Retirement of Professor Susan Elliott AM, Provost and Senior Vice-President
Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Susan Elliott AM will retire from Monash University in 2026.
Monash University has announced that Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Susan Elliott AM will retire at the conclusion of her current term in the middle of 2026.
A decorated career at Monash
Professor Elliott joined Monash in March 2017 as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Senior Vice-President to lead the Education portfolio and shape the University’s education agenda. During her time in this role, Professor Elliott managed relationships with student bodies and associations and led the successful development of vital educational partnerships for Monash, including with Online Education Services for online education, and with the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership and the McKinnon Institute for Political Leadership.
In June 2021, Professor Elliott was appointed to the role of Provost and Senior Vice-President. In this role, she has been responsible for leading the ten faculties at Monash University and overseeing the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the University’s academic vision, institutional excellence, global student profile, and student enrolment planning and performance. She also provided academic oversight during the University’s two most recent enterprise agreement negotiations.
During the challenges of the COVID period, Professor Elliott was instrumental in leading the Monash response in education and for the wider student body. She provided clear, measured advice and decisions, as well as transparent, timely communication to ensure that the University transitioned successfully towards fully online offerings, covering all aspects of education and the student experience.
Prior to the establishment of Monash’s standalone International portfolio in 2024, Professor Elliott’s remit oversaw the University’s International and Global Engagement agendas. She played a pivotal role in shaping Monash’s diversification strategy, country planning and advancing the University’s transnational education activities. Professor Elliott worked closely with the international campus heads who reported to her as well as other valued global partners to build research capabilities, strengthen critical relationships, and support and grow Monash’s reputation around the world.
Following the departure of former President and Vice-Chancellor, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria, Professor Elliott served as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor from August 2023 until the commencement of Professor Sharon Pickering as Vice-Chancellor and President in January 2024.
A renowned and respected academic leader
In addition to her successful career in medical research, Professor Elliott has also established a reputation as an esteemed academic leader. She has led a broad range of portfolios and entities and held numerous directorships and positions on national and international committees. Most notably, she was the first Australian and first female academic to be elected President of the Asia Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE). She has also been a member of the International Policy Advisory Committee for the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, comprised of more than 50 research-intensive universities.
In 2018, Professor Elliott was appointed Chair of the management committee of the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC), overseeing all admissions to Victorian tertiary institutions. She led the restructuring of VTAC to become an independent incorporated body and later served as a VTAC Board Member. She has also served as both Chair and Board Member for Monash College (including throughout the pandemic), a Board Member for Monash Health and the Australia India Institute and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Professor Elliott was also Consultant Physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, with a tenure spanning more than 20 years until she stepped down in October 2023.
In recognition of her outstanding service to education as an academic administrator and her contributions to educational institutions in the Asia-Pacific, as well as her service as a reputable clinician in gastroenterology, Professor Elliott was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2018.
Professor Elliott retires from Monash with a distinguished reputation as an influential contributor to the University’s progress and growth. As a longstanding member of the University’s senior leadership team, she has consistently provided invaluable advice and counsel to her colleagues and teams, many of whom are also privileged to call her a trusted friend and confidant.
In every capacity she held at Monash, Professor Elliott always served with immense gratitude for the opportunities and responsibilities she was entrusted with, particularly during her tenure as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor.
Monash University thanks Professor Elliott for her remarkable contributions over the years and wishes her the best for her retirement. A global search will commence to appoint Professor Elliott’s successor.