University of Canberra vice-chancellor Deep Saini has announced he will step down from the role at the end of the year.
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Professor Saini revealed on Friday that he would be leaving Canberra to return to Canada, where he will take up the position of vice-chancellor and president at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
He told ABC radio that the move would allow him to be closer to family.
"The University of Canberra and this city has been phenomenal to us and I'm leaving with a heavy heart," Professor Saini said.
Professor Saini was appointed vice-chancellor of UC in 2016 after serving as vice president at the University of Toronto in Canada.
He has overseen a turbulent period in the Bruce's school history, which has been plagued by concerns about staff workloads and a controversial "fast-track" professor program.
On Friday, Professor Saini disputed suggestions that those issues had blighted his tenure.
He has already announced a review into the contentious program, which is designed to fast-track early career researchers into senior professor roles.
"We have a culture here of not sweeping those things under the rug," he said.
He said his successor would need to be an enthusiastic risk-taker, who had a passion for Canberra.
The announcement came just hours ahead of news staff at the university had voted through a new enterprise agreement, after striking over workloads last year.
Professor Saini said he was very proud of the result, which had come about following extensive consultation with staff.
More to come.