BEd (Canberra CAE); MA (MQ); GradDipEd (Catholic College of Education Sydney), MEDL (ACU); GAICD
Emeritus Professor Cummins has extensive experience in educational leadership and governance and has served on several incorporated and advisory Boards including the ACT Board of Studies, The Australian Catholic University Senate Limited, Marymead Child and Family Services Limited, Marist Youth Care Limited, St Edmunds’ College Canberra Limited, the Council of St Ignatius College Riverview Limited and Sydney College of Divinity Limited.
From 2009 to 2018 she served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Learning and Teaching) at the Australian Catholic University and before that as Dean of Students at the Australian Catholic University in 2008 and 2009.
Emeritus Professor Cummins worked for many years in the Catholic secondary education system as a teacher and secondary college principal in New South Wales and the ACT. She is currently a Director of Catholic Schools NSW Limited, the Chair and Director of Catholic Employment Relations Limited, The Chair of the Stewardship Commission of the Sisters of St Joseph.
BSc Otago U, NZ; MSc Otago U, NZ; PhD La Trobe; PSM, FTSE, FRSN
Emeritus Professor Annabelle Duncan is a Microbial Ecologist by training, who was educated at Otago University in New Zealand, La Trobe University, and Monash University. She has completed a Senior Executive Management course at Harvard University as well as the Director’s course and the Advanced Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She worked sixteen years at CSIRO, initially as a research scientist and later in science management. As the Chief of CSIRO Molecular Science for six years, she supervised the spin-off of six start-up companies.
From 2005–2007 she was Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Bio21 Institute at the University of Melbourne. From 2007–2010 she was the Executive Director, Science Collaboration at the Biosciences Research Centre, a joint venture between La Trobe University and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.
Emeritus Professor Duncan has acted as an adviser to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on biological weapons control and in this capacity represented Australia at international arms control meetings. She was awarded a Public Service Medal in 1996 and an Honorary DSc from Murdoch University in 2005 for her work in arms control. She has also served as a biological weapons inspector with the United Nations in Iraq.
In 2019 she was awarded an Honorary DSc from La Trobe University for achievements in academia and contributions to science.
Emeritus Professor Duncan joined the University of New England in late 2010, initially as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). She later became the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and in late 2014 was appointed the Vice-Chancellor, serving in this role until mid-2019.
She currently serves as a non-executive director on boards and chairs the NSW Physical Sciences Fund.
BEd (USyd), MEd (UToronto, Canada), PhD (WSU). FACE, GAICD.
Emeritus Professor Downes has worked with universities, educational systems, and schools, for nearly 40 years. She is a highly experienced senior educational leader, having had long term leadership roles at two universities.
In 2018 she retired from the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at Charles Sturt University, having also served as an Executive Dean in earlier years. In her senior executive roles in higher education, she has demonstrated ability at the organisational and sector levels in strategic planning, governance, change management, financial management, quality assurance and stakeholder engagement, particularly with governments, professions, and Indigenous organisations and communities.
Emeritus Professor Downes professional and research interests focus on improved educational outcomes in universities and schools in the effective use of digital technologies, in gender and technology, and in teacher education policy and practice.
Her work included numerous research and professional projects, over 70 publications, international and national professional presentations and workshops and over $1 million in grants and consultancies. She has been a keynote or distinguished speaker at international conferences in New Zealand, USA, England, Switzerland, Hungary, PNG, Thailand, Hong Kong, Wales, China, Finland and Norway.
She currently serves as a non-executive director on a number of boards, as a member of academic boards and advisory committees, and as an external consultant and reviewer of educational programs and organisational units.
B Com (Merit), UOW, 1981; Grad Dip App Corp Gov, GIA, 2005; D Prof (Trans St), CQU, 2009;
FCPA
Professor Ryan is one of the leading experts on private higher education in Australia, and over the past 25 years has assisted many organisations to navigate the complex regulatory framework that ensures the quality of Australia’s higher education sector.
In 1987, following ten years with Australia’s then-largest company, BHP, Professor Ryan established his own boutique consulting firm to assist owners of small to medium businesses during the early stages of organisational development. He provided strategic advice on how to best meet their statutory obligations while growing in a controlled and efficient manner, with clear goals and benchmarks for success.
As General Manager and then Managing Director of the Australian College of Applied Psychology from 1997 to 2004, Professor Ryan led the College through a major growth phase, expanding the business both nationally, internationally and online. During this time the College made the complex and challenging transition from Registered Training Organisation to Higher Education Provider. The College was the first independent higher education provider to offer an Associate Degree and was part of the first tranche of approvals to offer FEE-HELP assistance to its students. The College has continued to go from strength to strength under the ownership of Navitas.
In 2004, Professor Ryan established Consult Ed to provide specialist support to independent higher education providers, specialising in the areas of regulatory approvals, quality assurance, and corporate and academic governance.
In 2015, Professor Ryan founded the Higher Education Leadership Institute (HELI) aimed at fulfilling a niche role in the independent higher education sector by delivering global best-practice consulting and training to higher education providers through its team of higher education experts and researchers.
In 2020, HELI joined the ECA Group and Professor Ryan has assumed a non-executive role as Director of Higher Education across ECA’s three registered institutes of higher education.
The peak body that has delegated authority from the Governing Board for the overall academic policy framework, goals, directions and the oversight of all academic functions in CHS.
CHS’s Academic Board is the academic governing body within the College’s institutional governance framework. It is accountable for all academic decision-making processes to assure the quality of each course of study leading to a higher education award. The key roles of the Academic Board include, but are not limited to:
In executing its duties and responsibilities, the Governing Board has delegated authority to the Academic Board to establish the standing committees of: Learning and Teaching Committee, Research and Scholarship Committee, Board of Examiners and the Course Advisory Committees
PhD, MA (Gerontology), MA (Sociology), BA (Honours)
Professor Victor Minichiello, PhD, is an internationally recognized gerontologist, public health, health sociologist, and sexual health researcher who has published over 160 books, chapters in books, and refereed research articles in national and international medical, health and social sciences journals. He has written or edited ten books on ageing, HIV/AIDS and research methods.