ºÚÁÏÉç

Vice-Chancellor
Distinguished Professor George Williams AO

Distinguished Professor George Williams AO is the Vice-Chancellor and President at ºÚÁÏÉç. He is proud to lead an institution renowned for providing broad access to higher education and for achieving real-world impact through positive social, environmental and economic change in ºÚÁÏÉç Sydney and globally.

Professor Williams commenced as ºÚÁÏÉç’s fifth Vice-Chancellor in July 2024, bringing decades of experience as a constitutional law scholar and teacher, senior leader in higher education, barrister and as a national thought leader.

He began his academic career at the Australian National University before joining the University of New South Wales as the Anthony Mason Professor and later a Scientia Professor. He was the first legal academic selected as an Australian Laureate Fellow, the nation’s top research award, and has held positions at Columbia University, Durham University, Osgoode Hall Law School and University College London.

Professor Williams’ 43 books include Australian Constitutional Law and Theory, The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia and Human Rights under the Australian Constitution. As one of Australia’s pre-eminent experts in constitutional law, he has made significant contributions both nationally and internationally in the areas of human rights, federalism, Indigenous justice, electoral law and national security. Professor Williams’ passion for providing opportunities for students and a quality education is evidenced through many years of teaching constitutional law and having authored the leading student text in this field.

As Dean of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Transformation, Planning and Assurance) at UNSW, Professor Williams instituted innovation and reform through student digital literacy, global engagement, the pioneering of industry and community partnerships, and by driving high performance and integrity through planning, prioritisation, organisational transformation and strategic development. He has been instrumental in supporting Indigenous advancement, having led the first Australian law school to graduate over 100 Indigenous students.

Outside of academia Professor Williams practised as a barrister for over 25 years, advising government, business and community organisations and has appeared in the High Court of Australia on matters relating to freedom of speech, freedom from racial discrimination, Indigenous rights and the rule of law. Internationally, he has appeared in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Fiji, most notably on the legality of the 2000 coup.

Professor Williams’ contributions to public policy include serving as chair of the Victorian Human Rights Consultation Committee that led to Australia’s first State bill of rights and chairing the NSW Government inquiry into Options for a New National Industrial Relations System that produced the historic referral of State industrial power over the private sector to the Commonwealth. He also served on a High-Level Advisory Group on Federal-State Relations to a former Prime Minister, was a member of the NSW Government’s Panel to Examine Recall Elections and assisted the Northern Territory in its attempt to become Australia’s seventh State. As a member of the Australian Government’s Constitutional Expert Group, Professor Williams played an important role in providing advice on the Voice Referendum.

Professor Williams has a long and respected record of thought leadership on public policy and constitutional law. For over two decades, he was a regular newspaper columnist for The Australian, The Canberra Times, and The Sydney Morning Herald. In 2011, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the law in the fields of anti-terrorism, human rights and constitutional law as an academic, author, adviser and public commentator.

Provost
Professor Deborah Sweeney

Professor Deborah Sweeney is the Provost at ºÚÁÏÉç and a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Management Board and Senior Executive Team. Professor Sweeney provides leadership and responsibility for our academic mission, the Whitlam Institute and The College. In addition, she is responsible for the University’s Institutes and Strategic Research Initiatives, as well as its Transnational Education portfolio.

With corneal physiology as her major research area, her work has been instrumental in developing an understanding of the physiology of the human cornea and the effects of contact lens wear and refractive surgery on corneal function characteristics and the development of alternative forms of vision correction. Professor Sweeney has published over 100 refereed articles and several book chapters and is co-inventor on two patents.

Chief Operating Officer
Bill Parasiris

Bill Parasiris is ºÚÁÏÉç’s Chief Operating Officer. He sits on the Vice-Chancellor’s Management Board and the Senior Executive Team. In this role, he oversees the University's core operations including finance, people, data, technology and cyber and property. Mr Parasiris brings over 30 years’ experience in the tertiary education sector in areas of strategic alignment, operational and financial management, commercial operations and physical and digital infrastructure to the role.

Throughout his career, he has been driven by a singular purpose to create environments where students, staff and communities can thrive.

Mr Parasiris has led numerous initiatives that have not only redefined campus operations, but importantly, catalysed regional growth and innovation. This includes delivering ºÚÁÏÉç Growth, and some of ºÚÁÏÉç’s signature projects, including the Bankstown City campus and the Westmead Innovative Quarter.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Education and Students Professor Karen Nelson

Professor Nelson is an internationally recognised higher education leader, researcher, and strategist with more than two decades of distinguished service to the Australian university sector. A highly respected senior executive, scholar, and change agent, she has consistently advanced evidence‑based reform. Her leadership is marked by major institutional achievements, including serving as Vice Chancellor, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at the University of Southern Queensland, where she led a comprehensive program of organisational transformation focused on culture change financial sustainability, and strategic realignment. Prior to joining UniSQ, she was the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor Students at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Director Student Success and Retention and Director First Year Experience at QUT.

Karen is widely acknowledged as an authority on student engagement, retention and success, and the first‑year experience. She has contributed extensively to national policy and practice improvement through leadership of national projects, and in elected roles with the Universities Australia Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Executive, the Regional Universities Network and the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre. She has sustained service to the sector as the Founding Editor‑in‑Chief of the Student Success Journal and Chair and Co-Chair of the FYHE/STARS and Student Success Conferences. Her scholarly work, which includes more than 100 publications, 7,170 citations, and significant competitive funding has shaped sector policy and practice and national discourse on equity, learning analytics, and student experience.

Her contributions have been recognised through three national teaching awards, Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. She is a Professor Emeritus at the University of the Sunshine Coast and at the University of Southern Queensland.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership)
Professor Michelle Trudgett

Professor Michelle Trudgett is an Indigenous scholar and executive leader from the Wiradjuri Nation in New South Wales. She currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Leadership and Vice-President at ºÚÁÏÉç. Additionally, she is a Board Member of the GO Foundation. Her significant contributions to the sector have been recognised through several prestigious awards, including the National NAIDOC Scholar of the Year Award, the Neville Bonner Award for Teaching Excellence, and the University of New England Distinguished Alumni Award.

Professor Trudgett is one of Australia’s foremost researchers in Indigenous Education and leadership. She has been a Chief Investigator (CI) on five Australian Research Council grants, four as the lead CI, securing $5,000,000 in funding. Professor Trudgett is currently leading an ARC project which examines the complex ecosystems of Indigenous higher education leadership.

Professor Trudgett is a recognised strategic thinker who adopts a highly collegial approach to achieve positive outcomes for the higher education sector. She is particularly passionate about leading strategic initiatives that empower Indigenous people and communities. With an unwavering passion for social justice and educational equity, Professor Trudgett continues to inspire transformation within higher education institutions and beyond.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, ºÚÁÏÉç Sydney and External Engagement
The Hon. Professor Geoff Lee

The Hon. Professor Geoff Lee is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, ºÚÁÏÉç Sydney and External Engagement. He leads ºÚÁÏÉç’s outward-facing activities, including philanthropy, alumni, government relations, business development, marketing, communications and student recruitment.

He is responsible for further strengthening the University’s relationships and presence across ºÚÁÏÉç Sydney. The Hon. Professor Lee has served the University since 2023 as Professor and then Associate Dean Engagement in the School of Business following his retirement from NSW Parliament.

He brings to this position a wealth of experience across academia, industry and the highest levels of government. During his time as a parliamentarian, The Hon. Professor Lee was integral to transforming of Parramatta into the thriving metropolis it is today. As a NSW Government Minister in the Education portfolio, he delivered transformative change within large, complex organisations including TAFE NSW.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation
Professor Ian Anderson

Professor Ian Anderson is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation. In this role, he provides leadership and guidance to achieve the University's strategic priorities for research and innovation and focuses on quality assurance and enhancement. Professor Anderson led the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) as its inaugural director since its establishment in 2011.

Under his leadership HIE rapidly secured its reputation for research excellence. It is now recognised as one of the world’s leading research institutes for terrestrial ecology and climate change sciences.