Former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has resigned as chancellor of the Australian National University seven months before her term was set to expire.
Ms Bishop, who served as Australia’s first female foreign minister, stepped into the role of the ANU’s chancellor in 2020 and was due to finish up in December this year.
On Thursday evening, she informed the university and the Albanese government of her decision to step down.
The ANU was embroiled in a number of controversies during Ms Bishop’s tenure, including a scrapped $250 million cost-cutting plan, which involved job cuts and axing courses, and allegations raised at Senate estimates in August of workplace bullying.
The latter was levelled at Ms Bishop by ANU demographer Liz Allen.
Ms Bishop has categorically denied the allegations.
In a statement obtained by the ABC, Ms Bishop said on Friday she was “deeply privileged” to have the opportunity to lead the university and described the intuition as “truly a national treasure”.
But she added: “The higher education sector is at a crossroads of regulatory overreach in the governance of our institutions or autonomy and academic freedom.
“I fear the collateral from this regulatory overreach will be the next generation of students and staff.”
The Australian Financial Review reported Ms Bishop believed an intervention by the regulator – the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) – to direct the selection of the university’s next chancellor was unlawful.
Independent ACT senator David Pocock, a vocal critic of the university’s governance, said in a statement Ms Bishop’s resignation was in the “best interests of the ANU”.
“When things go so terribly wrong at the helm of such an important institution, especially one governed by Commonwealth law, there must be accountability,” he said.
“A number of processes including a review by the higher education regulator, TEQSA, are yet to conclude and need to be allowed to run their course.
“The voluntary undertaking to conduct an independent process to appoint the next Chancellor is very welcome and will hopefully help rebuild trust, confidence and better governance at our national university.”
He praised the ANU’s staff and students for having “stood together in the face of poor leadership and governance”.
This was echoed by National Tertiary Education Union ACT division secretary Lachlan Clohesy.
“This is a chance for calm and stability. Union members have stood up to protect our national university,” he said.
“Now that the fire has been put out, we’ll wait and see if the forthcoming TEQSA report will tell us how it started.”
An ANU spokesperson thanked Ms Bishop for her contributions as chancellor.
“In her six years in the role and through her advocacy, the Hon. Julie Bishop has raised the university’s profile domestically and internationally and strengthened global connections, including during the COVID pandemic,” they said.
“The (ANU Council) thanks the Hon. Julie Bishop for these contributions and wishes her well for the future.”
They said the council was committed to “providing a new period of strong and positive governance and leadership” and “restoring” its reputation in the community.
The spokesman added pro-chancellor Larry Marshall would act as chancellor in the interim before a permanent appointment is made.
