Since the development of the university sector in Australia and the foundation of the first university (University of Sydney, 1850), a small number of Vice-Chancellors have served for 15 years or more with some portion of this time in office as Vice-Chancellor in Australia. They include:
29 years: Sir Anthony Brownless KCMG KSG (Melbourne 1858-87);
26 years: Sir William Mitchell (philosopher) KCMG (Adelaide 1916-42);
21 years: John Douglas Story (Queensland 1938-59);
20 years: Sir Stephen Henry Roberts CMG (Sydney 1947-67), James McWha AO (Lincoln 2018, Rwanda 2013-15, Adelaide 2002-12, Massey 1996-2001);
19 years: William Barlow (vice-chancellor) CMG (Adelaide 1896-1915); Sir Robert Strachan Wallace KCMG (Sydney 1928-47); Dianne Yerbury AO (Macquarie 1987-2006); Alan Gilbert (Australian academic) AO (Manchester 2004-10, Melbourne 1996-2004, Tasmania 1991-96); Paul Wellings CBE (Wollongong 2012-21, Lancaster 2002-2012); Margaret Gardner AC (Monash 2014-23, RMIT 2005-14);
18 years: Sir Raymond Priestley (Birmingham 1938-52, Melbourne 1934-38); Sir Stanley Prescott OBE (Western Australia (1953–70);
17 years: Sir George Currie (academic) (UNZ 1952-62, Western Australia 1945-52); Michael Birt (biochemist) AO CBE (UNSW 1981-92, Wollongong 1975-80); Brian Wilson AO (Queensland 1979-96); Roy Webb AO (Griffith 1985-2002); Glyn Davis AC (Melbourne 2005-18, Griffith 2002-05);
16 years: Sir Philip Baxter KBE CMG (UNSW 1953-69); Sir Louis Matheson KBE CMG (Monash 1960-76); Alec Lazenby AO (Tasmania 1982-91, UNE 1970-77); Ian Chubb AC (ANU 2001-11, Flinders 1995-2000); Gerard Sutton AO (Wollongong 1995-2011), Peter Høj AC (Adelaide 2021-ff, Queensland 2012-20, Uni SA 2007-12);
15 years: Ken McKinnon AO (Charles Darwin 2002-03, JCU 1997, Wollongong 1981-94); Dennis Gibson (academic) AO (QUT 1988-2003); Michael Osborne (La Trobe 1990-2005); John Hay (academic) AC (Queensland 1996-2007, Deakin 1992-95); Steven Schwartz (psychologist) AM (Macquarie 2006-11, Brunel 2002-2006, Murdoch 1996-2002); Janice Reid AC (Western Sydney 1998-2013); Peter Coaldrake AO (QUT 2003-17); Ian O'Connor AC (Griffith 2005-19), Sandra Harding (sociologist) AO (JCU 2007-2021), Michael Spence AC (UCL 2021-ff, Sydney 2008-20).
italics: Høj and Spence still in office (as at January 2024).
The current Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors/Presidents are given (as at May 2020 with some subsequent updates).
The University of Queensland is a public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland parliament, UQ is one of the six sandstone universities, an informal designation of the oldest university in each state. UQ is also a founding member of edX, Australia's leading Group of Eight and the international research-intensive Association of Pacific Rim Universities.
A Bachelor of Mathematics is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for successfully completing a program of study in mathematics or related disciplines, such as applied mathematics, actuarial science, computational science, data analytics, financial mathematics, mathematical physics, pure mathematics, operations research or statistics. The Bachelor of Mathematics caters to high-achieving students seeking to develop a comprehensive specialised knowledge in a field of mathematics or a high level of sophistication in the applications of mathematics.
Glyn Conrad Davis is an Australian academic and public servant, who serves as the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. He was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 30 May 2022, and commenced on 6 June 2022.
Margaret Elaine Gardner is an Australian academic, economist and university executive serving as the 30th and current governor of Victoria since August 2023. She was previously the vice-chancellor of Monash University from 2014 to 2023 and the president and vice-chancellor of RMIT University from 2005 to 2014.
The Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth) (HESA) is an Act of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia which governs funding for universities in Australia. The Act determines categories of providers eligible for public funding, establishes the basis for providing public funding, codifies the existing aims of universities, and introduces measures to strengthen Australia’s knowledge base.
Sir Edward Byrne is a neuroscientist who served as Principal of King's College London from August 2014 until January 2021. He was previously Vice-Chancellor of Monash University.
Catherine Brighid Livingstone is an Australian businesswoman who has held positions in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, CSIRO, Macquarie Bank, and Telstra.
Paul Fawcett Greenfield AO was the President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Queensland from 1 January 2008 to 13 January 2012.
Peter Bordier Høj is a Danish-Australian academic and Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide. Peter Høj is one of the longest serving Australian Vice-Chancellors having served for 17 years across three universities. He has previously served as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Queensland and the University of South Australia. Educated at the University of Copenhagen, Høj completed a Bachelor of Science where he majored in biochemistry and chemistry, a Master of Science in biochemistry and genetics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Photosynthesis. He has worked in Denmark and Australia as a researcher and published multiple scientific articles. Høj has also served on a number of different company boards in a variety of roles, including current roles on the boards of CSIRO, Wine Australia and of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. In 2017 he was elected chair of the Group of Eight, a lobby group that represents Australia’s research-intensive universities. He was the vice-chancellor of the University of Queensland from 2012-2020.
Professor Deborah Jane "Debbie" Terry is an Australian university executive, and psychology scholar.