������Ƶ

Council Elections 2026 - Academic Staff – Nominations Open

The terms of current ������ƵCouncil academic staff members, Professor Lyndall Strazdins and Professor Sasha (Alexander) Mikheyev, as elected by ������Ƶacademic staff, will end on 29 September 2026.   

Nominations for the next academic staff members for the ������ƵCouncil will open from today.

The ������ƵCouncil is the governing body of the University. The role of the ������ƵCouncil and its committees is to provide strategic oversight and direction for the entire institution.

There are currently 15 positions on the ������ƵCouncil consisting of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, seven external members appointed by the Federal Minister for Education, members elected by the academic and professional staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as the Chair of the Academic Board who is a non-voting member. 

Nominations for the election of two academic staff members to be appointed to the ������ƵCouncil will open from today. Of these two elected members:

• One must have duties with a predominant research focus (‘the Academic staff (Institute) member”)
• One must have duties involving both teaching and research (“the Academic staff (Faculties) member”).

To be eligible to nominate, in addition to the above requirements concerning research and teaching duties, you must have been paid a salary by the University on payday Thursday 16 July 2026, and on that date have been employed as a full-time or part-time standard or fixed term member of the academic staff at or above the grade of academic level A. 

If you want to learn more about the election process or what membership of the ������ƵCouncil involves, an information session will be held on Friday 31 July, from 2.00 to 2.30pm (AEST), by Zoom videoconference. To obtain a link to the session please send an email to returning.officer@anu.edu.au

Council service involves substantial commitment for members including reading and understanding complex papers, attending meetings and contributing meaningfully to discussions, and exercising independent judgment in making decisions. For internal elected members this work is absorbed on top of existing duties including research output, teaching preparation, specialist and administrative work, and study outcomes. 

In recognition of the important contribution internal elected members make to the Council, ������ƵManagement, with the support of Council, will establish additional support for internal Council members which has not previously been offered. This is expected to include a centrally funded recognition and support package for internal elected members, enabling Schools, Colleges, Portfolios and Service Divisions to apply for funds to cover reasonable and appropriate activities as required, as well as an adjustment to an elected member’s performance expectations. More information on this support will be provided in due course as arrangements are finalised. 

NOMINATIONS PROCESS

Nominations should be emailed to returning.officer@anu.edu.au  

A nomination must be signed by two persons eligible to vote in the election (other than the candidate) and must contain the signed consent of the candidate to the nomination.

Nominations close strictly at 5pm (AEST) on Friday 7 August 2026.

If there is more than one nomination for either of the positions, an electronic ballot will be held. Should an election be required, voting links will be issued on Wednesday 12 August 2026.

The members elected will hold office for a term of two years from 30 September 2026.

Please direct all enquiries to returning.officer@anu.edu.au.

Regards,

Jennifer Hutchinson

Returning Officer