Governance and Risk

UQ Senate Elections

  1. Home
  2. Governance and Policy
  3. University elections

Recently completed elections

Elections were conducted in September 2025.

In accordance with the Senate and Academic Board Elections Policy, the following individuals were elected to the University of Queensland's 36th Senate:

1 member of the Academic Board (4 year term)Professor Greg Hainge
1 full-time or part-time academic staff member (4 year term)Professor Kristen Lyons
1 full-time or part-time general staff member (4 year term)Dr Dino Willox 
1 postgraduate student (2 year term)Mr Richard Liu 
1 undergraduate student (2 year term)Mr Eric Yun
3 graduates of the University (4 year term)Ms Sallyanne Atkinson AO
Ms Annastacia Palaszczuk
Dr Lee Duffield

 

Senate is the peak governing body of The University of Queensland. The primary role of Senate is to exercise oversight of the University and its affairs. Senate ensures that the appropriate structures, policies, processes and planning are in place for UQ to effectively manage its activities and achieve its goals.

There are 22 members of UQ’s Senate in official, appointed and elected capacities.

Further information about UQ’s Senate is available on the Senate web page.

Senate elections offer an opportunity for the UQ community to actively contribute to the governance of the university. All eligible individuals are encouraged to actively participate in this process, either through self-nomination or by voting in the elections.

Senate elections are overseen by the Univeristy's Returning Officer and managed in accordance with the requirements of the University of Queensland Act 1998 (QLD) and the Senate and Academic Board Elections Policy.

The Senate and Academic Board Elections Policy outlines who is eligible to self-nominate and vote in Senate elections.

The table below details all categories – or ‘classes’ – in which eligible individuals can self-nominate and vote.

Class
Description
Academic Board
  • All members of the Academic Board
University full-time or part-time academic staff
  • All members of the full-time academic staff; and
  • Those members of the part-time academic staff employed under a contract with a term of employment of 6 months or more requiring at least 18 hours of work each week.
University full-time or part-time general staff
  • All members of the full-time general staff; and
  • Those members of the part-time general staff employed under a contract with a term of employment of 6 months or more requiring at least 18 hours of work each week.
Undergraduate student of the University
  • All undergraduate students enrolled in a course or program leading to the award of an undergraduate certificate, degree or diploma of the University.
Postgraduate student of the University
  • All postgraduate students enrolled in a course or program leading to the award of a postgraduate certificate, degree or diploma, or a master's or doctoral degree, of the University.
Graduates of the University, other than persons eligible for membership under other classes
  • All graduates awarded:
    • an undergraduate certificate, degree or diploma of the University or the former Queensland Agricultural College; or
    • a postgraduate certificate, degree or diploma, or a master's or doctoral degree, of the University or the former Queensland Agricultural College.
As all voting is conducted online, UQ graduates must ensure that they have a current email address registered with UQ as at the time of closing of the nominations for a particular election.
 
Graduates can update their details at Update your Details (Alumni and Community)

It is important to note that:

  • An individual may belong to multiple classes.
  • An individual can self-nominate to run for election in any class they belong to, but only in one class.
    • There is one caveat to the above: UQ graduates who are also a current UQ staff member and/or a current UQ student may only self-nominate for election in either the staff or student class. They cannot run for election as a UQ graduate.
  • Individuals who belong to multiple classes can vote in each class they belong to (i.e. they can vote multiple times).

Contact