University of Melbourne appoints Professor Carolyn Evans as Vice-Chancellor
The University of Melbourne today announced the appointment of Professor Carolyn Evans as its 22nd Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Evans will commence on Monday 5 October, succeeding Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glyn Davis AC.
Following an extensive international and domestic search, the University Council was unanimous in its appointment of Professor Evans as the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.
Chancellor Jane Hansen AO said: “Professor Evans brings with her a deep understanding of the matters facing higher education institutions and a firm belief that universities are powerful forces for good in our society.
“She holds a deep conviction in universities’ ability to change the lives of individuals, contribute to the wellbeing of our country and the future of our world.
“Since 2019, Professor Evans has led Griffith University with clarity and purpose, becoming its first female Vice-Chancellor, and we are pleased to welcome Professor Evans back to the University of Melbourne as our next Vice-Chancellor.”
Professor Evans has served as Vice-Chancellor of Griffith University for the past seven years. This followed almost two decades at the University of Melbourne, including eight years on the University Executive team in various leadership positions. She has been Chair of Universities Australia, the university sector’s peak body, since 2025 and will continue until her term ends in mid-2027.
Professor Carolyn Evans said: “It is a great honour to be appointed to the University of Melbourne as its Vice-Chancellor. The University has a transformative impact on the lives of individual students through its teaching, and on local and global communities through its research and engagement.
“My own life was changed profoundly for the better because of the outstanding education I received at Melbourne as an undergraduate and the opportunities I was given as a staff member.
“I am committed to ensuring that Melbourne continues to be a global leader in the higher education sector, while demonstrating its value to the nation and to the communities it serves.
“I recognise and respect the important role played by Professor Emma Johnston in setting a bold agenda and I look forward to working with colleagues, students and partners in making its aspirations a reality.”
Professor Evans’ academic foundations were laid at the University of Melbourne and further shaped at Oxford.
After completing her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws with Honours at the University of Melbourne, she pursued doctoral work in human rights and religious freedom as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. She was awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholarship and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.
Professor Evans is an internationally respected legal scholar with a focus on human rights and, in particular, the intersection of law and religion and the role of freedom of speech and academic freedom.
She is a distinguished researcher with an accomplished academic record that includes multiple Australian Research Council grants as Chief Investigator and an extensive publication portfolio encompassing scholarly works with Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, peer-reviewed journals, and scholarly collections.
Professor Evans served as Dean of the Melbourne Law School for six years from 2011 to 2017. In this role, and in the many leadership positions that followed, she earned a reputation for academic excellence and creating environments which enabled colleagues and students to thrive.
In addition to her role as Dean, Professor Evans held the positions of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Advancement), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Graduate & International) and Deputy Provost.
Ms Hansen said: “Beyond her role as Vice-Chancellor at Griffith University, Professor Evans has taken on an important national leadership role as Chair of Universities Australia, the peak body for the university sector.
“In this capacity, she is a strong advocate for the role universities play in expanding opportunity, advancing knowledge and contributing to the public good. Professor Evans works closely with national leaders to further the interests of the sector. She is a strong advocate for the economic contribution the sector provides to the nation, alongside universities’ broader responsibility to society.
“I have every confidence that Professor Evans is the right leader for this moment and will build on the foundations of Strategy 2030 to meet the significant opportunities and challenges ahead with both ambition and care.
“This appointment comes after a period of profound loss and transition for our University community. We honour Professor Emma Johnston’s memory and her contribution during her brief tenure, as we look to the future with confidence and positivity in what our university can achieve.”
Ms Hansen also thanked Professor Davis for serving as Interim Vice-Chancellor.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to Professor Davis, who has served with characteristic dedication and wisdom as our Interim Vice-Chancellor. We are fortunate he will remain as our Interim Vice-Chancellor to work with Professor Evans on a comprehensive handover to ensure a smooth transition.”
Professor Davis said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Professor Evans back to campus. I know from working with her over many years the new Vice-Chancellor will bring energy, experience and a deep commitment to the institution.
“Professor Evans inherits a University galvanised by Professor Johnston’s clarity of purpose, and the University’s new strategic direction outlined in Strategy 2030: Resilience, launched in December 2025. This is a demanding moment for all Australian universities, and in Professor Evans, Melbourne has the right leader for our times.”