Vice-Chancellor

Deakin University is currently led by Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Elliott AM. Council is engaged in the recruitment process for appointing Deakin’s eighth Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Susan Elliott AM commenced as Deakin’s Acting Vice-Chancellor on 7 October 2026.

Professor Elliott brings more than 25 years of senior leadership across Australian universities to the role. She served as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of Monash University from August 2023 to January 2024, guiding the institution between two Vice-Chancellors. Before that, she was Provost and Senior Vice-President at Monash, responsible for the University’s ten faculties, and had previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education).

Another notable achievement of Professor Elliott is that she was the first Australian and first female academic to be elected President of the Asia Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE). Professor Elliott has also been a member of the International Policy Advisory Committee for the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, which comprises of more than 50 research-intensive universities within the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2018, for recognition of her outstanding service to education, as well as her service in the field of clinical medicine, Professor Elliott was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.