For all enquiries regarding the Chancellor, please contact the office of the Chancellor.
University of Canberra
11 Kirinari Street
Bruce ACT 2617
The Chancellor chairs the University’s governing body, the University Council, and is appointed by Council.
Ms Lisa Paul AO PSM
FAICD, FAIM, FIPAA, FACEL, FANZSOG
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.
