The Albanese Government has appointed Prof. Barney Glover as the inaugural Chief Commissioner of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), marking a major step in the country’s tertiary education reform agenda.
Education Minister Jason Clare and Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles announced the appointment, highlighting Prof. Glover’s extensive experience across higher education and workforce policy.
Minister Clare said Prof. Glover “has a big brain and a big heart” and was uniquely placed to lead the reform process.
He said the ATEC would help build a “bigger, more connected and more seamless” education system, making it easier for students to move between TAFE and university and access training more efficiently.
Prof. Glover, currently the Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia, has previously served as Vice-Chancellor of Western Sydney University and Charles Darwin University, and held senior leadership roles at the University of Newcastle. He also chaired Universities Australia.
He was a member of the Australian Universities Accord Panel, which delivered a major review of Australia’s higher education system and laid the groundwork for the ATEC.
Alongside Prof. Glover, the government has appointed several statutory commissioners to the new body, including former minister Fiona Nash, education leader David Coltman, and health policy expert Prof. Stephen Duckett of the University of Melbourne.
The government said the ATEC will play a central role in reshaping Australia’s tertiary education system by integrating university and vocational training pathways, implementing needs-based funding, and advising on long-term sector reforms.
It will also oversee major structural changes, including managed growth funding, mission-based compacts with universities, and annual reporting on the performance of the tertiary education system.
Minister Giles said Prof. Glover had already made an “incredible contribution” to the sector and would continue driving workforce and education reform in his new role.
The Chief Commissioner has been appointed for five years, with other commissioners serving three-year terms from July 2026.
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