Bruce Cowley AM fills the TEQSA required two-year appointment at ANU to overhaul governance, undertake a “council strengthening programme” and oversee “a financial stability plan.”
The Regulator required the position when it imposed conditions on the University’s registration, in September. It had a veto over the University’s choice.
Mr Cowley is a corporate lawyer with extensive not-for-profit, government and university board experience, demonstrated by his book, Duties of Board and Committee Members. He was a member of the Expert Council on University Governance, appointed by Education Minister Jason Clare to “strengthen university governance.”
Mr Cowley was a member of Uni Sunshine Coast council, 2010-14, Deputy Chancellor ’14-’17, and acted as Chancellor in 2016. He chairs the Griffith U Business School advisory board and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Uni Queensland, since 2020.
He is scheduled to speak at TEQSA’s November conference on “how does culture support good governance?”
The ANU community was quiet on the appointment last night, but Mr Cowley’s background in business is not what activist staff across the HE system would prefer – a university leadership overseen by staff and students. However Mr Cowley will not necessarily stand in solidarity with management.
As the Governance Council report puts it; “a culture of integrity, acting transparently, genuine inclusion, respect and engagement is critical to enabling a university’s purpose. In contrast with this, the Council heard of many instances of exclusion and a lack of openness in governance processes and meetings, including through the operation of the governing body and notably in the context of the participation of representative members.”
The Governance Council referred to the 2025 Nixon Report at ANU, as providing “examples of poor governance and culture.”
Mr Cowley’s appointment comes five months ahead of the expected announcement of the next ANU Vice-Chancellor.