The two new leaders of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) were announced on Tuesday.
Avondale University former vice-chancellor Professor Kerri-Lee Krause will start her role as chief commissioner of TEQSA on April 8, 2025, the day after her current position expires on April 7.
Professor Krause is the current chair of the Higher Education Standards Panel, an advisory body established under TEQSA.
Emeritus Professor Elizabeth More will take on the role of Commissioner from February 24, 2025. Professor More is a former Dean of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and a former deputy vice-chancellor at both Macquarie University and the University of Canberra.
She currently sits on the board of mental wellbeing foundation Flourish Australia, and also sat on a panel that reviewed Australia's Qualifications Framework.
TEQSA also appointed a new chief executive, Dr Mary Russell, who took over from predecessor Professor Peter Coaldrake in May last year.
Commissioners are appointed by the education minister of the day based on their expertise in higher education quality assurance and regulatory practice.
They are responsible for making regulatory decisions, setting strategic directions and monitoring risk in the sector. They oversee the chief executive officer, who heads up TEQSA's corporate operations and people.
Related stories: Professor Krause on transforming Avondale uni | TEQSA chief commissioner resigns, new CEO announced
Although the initial plan was to have TEQSA and the Australian Research Council be absorbed by the impending new regulator, the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), the education minister last year said the bodies will operate independently.
TEQSA came under fire last year after a study found one in 20 students had been sexually assaulted and one in six students had been sexually harassed in their university career, and the regulator admitted it had not investigated any of the 39 complaints against university handling of sexual violence matters that it had received since 2017.
Campus sexual violence has since become the main responsibility of the new National Student Ombudsman, who has been tasked with investigating complaints made by students instead of regulating whole universities.
Dr Russell congratulated both the professors on their respective appointments.
“I look forward to working with Professor Krause and Professor More to ensure TEQSA continues to protect and enhance the integrity, quality and reputation of Australian higher education,” she said.
Both the commissioners will serve five-year terms.
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