Exeter College Honorary Fellow Professor Carolyn Evans (1995, DPhil Law) has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, one of Australia’s leading universities. She will take up the role on 5 October, becoming the institution’s 22nd Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Evans is currently Vice-Chancellor of Griffith University in Brisbane, a position she has held since 2019, and was the first Exeter alumna to lead a university. She also serves as Chair of Universities Australia, the sector’s peak body, a role she will continue until mid-2027. Her appointment to Melbourne follows an extensive international search, with the University Council unanimous in its decision.
A distinguished legal scholar, Professor Evans specialises in human rights, with particular expertise in law and religion, freedom of speech and academic freedom. Her academic career includes nearly two decades at the University of Melbourne, where she held senior leadership roles including Dean of Melbourne Law School, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Graduate & International), and Deputy Provost.
Professor Evans read for her DPhil in Law at Exeter College as a Rhodes Scholar and later served as a Stipendiary Lecturer in Law at the College. She has remained closely connected to Exeter, returning regularly and delivering a Rector’s Seminar in 2017 on religious freedom and women’s rights.
In announcing the appointment, University of Melbourne Chancellor Jane Hansen described Professor Evans as a leader with “a deep understanding of the matters facing higher education institutions” and a strong belief in the power of universities to serve society.
Professor Evans said it was “a great honour” to return to Melbourne, highlighting the transformative impact of universities on students and communities.
