The NCUG is a continuing professional initiative of the Australian University Chancellors' Conference. The founding convenor Emeritus Professor Robert Smith organized five conferences. In late 2005 Professor Smith became Chancellor of the University of Ballarat, and stood down as Convenor at NCUG 2005. The UCC invited Emeritus Professor Deryck Schreuder, former Vice Chancellor of UWA and President of the Australian University Vice Chancellor's Committee, to be Convenor from 2006.

The NCUG provides an opportunity for university governance practitioners, regulators and trainers, to engage directly in discussion on critical and contemporary issues concerning “governance” within the Australian Higher Education Sector.

For the past five years the NCUG has been associated with the National Institute for Governance, now through the UGPD Program. An event like NCUG is central to UGPD’s mission to facilitate a national discussion on better practice in university governance. The UGPD can capture the knowledge emerging from the Conference discussions and feed it back to the university governors' community at large.

Previous National Conferences on University Governance

August 26th – 28th 2001

The first conference, entitled “University Governance Into the 21st Century”, was convened in Sydney jointly by Southern Cross and Macquarie Universities (and endorsed by the National Institute for Governance), and was held at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management 26-28 August 2001. Financial assistance to bring the overseas speaker to Sydney was provided by the AV-CC. The brochure for the conference included the following statement:

“The conference provides an opportunity for discussion by Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, members of university governing bodies and those who support the work of governing bodies, of a range of issues relevant to university governance. The conference aims to inform practice and raise awareness of key stakeholders of a number of issues including: the role of governing bodies; the responsibilities of governing bodies, individually and collectively; the composition of governing bodies; and the performance of governing bodies.” (italics added)

Delegates to the conference (of whom there were approximately 80) were provided with a copy of a brief expository paper on each of the four topics referred to above. In addition, the conference special guest, Dr Richard T Ingram (President of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges in the USA) provided a two-page paper comprising propositions for discussion. The centrepiece of the Conference was a Panel session in which five speakers gave presentations from quite different perspectives on issues in university governance.  The remainder of the conference comprised small group discussions with some plenary reports back.

November 10th – 11th 2002

The second conference, entitled “National Conference on University Governance”, was supported by the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee and, as with the 2001 conference, endorsed by the National Institute for Governance. It was convened at the Rendevous Allegra Hotel in Adelaide over the Sunday and Monday, 10-11 November 2002. The conference occurred immediately after a meeting of Council Secretaries on Friday and Saturday, 8-9 November, and before the annual meeting of Chancellors on Monday afternoon, 12 November. The brochure for the 2002 conference was similar to that for the 2001 conference with the following addition:

“A particular objective is to provide opportunities – formal and informal – for professional development and education for members of university governing bodies…The main emphasis of the Adelaide program will be on presentations and workshop sessions that will assist members to understand and carry out their roles and responsibilities.”

The conference booklet provided for delegates to the second conference (approximately 120) included several background papers (role of the Chancellor; sections from the Hoare Report; the Bennetts v. Board of Fire Commissioners case; and Paul Rodan’s “Tensions Unresolved…” 1999-2000 paper from Australian Universities Review). In addition to a Panel presentation, again encompassing five very different perspectives, there were four plenary speaker sessions: Professor Michael Shattock from the University of London (special guest of the Conference); Dr Peter Shergold, then-Secretary of DEST; Professor Denise Bradley (Vice-Chancellor, UniSA) and Ms Jan Lowe (SA Office of Regional Development) gave presentations on university governance from the perspective of an AUQA Board member and Auditor, respectively; and Associate Professor Stephen Marshall (Macquarie University) on the results of the survey of governing body members conducted after the 2001 conference. Delegates broke into small groups to discuss a case study, and the results of the Marshall survey.

November 15th – 16th 2003

The third conference, also entitled “National Conference on University Governance”, was sponsored by the National Institute for Governance. Financial support was provided by DEST. It was convened at the Savoy Park Plaza Hotel in Melbourne over the weekend of 15-16 November 2003, commencing on Saturday afternoon and concluding on Sunday evening. As in 2002, the conference occurred immediately after a meeting of Council Secretaries on Friday 14 November, and before the annual [all-day] meeting of Chancellors on Monday 17 November. While the brochure for the 2003 conference bore some resemblance to the brochures for the two previous conferences, there were some notable differences: an expanded list of governance issues for consideration (including such topics as recent changes in corporate governance; the new National Governance Protocols for Public Higher Education Institutions; and the proposed establishment of an Association of Governing Bodies of Australian Universities). 

The conference comprised four plenary sessions, the fourth of which was a Panel. The conference special guest was Mr J Richard Bertrand, former Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of Ottawa (and a leader in the establishment of the National Association of Board Chairs and Secretaries in Canada). Delegates (approximately 130) were provided with resource materials containing up-to-date information on the major issues to be discussed at the conference, as follows:

1. The duties and responsibilities of Council members, and whether there should be sanctions for breaches
2. How to handle actual or perceived conflicts of interest
3. What does it mean to be a trustee
4. The National Protocols on University Governance [8 pages]
5. The relationship between governance and management
6. Academic Boards
7. How university governance roles are changing
8. Recent changes in corporate governance
9. How governing bodies can add value to the university
10. How to be an effective governing body
11. Professional development programs for Council members
12. The proposed establishment of the Association of Governing Bodies of Australian Universities [5 pages]
13. Council oversight of controlled entities
14. The Protocols’ requirement that policy be consistent with community expectations.
15. Nomination and appointment processes for Council members

Many of these papers, which were written especially for the conference by Andrew Bain (Murdoch University) and Julie Rowlands (Deakin University), were augmented by other published material. This collection of papers will continue to be a valuable resource for governing body members for some time.

The final topic of the conference, “Where to from Here?” which had been a general plenary discussion in 2001 and 2002, was a reflective presentation by the Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney, Mr M John Phillips AM.

October 22nd – 23rd 2004

The fourth conference took place at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel Circular Quay. It was held under the auspices of the National Institute for Governance and was financially supported by Jo Fisher Executive (Melbourne), Secure Vote (Sydney), and Competitive Dynamics Pty Ltd (Brisbane). The conference was opened on Friday afternoon by the Hon Dr Andrew Refshauge (NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Training). Presenters in the opening plenary session were the Hon Susan Ryan AO (President of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees and Pro-Chancellor of UNSW), and Mr David Murray, CEO of the Commonwealth bank of Australia. There were also plenary sessions on Performance Evaluation of Councils (a Panel comprising Professor Peter Coaldrake [Vice Chancellor, QUT]; Judge Kate O’Brien [Pro-Chancellor, Murdoch University], and Professor Nola Alloway (Chair of Academic Board, James Cook University]), and on Risk Management (Mr Trevor Tappenden [RMIT University Council]). The latter session was followed by a case study which participants examined in small groups. The final session, “Retrospect and Prospect”, was presented by Mrs Fay Marles AM, then-Chancellor of The University of Melbourne.

The conference attracted 130 delegates, of whom 20 were Chancellors/Deputy Chancellors. Delegates were mainly from Australian universities, although some council members from universities in Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea attended.

October 6th & 7th 2005

The fifth conference took place at the Rydges Capital Hill Hotel in Canberra. The Conference was held under the auspices of the National Institute for Governance as a part of the new University Governance Professional Development Program. The conference was opened on Thursday afternoon by the Hon Brendan Nelson, Commonwealth Minister for Education, Science and Training. The keynote plenary session was delivered by Ms Gillian Turner (formerly Managing Director, Unisearch, UNSW) and was entitled; Controlled and Related Entities: Below the Radar Screen of the University Council.

Contributed papers played no role in the program of the Conference. Rather a program of invited keynote presentations on specific topics complemented by Panel and Discussion session were held. Invited speakers included Emeritus Professor Clifford Blake AO (former Vice-Chancellor, Charles Sturt University, and The University of Adelaide), Professor Linda Connor (President, Academic Senate, The University of Newcastle) & Dr Mike Vertigan AC (Chancellor, University of Tasmania).

The conference attracted 122 delegates, of whom 15 were Chancellors/Deputy Chancellors, 25 Lay members of council, 10 Council Secretaries and a large group of staff and student members of councils.  Delegates were mainly from Australian universities.