UNSW Chancellor to step down after 20 years

David Gonski AC helped drive institutional growth and secure UNSW’s financial future during two decades of leadership.

UNSW Sydney’s longest-serving Chancellor, and one of Australia’s most respected leaders, will step down from the role and from Council at the end of 2025, marking the close of a transformative 20-year chapter in the University’s history.

Appointed in 2005, David Gonski AC became the first UNSW alumnus (BCom, LLB) to hold the role of Chancellor. Over the past 20 years, he has been a steadfast advocate for UNSW’s mission, values and community, guiding the University through periods of growth, challenge and innovation.

“I have loved this job. UNSW is a very special place and to have been permitted to be its Chancellor for 20 years is one of the greatest honours of my life,” Mr Gonski said.

Under Mr Gonski’s leadership, UNSW has risen to global prominence, now ranked among the world’s top 20 universities and recognised internationally for excellence in education and research. Mr Gonski also played a central role in the development of UNSW’s most recent strategy, Progress for All, which reaffirms the University’s founding mission of serving the public good.

UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs paid tribute to Mr Gonski’s legacy, describing him as a visionary leader, adviser, advocate and mentor who has provided the inspiration and steadfastness that has helped UNSW go from strength to strength. His accessibility to staff and students and passion for their success have been a hallmark of his leadership.

“David has been a sage, innovative guide through periods of challenge,” Prof. Brungs said.

“He stewarded the University through the COVID-19 pandemic, which had significant impacts on our community, finances and the sector. But his leadership extended far beyond that. David helped steer UNSW through financial pressures, complex governance reforms and strategic decisions that shaped the future of the University.

“His wisdom, calm leadership and exceptional ability to bring people together across diverse perspectives have been invaluable in navigating these defining moments and ensuring the University’s success for generations to come.”

Mr Gonski joined the UNSW Council during a time of leadership transition and financial uncertainty. His skill in fostering collaboration to guide the University through complex decisions was instrumental in navigating this critical juncture with clarity and unity.

“At a time when governance risk was high, he brought a calming and stabilising influence,” said Warwick Negus, Deputy Chancellor and UNSW Council member. “David’s deep understanding of stakeholder needs and his skilful, inclusive leadership helped guide the Council toward constructive outcomes. His style fostered collaboration, made people feel heard and ensured that everyone left the room feeling part of the solution – a hallmark of his leadership throughout the years.”

One of Mr Gonski’s most enduring contributions to UNSW was his transformation of the University’s governance. Mr Gonski, long recognised as one of Australia’s leading experts on governance, identified that UNSW Council’s operations were hindering effective decision-making. By working closely with government, he facilitated legislative reform that allowed universities to improve and streamline their governance structures.

The result was a more agile and collaborative UNSW Council of 15 members that remains deeply connected to key governance bodies throughout the University, including Academic Board, and is better equipped to respond to strategic challenges and guide the University through periods of growth and change.

“David’s key legacy is that he transformed the rigour, professionalism and responsiveness of University governance during the late 2000s,” said former UNSW Council member Jennifer Westacott AC. “His focus on consensus-building and financial sustainability has helped UNSW navigate a challenging climate for universities, emerging stronger than many of its global peers.”

Advocate for philanthropy and social responsibility

As Chancellor, Mr Gonski has been a tireless advocate for philanthropy and social responsibility. He has chaired the University’s Foundation Board since 2007 and will continue in that role. He led UNSW’s inaugural philanthropic campaign, which raised nearly $700 million from more than 25,900 donors. His herculean efforts leave UNSW with some of the highest annual philanthropic donations in the sector. During the pandemic, Mr Gonski was instrumental in creating the UNSW Student Emergency Response Fund, which provided financial support for students in need.

He was also influential in establishing the Centre for Social Impact in 2008, a multi-university collaboration to build a more socially responsible business community and civil society in Australia.

Mr Gonski’s tenure has been marked by a strong commitment to equity and access. Over the past two decades, UNSW has been unique among universities in New South Wales for consistently maintaining a student body mirroring the broader NSW school system – predominantly from public schools – while gaining recognition as one of the world’s top-ranked institutions.

Under his leadership, UNSW also established the groundbreaking Gateway Admission Pathway and Program to raise aspiration and support students with educational disadvantage to both access and succeed at UNSW and beyond.

“This relentless focus on excellence and inclusion and opportunity for all that David has championed, is the bedrock of the UNSW ethos and a legacy that David has left for the University into the future,” Prof. Brungs said.

Mr Gonski has also served as a tremendous participant in the ceremonial life of the University. He has presided over more than 300 graduation ceremonies, conferred degrees on nearly 73,000 students and awarded almost 150 honorary degrees.

“Graduations are wonderful events – a celebration of the graduate and their achievements,” Mr Gonski said. “I’ve been honoured to attend many over the years. Attendees have had to endure my bad sense of humour and my various pieces of advice, which may or may not have been good, but it’s always been a genuine pleasure.”

Mr Gonski’s championship and advocacy for UNSW have been vital for UNSW to deliver against its aspiration of positive societal benefit and he will continue to actively support the university after he steps down as Chancellor.

Mr Gonski’s impact reaches well beyond UNSW. Self-described as “UNSW’s proudest alumnus” and often described by others as the ‘busiest man in the world’, he currently chairs a number of organisations including Sydney Airport and Barrenjoey Capital. In the past, he has chaired major organisations including the ANZ Bank, Coca-Cola Amatil, the Future Fund of Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Art Gallery of NSW. He also led the Australian government’s Review of Funding for Schooling, producing the landmark Gonski Report, which called for needs-based funding to improve equity and outcomes in Australian schools.

“The thing that I admire most about David is his generosity of spirit,” said UNSW Council member Maxine Brenner. “No matter that he does multiples of what anyone else does, he always has time – the time to listen, the time to show interest and, most importantly, the time to care, in whatever form that needs to take. He is exceptional in his generosity, and that has had a lasting impact on all who work with him.”