Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership)

Professor Michelle Trudgett is an Indigenous scholar and executive leader from the Wiradjuri Nation in New South Wales. She currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Leadership and Vice-President at Western Sydney University. Additionally, she is a Board Member of the GO Foundation. Her significant contributions to the sector have been recognised through several prestigious awards, including the National NAIDOC Scholar of the Year Award, the Neville Bonner Award for Teaching Excellence, and the University of New England Distinguished Alumni Award.

Professor Trudgett is one of Australia’s foremost researchers in Indigenous Education and leadership. She has been a Chief Investigator (CI) on five Australian Research Council grants, four as the lead CI, securing $5,000,000 in funding. Professor Trudgett is currently leading an ARC project which examines the complex ecosystems of Indigenous higher education leadership.

Professor Trudgett is a recognised strategic thinker who adopts a highly collegial approach to achieve positive outcomes for the higher education sector. She is particularly passionate about leading strategic initiatives that empower Indigenous people and communities. With an unwavering passion for social justice and educational equity, Professor Trudgett continues to inspire transformation within higher education institutions and beyond.