Professor Sharon Pickering reappointed Vice-Chancellor and President
Professor Sharon Pickering has been reappointed as Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University for a further term.
Monash University Council has resolved to appoint Professor Sharon Pickering for a further term as Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University until January 2034.
Professor Pickering commenced as the 10th Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University in January 2024, assuming leadership during one of the most turbulent periods in modern higher education. Amidst regulatory shifts following the Australian Universities Accord, national debates surrounding international student caps, evolving funding constraints across the tertiary sector, protest encampments, and heightened research security measures, she has provided steadfast leadership throughout, not only to navigate Monash through challenging national and global environments, but also to strengthen the reputation of the University as an international force for beneficial, lasting change.
The Vice-Chancellor has placed significant emphasis on the student experience at Monash, which will remain a key priority of her leadership. The establishment of the Student Experience portfolio in 2024 has enabled the expansion of sector-leading signature initiatives and various efforts to support vibrant and welcoming campuses for our students. She has also driven investment to expand learning and teaching facilities, which will be completed in the next two years. The intensive work to enhance the Monash student experience in recent years has resulted in sustained improvements in several key measures, including student satisfaction, retention, and success – positioning the University strongly with a renewed focus on graduate outcomes.
Monash has also continued to display national research leadership and excellence under the Vice-Chancellor’s stewardship. The University has secured the most funding among Australian universities across a range of prestigious research programs, leading the sector for highest research funding achieved in 2025. Most recently, Monash secured the highest number and value of awards in Australia in Australian Research Council Discovery Projects, while the number of Monash researchers on Clarivate’s list of Highly Cited Researchers has recorded steady growth in recent years. These achievements have also been reflected in the University’s performance across prestigious global university rankings, with Monash recording its highest ranking of 31st in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
The Vice-Chancellor has also led the development of MAVERIC, Australia’s only university-led specialised AI supercomputer, to ensure University researchers have access to a secure and trusted research environment with high-performance compute through dedicated, sovereign infrastructure owned by Monash. She has implemented a long-term program to enhance research infrastructure planning and investment, and driven successful talent recruitment and recognition initiatives to build strong momentum and support for holistic, world-leading education and research across all Monash faculties and campuses.
Amidst the complex challenges of the campus encampment period, the Vice-Chancellor ensured the University maintained a steadfast commitment to social cohesion, safety, and academic freedom, and upheld an unyielding focus on its fundamental civic and societal responsibilities. She made sector-leading investments into initiatives and programs to elevate cohesion within and beyond the Monash community.
The Vice-Chancellor has led a major expansion of Monash’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific, and the enhancement of the University’s international network more broadly. In October 2025, the University announced the largest project in its history – a future campus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – welcomed jointly by the Prime Ministers of Australia and Malaysia. She has led the pivot of our Indonesia campus into undergraduate education and overseen the establishment of the Monash Boston Hub in the United States to enable the reach and impact of Monash research, especially in new medical treatments.
The Council has reappointed the Vice-Chancellor for a further term based on her outstanding performance and the excellent progress and momentum the University has achieved during her tenure. Monash’s achievements in education, research and engagement have been matched by the Vice-Chancellor’s dedication to strong financial discipline and resilience across the Monash Group. Professor Pickering has also strengthened the University’s reputation as a leading voice in higher education and broader policy discussions through roles across the Group of Eight, Universities Australia, and federal and state government advisory bodies. Her leadership has been underpinned by her dedication to realising the mission of the University and how deeply she cares for the entire Monash community.
The Monash University Council congratulates Professor Pickering on her reappointment as Vice-Chancellor and President, and wishes her continued success as she leads Monash University through the development and implementation of our next strategic plan.