A new chapter for Australian university leadership

After over 20 years, the University Chancellors Council ceases operations from 31 October 2026.

The University Chancellors Council (UCC) formally concludes operations as of 31 October 2026, following the decision by Australian university Chancellors to bring their national governance leadership responsibilities together with Universities Australia. This decision marks the culmination of more than two decades of collaboration between university Chancellors and two years of substantial reform focused on strengthening university governance, accountability, and public confidence.

Under the new arrangements, Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors will work together through a single national representative body, combining Universities Australia’s advocacy and policy leadership with the UCC’s work to strengthen governance capability, integrity and assurance across the sector.

UCC Convenor Chancellor John Pollaers OAM said the decision reflected a shared commitment to the future of Australian higher education.

“The UCC has made an important contribution over more than two decades. But our responsibility has never been to preserve an organisation for its own sake. It has been to strengthen the governance and stewardship of Australian universities.

“We now have an opportunity to carry that work forward through a stronger national body, bringing the perspectives of Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors together in the interests of the sector and the communities our universities serve.”

Two years of governance and social licence reform

Since October 2024, the UCC has pursued a substantial program of reform in response to growing expectations of university governance, accountability and public purpose.

Following an independent assessment of the sector’s social licence, the UCC and Universities Australia established a joint Social Licence Steering Committee, bringing Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors together to address issues affecting public confidence in universities.

The work has encompassed governance standards and assurance, executive remuneration, workforce integrity, student safety, racism and antisemitism, international education governance, and greater transparency and accountability.

The UCC also contributed to the Australian Government’s Expert Council on University Governance and supported the development of enhanced governance principles across Australian universities.

These reforms have included stronger expectations for governance reporting, transparency, accountability and the capacity of university councils to understand how institutional decisions affect students, staff and the wider community.

The UCC has also strengthened direct engagement with stakeholders, including the National Tertiary Education Union, National Union of Students, Fair Work Ombudsman, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) the Human Rights Race Discrimination Commissioner, the National Student Ombudsman and the Australian Government’s Special Envoys to Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia.

These conversations have brought the experiences and expectations of staff, students, regulators and other stakeholders directly into discussions with university Chancellors.

Chancellor Pollaers said the work had reinforced an important distinction between governance frameworks and governance in practice.

“Universities have no shortage of governance principles, policies and committees. The real test is whether those arrangements work — whether governing bodies understand what is happening in their institutions, hear the people affected by their decisions and act when change is needed.

“We have made important progress, but agreement on reform is only the beginning. Its success will ultimately be measured by what changes in practice.”

A stronger national voice

The integration of the UCC’s responsibilities into Universities Australia follows extensive consultation and negotiations between the two organisations.

The reforms establish a broader national mandate for Universities Australia, with Chancellors serving alongside Vice-Chancellors on its Board and a new University Governance Committee providing continuing leadership on governance capability and assurance.

The arrangements also provide for joint plenaries, participation in the development of national strategy and periodic review of the new governance model.

At the UCC’s final Plenary in Adelaide on 7 October, Chancellors considered the next phase of sector leadership, including the implementation of governance reforms, the future direction of Australian higher education and the opportunities created by the new national structure.

The meeting included engagement with TEQSA Chief Executive Officer Mary Russell, Australian Tertiary Education Commission Chief Commissioner Barney Glover and Universities Australia Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy.

Federal Minister for Education the Hon Jason Clare MP also addressed the final Plenary, acknowledging the contribution of the UCC and welcoming the reform.

“John, can I thank you and everyone here for all the work you have done as a Council,” Minister Clare said.

“Bringing university chancellors and vice chancellors together makes a lot of sense.”

Concluding his address, the Minister thanked Chancellors for their contribution to Australian higher education and the Government’s reform agenda.

“Thank you for what you do. Thank you for the good you do.

“And thank you for working with me on the reforms we are making to make our education system even better.”

Chancellor Pollaers said the reform represented an opportunity for the sector to move beyond responding to challenges towards anticipating and helping shape its future.

“Australian universities are nationally important institutions. They make an extraordinary contribution through education, research, innovation and the opportunities they create for individuals and communities.

“Our national representative body must be equipped not only to advocate for that contribution, but to anticipate emerging issues, strengthen governance and help shape the future of Australian higher education.

“That requires Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors to work more closely together, bringing their different perspectives and responsibilities to a shared national agenda.”

Carrying the work forward

Chancellor John Hood, newly appointed Chancellor Deputy Chair of Universities Australia representing Chancellors, said the new arrangements provided an important opportunity to build on the UCC’s work.

“The UCC has established a strong foundation for university governance and has helped bring greater attention to the responsibilities our institutions carry for students, staff and the wider community.

“The task now is to build on that work. Bringing Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors together gives us an opportunity to strengthen both the governance and collective leadership of Australian universities.

“We should judge the success of these reforms not simply by the new arrangements we have established, but by whether they help our universities become better governed, more accountable and more trusted.

“That is the responsibility we now carry forward through Universities Australia.”

The new arrangements provide for continuing Chancellor participation in the national leadership of the sector through University Australia Board representation, the University Governance Committee, joint plenaries and the development of Universities Australia’s strategic direction.

Implementation of the enhanced university governance principles, stronger governance assurance, social licence, workforce integrity and stakeholder engagement will remain important priorities.

The first fully elected Universities Australia Board under the new arrangements is expected to take office following its Annual General Meeting in March 2027.

Recognising the contribution of Chancellors

Chancellor John Pollaers paid tribute to the Chancellors who had contributed to the UCC throughout its history, including former Convenors, Executive Committee members and those who had supported its governance reform agenda.

He particularly acknowledged the UCC Executive, the Chancellor members of the Social Licence Steering Committee and the joint UCC–Universities Australia Working Group responsible for developing the new arrangements.

“This has been a genuinely collective effort.

“It has required people to confront difficult issues, listen to different perspectives, negotiate in good faith and remain focused on what will best serve the sector.

“I want to thank my Chancellor colleagues for the trust, commitment and constructive challenge they have brought to this work, and particularly those who have given so much of their time through the Executive, the Social Licence Steering Committee and the reform Working Group.

“I also want to acknowledge the leadership and partnership of Universities Australia Chair Professor Carolyn Evans, Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy and their colleagues in bringing this reform to completion.

“The willingness of both organisations to put their shared purpose ahead of their separate histories has been central to the outcome.”

Chancellor Pollaers also acknowledged the contribution of the UCC’s secretariat and the many people who had supported its work over more than two decades.

“The UCC has depended on the commitment and goodwill of Chancellors, university leaders, advisers and colleagues who have contributed their time and expertise to strengthening governance across Australian higher education.

“I want to thank everyone who has been part of that work, including those who helped establish the Council and those who have supported its final transition.”

A new chapter and a continuing responsibility

Reflecting on the UCC’s closure, Chancellor Pollaers said the decision was consistent with the principles of institutional stewardship the Council had advocated.

“Institutions must be prepared to change when there is a better way to serve their purpose.

“The UCC has made an important contribution, and we should be proud of what has been achieved. But the challenges facing Australian universities will continue to evolve, and so must the arrangements through which we lead and govern them.

“This reform is not about Chancellors stepping back. It is about Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors stepping closer together.

“We bring different perspectives to the leadership of our universities. Neither substitutes for the other. The strength comes from bringing both to the national agenda.

“The UCC may be coming to an end as an organisation, but the responsibilities we have carried forward do not. What changes is how we exercise them.

“The UCC has not finished its work by preserving itself. It has helped create a stronger way for that work to continue.”