institute was confident contracts with Mr Hollingworth represented value for money and were undertaken through appropriate processes.
"CIT is not aware of any relationship with Mr Hollingworth, either personal or professional, with members of the CIT board or the CIT executive prior to his engagement as a keynote speaker in February 2017," the spokesman said in response to questions from The Canberra Times.
The spokesman also confirmed Mr Hollingworth had attended six of the institute's board meetings between 2019 and 2022, and that external consultants often attended the meetings.
"Mr Hollingworth has attended CIT board meetings on a number of occasions to share with the board work he has undertaken with CIT and insights about the complexity of the environment in which CIT operates," the spokesman said.
CIT Student Association general manager Andrew Scotford said the association recognised the need for the institute to "invest in preparedness to deliver effective outcomes for students" but was unable to say whether consulting contracts presented value for money.
"There remains many challenges for training to deliver outcomes, including employment, for our students and we continue to remind the CIT of the need to ensure that CIT has the capacity and resources to help students achieve their goals through training at CIT," Mr Scotford said in a statement on Wednesday.
Mr Hollingworth has not responded to requests for comment.
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