Ms Lisa Paul AO PSM
Chancellor of the University of Canberra
Lisa Paul AO PSM became the seventh Chancellor of the University of Canberra on 1 January 2024.
Lisa is a prominent policymaker and social justice advocate and advisor.
Lisa led higher education, science, research and innovation policy for the federal government as the longest-standing Secretary of the Federal Department of Education, serving five Prime Ministers and nine Cabinet Ministers between 2004-2016. Lisa started her public service career in the housing commission of the ACT government.
Since leaving government in 2016, Lisa has continued her commitment to higher education through an Honorary position at the Crawford School of the ANU, as an Enterprise Professor at the University of Melbourne School of Government, a Councillor of Bond University, a Director of the Future Battery Industry Cooperative Research Centre and as chair of the Audit Committee of the Australian Academy of Science. Lisa was a director of listed higher education company Navitas, the Melbourne Accelerator Program and she served on an advisory board for Charles Sturt University on regional issues. Lisa was Co-Chair of an Independent Review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Deputy Chair of a Review in the education portfolio to advise targets and reforms for the next national schools funding agreements.
Lisa served on the Government’s Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board, on the board of listed company Programmed and unlisted company APM.
From 2018-2021, Lisa chaired the board of headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. She is or has been a director of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue, Social Ventures Australia, Schools Plus, High Resolves, and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth.
In 2020, Lisa led an initiative set up by the Business Council of Australia to help bushfire affected communities recover.
In 2011 Lisa was made an Officer of the Order of Australia and in 2003 awarded a Public Service Medal for leading the Commonwealth’s domestic response to the Bali Bombings. In 2011, she was named federal government leader of the year by Chartered Accountants and has received other awards.
Lisa is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Institute of Management, the Institute of Public Administration Australia, Australian Council of Educational Leaders and the Australia New Zealand School of Government.
University Profile
The University of Canberra is a young, dynamic, professionally oriented university with a clear public purpose serving the people and communities of Canberra and the surrounding regions – city to coast, alpine to tablelands. Our location in Australia’s capital city, surrounded by dynamic areas of regional Australia, defines who we are and the unique offerings we take to the world. While our home is Canberra, our reach is global.
We are the university in, of and from Canberra.
We are a young university with fierce ambition. Our continued success in research and education has been internationally recognised, resulting in UC becoming the world’s fastest rising university in the nation and the world (QS, 2019). UC has been named in the top one per cent of universities worldwide, placed in the 193rd position of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020, and is ranked 34 in the world’s top 100 young universities by the 2019 Times Higher Education Young University Rankings.
Our graduates enjoy an 89 per cent employment rate and higher starting salaries than the Australian university average, and many of our 86,000 alumni hold influential positions in public and private sectors in 120 countries.
We are a leading sports institution and have strong ties with elite sporting teams. We proudly own WNBL team the University of Canberra Capitals and our women’s rugby sevens squad competes in the Uni 7s Series. We support W-League team Canberra United and the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby team call our campus home.
Through a transformative campus development plan, the university will continue to evolve into an interactive, connected hub of scholars, learners and innovators.
The University of Canberra Hospital (UCH) opened on campus in mid-2018 and is our cornerstone facility in the university’s rapidly developing health precinct. The subacute care facility specialises in the provision of rehabilitation, mental health, and aged care health services. Other developments include a cancer care centre, with aged care facility and residential development underway.
To find out more, visit the University of Canberra website www.canberra.edu.au
Governance
University of Canberra Council
The governing body of the University, the Council, is established under the University of Canberra Act 1989 (ACT) and is responsible for the entire management of the University.
The Council sets the strategic direction of the University and drives performance through the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and President, oversight and review of the business plan and budget, oversight of academic activities and the monitoring of risk and the systems of control and accountability.
Membership of the University of Canberra’s Council is as follows:
Ex-Officio Members
Lisa Paul AO PSM – Chancellor (to 31 December 2029)
Professor Lucy Johnston – Acting Vice-Chancellor and President
Professor Elisa Martinez-Marroquin – Chair of the Academic Board (to 31 December 2025)
Appointed Members – Ministerial
Ms Patricia Kelly PSM Deputy Chancellor (to 8 April 2025)
Mr David Sturgiss (to 25 February 2024)
Dr Michael Schaper (to 18 November 2024)
Ms Alice Tay (to 2 July 2026)
Ms Anne-Marie Landsdown (to 22 October 2026)
Ms Christine Williams (to 18 November 2024)
Mr Medy Hassan OAM (to 18 November 2024)
Mr Michael Costello AP (to 3 July 2026)
Elected Members
Professor Benedict Sheehy – Academic Staff (to 31 December 2025)
Ms Deborah Poulton – General Staff (to 31 December 2025)
Mr Andrew Giumelli – Postgraduate Student (to 31 December 2024)
Ms Mustaha Ahmed – Undergraduate Student (to 31 December 2024)
Secretary to Council
Mr Eric Wells, General Counsel and University Secretary
Other Governing Bodies
Other Governing bodies within the University include:
Academic Board
Chair – Professor Elisa Martinez-Marroquin
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Chair – Ms Alice Tay
Finance Committee
Chair – Mr David Sturgiss
Nominations and Senior Appointments Committee
Chair – Professor Tom Calma AO FAA, Chancellor
Legislation Committee
Chair – Ms Patricia Kelly PSM
Planning and Development Committee
Chair – Ms Annabelle Pegrum AM