Professor Barney Glover to head ATEC

Professor Barney Glover has been appointed the Chief Commissioner of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC).

Professor Glover brings a wealth of experience including as the current Jobs and Skills Australia Commissioner and a former Vice-Chancellor at several Australian universities. 

He has held the roles of Vice-Chancellor of Western Sydney University, Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Newcastle and Chair of Universities Australia.

Professor Glover was a member of the Australian Universities Accord Panel chaired by Professor Mary O’Kane AC which led the biggest and broadest review of Australia’s higher education system in 15 years. 

The Hon Fiona Nash, Mr David Coltman and Dr Stephen Duckett have also been appointed statutory Commissioners of the ATEC and will serve alongside Professor Glover. 

The Hon Fiona Nash was a member of the Australian Universities Accord Panel and is the Regional Education Commissioner. She is a former Commonwealth Minister and previously held senior roles at Charles Sturt University.

David Coltman has led major public sector organisations, including TAFE SA and was Deputy Chancellor of Pathways and Vocational Education at Swinburne University.  

Dr Stephen Duckett is an Honorary Enterprise Professor at the University of Melbourne with experience at the highest levels in State and Commonwealth governments including as Secretary for the Department of Human Services and Health. Since October 2025, Dr Duckett has chaired the interim ATEC’s Pricing and Costing Working Group.

The Chief Commissioner has been appointed for a five-year term, and the Commissioners have been appointed for a three-year term commencing 1 July 2026.

Recruitment for the statutory First Nations Commissioner is underway. Professor Tom Calma will continue as the ATEC’s interim First Nations Commissioner until 30 June 2026.

Professor Barney Glover and the team will help drive the reforms needed to build the education system Australia needs now and into the future. It will: 

• help break down the barriers between university and Vocational Education and Training (VET)
• allocate funding under the new Managed Growth Funding system
• implement Needs-based Funding within the core funding model
• negotiate mission-based compacts to support a diverse, responsive and high-performing sector 
• provide expert, independent advice to government
• publish a State of the Tertiary Education System Report every year
• take over responsibility for the Higher Education Standards Framework from the current Higher Education Standards Panel.

The Government will soon introduce legislation to help more students from disadvantaged backgrounds get to and get through university by embedding Managed Growth Funding and Needs-Based funding within the core funding model. 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare: 

“Barney has a big brain and a big heart. There is nothing he doesn’t know about the tertiary education system. 

“He helped write the Accord and he is going to bring it to life.   

“The Commissioners are all outstanding leaders who have deep knowledge and expertise to help us build the higher education system Australia needs.   

“The ATEC will help us build a system that’s bigger than the one we have today, double the size. 

“A system that’s built around the know how of each university and the needs of the nation.

“More like a constellation than the cut and paste approach we have today. 

“A system that’s more seamless and more connected. 
“Where it’s easier to move between TAFE and uni and get the skills you need quicker and cheaper.

“The ATEC will help us do this and more.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles:

“Barney Glover has made an incredible contribution to the tertiary education sector. I’m excited that he’ll continue this work in a new role, as the inaugural Chief Commissioner of the ATEC.

“As Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia, Barney has built up the organisation to a place where it is now an invaluable contributor to Australia’s workforce and labour market landscape.

“Additionally, David Coltman is a highly respected leader whose track record in driving system transformation, along with his ongoing commitment to supporting VET reflects deep expertise and dedication to the sector.

“I look forward to continuing to work with ATEC and its leadership team, to ensure Australia can make the most of tertiary harmonisation, and that Australians can trek a career pathway across their lives that works best for them, and for our economy.”