Professor Duncan Bentley

Vice-Chancellor and President

Academic qualifications

BA, LLB (Cape Town), LLM (London), LLM (Corporate and Commercial), PhD (Bond) FAAL, FCA, CTA, GAICD

Summary of previous experience

Professor Duncan Bentley brings to his role extensive experience leading public and private universities, in international law and taxation and as a company director.

He believes a dual-sector regional university sits at the heart of its communities, playing a core role in their prosperity and growth.

Throughout his career, Duncan has supported universities to grow through design thinking, digital innovation, deep community engagement and long-term global partnerships.

This includes introducing Federation University's new co-operative (co-op) education model, working with industry to co-design, co-develop and co-deliver programs to build a workforce to address skills shortages in the regions Federation serves.

Duncan has advised universities, research institutes, TAFEs and private providers to position and grow the overall quality and relevance of research, programs, curriculum, student experience and care, delivery, brand and marketing to meet the needs of key stakeholders in Australia and internationally.

He was appointed to the International Legal Services Advisory Council advising Government on Australia’s international performance in legal and related services. He also represented the Law Council of Australia on the Law Admissions Consultative Committee to the Council of Chief Justices.

He has consulted extensively to governments and businesses across five continents on international tax matters.

Duncan comes to Federation from a distinguished academic career at Swinburne University as Deputy-Vice-Chancellor (Academic). There, he led the academic, international, online and Indigenous portfolios.

Previously at Victoria University, he had oversight of strategy and governance, vocational education, external engagement and international.

This followed executive leadership roles at Curtin University and Bond University.

Before entering academia Duncan worked for multinational accounting firms based in London and Sydney.