Lisa Paul has an intimidating list of acronyms after her name - AO PSM, FAICD, FACEL, FIPAA, FAIM, FANZSOG.
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But the new chancellor of the University of Canberra is far from intimidating.
She warmly waves to her new colleagues as she would old friends as they walk through the campus. Her hair has been freshly cut into a blonde bob in time for her investiture ceremony.
Ms Paul has lived in Canberra since she moved in 1978 to study at the Australian National University.
She then joined the public service, beginning her career working on ACT housing.
She's heard all the stories from the University of Canberra's past from her partner, Linda Webb, who attended the university in the '70s when it was the Canberra College of Advanced Education.
![Lisa Paul is the new chancellor of the University of Canberra, taking over from Professor Tom Calma. Picture by Keegan Carroll Lisa Paul is the new chancellor of the University of Canberra, taking over from Professor Tom Calma. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33pRA5ArzT57tWtt8VHHenS/8addce9d-0c7a-448f-be0b-5908743f1dd7.jpg/r0_256_5000_3078_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The daughter of two teachers joked that she finally joined the family business when she was appointed secretary of the federal department of education in 2004.
By the time she left the post in 2016 she had served under five prime ministers and was the longest-standing education department secretary.
Since then she has been involved in several significant government reviews, including into initial teacher education, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the current review into the next National Schools Reform Agreement.
Continuing her career of service at the University of Canberra, taking over from Professor Tom Calma, seemed like a natural fit.
"I just love the fact that it's Canberra's university," Ms Paul said.
"We're just different. We really are focused on teaching and learning and research that makes a difference to people in Canberra and of course beyond, but it's practical, so we're interested in the impact of what we do.
"Our research needs to have an impact in the real world. Our teaching and learning is focused on practical vocations."
Time of change
Ms Paul will be able to be a bridge to the policy world at a crucial time in the higher education landscape.
The Universities Accord is seen as a major reset in the relationship between the government and the university sector. The panel's final report put forward bold ideas for reform to prepare for a future where 80 per cent of jobs will require a TAFE or university qualification.
![Lisa Paul at the investiture ceremony on February 29. Picture supplied/Davey Barber Lisa Paul at the investiture ceremony on February 29. Picture supplied/Davey Barber](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33pRA5ArzT57tWtt8VHHenS/eef6c01e-8d9b-402f-beaa-00d61be00eef.jpg/r0_105_2048_1261_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Giving students access to university who might not otherwise have considered it was what the University of Canberra did best, Ms Paul said.
"At University of Canberra, we still have 40 per cent of our students being first in family [to attend university]. Now I think that's incredible, given where we draw from. Like who are these people?" she said.
"What I want to do here ... particularly because we're in the nation's capital, is to make sure we can be a beacon for progress in higher education."
This could include more collaboration between CIT and the university, as it already has connections with TAFE in NSW and Queensland.
She's all for needs-based funding to better support university students, but warned the "devil's in the detail" in how levels of disadvantage would be measured.
The new chancellor shares Education Minister Jason Clare's concern about sliding student academic performance and dropping completion rates at the school level.
"We need students coming out of school who are well-prepared to go on [to higher education], if 80 per cent of jobs are going to require TAFE or university [qualifications].
"So let's get our schooling right. Even at the minute, fewer and fewer kids are actually finishing school. Like how bad is that? You wouldn't expect it."
She said the university had a responsibility to ensure future teachers were fully competent in evidence-based teaching of reading and maths as well as classroom management skills.
She's particularly passionate about the effective teaching of reading.
"For some students, balanced literacy is going to be fine. They're not going to need all of the buttressing that phonics and etc. provide.
"But for many students, the science of reading work is essential. And I think you'll see more and more of that.
"Don't forget that that's part of the report about what should be in the next national schools reforms agreement as well."
It's also a time of change for the university. A recruitment firm has been hired to lead the global search for a new vice-chancellor after Professor Paddy Nixon resigned unexpectedly for personal reasons.
Supportive culture
As the chair of national youth mental health foundation Headspace in the three years to 2021, Ms Paul was well aware of the surge in distress among young Australians since the COVID pandemic.
![Lisa Paul was the secretary of the Department of Education from 2004-2016. Picture by Keegan Carroll Lisa Paul was the secretary of the Department of Education from 2004-2016. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33pRA5ArzT57tWtt8VHHenS/07aa889b-a8fa-43bd-866b-db2d70d22ebe.jpg/r0_333_5000_3155_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
During the selection process, she asked about what wellbeing support was offered at UC and was impressed by the services in place.
"I came to O-Week and you could see the student wellbeing people, they were everywhere in their polo shirts."
She was similarly impressed with the university's friendly, supportive culture which helped it to navigate the choppy waters of the pandemic without job losses.
"Organisational culture, because I've been a CEO so I look at these things, it's incredibly important. You can't really do anything if you don't get that right. So I'm pretty thrilled about that."
Her enthusiasm for her new job radiates through her use of "we" in referring to the institution she officially joined in January this year.
"My whole life has been focused on helping people achieve their potential, particularly people who have been disadvantaged [or] held back," she said.
"I feel deeply the responsibility that I'm taking on and I stand on the shoulders of nine people before me ... I feel that responsibility keenly, particularly as we come into a time of change."