Electing members to Macquarie's governance bodies
The Macquarie University Council, Academic Senate, and Faculty Boards are key decision-makers in the operation of the University. Each includes elected members chosen by the University community in accordance with set procedures.
The University Council and Academic Senate of Macquarie University include a number of positions elected by and from the staff and students of the University. Faculty Boards also include elected staff and student positions, and the main student body — the Student Representative Committee — is formed of a mixture of elected and appointed student positions.
Each body has specific requirements related to its membership. For example, Council includes two positions for academic staff, one for professional staff and one for students. Academic Senate has a much larger number of academic staff and student positions which are targeted to specific groups — such as Faculty or student enrolment type (postgraduate coursework, international, and so on).
When an election is called the notice of election and related nomination form will provide full details on who is eligible to stand for election and who is eligible to vote, and will refer to the relevant legislation or policy.
Elections and results
Council elections are held in accordance with the Macquarie University Act and Macquarie University By-law
A notice of election has been issued on 2 September 2026 for the following election:
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
- ONE (1) NON-ACADEMIC STAFF MEMBER ON UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
Nomination eligibility criteria
Pursuant to Section 8D(1)(b) and 8D(2)(b) of the Macquarie University Act 1989 and Section 6 of the Macquarie University By-law 2005, one (1) member of the non-academic staff is to be elected by and from the non-academic staff of the University in accordance with Schedule 1 of the University By-law provided that the individual is a member of the non-academic staff of the University at the time of close of nominations.
Nomination - submission
Each nomination must be submitted on the applicable form available on the University website at: goto.mq.edu.au/election-forms.
For general information on Council, please see the Council website.
If you have any questions about elections and voting, please contact Governance Services by emailing election@mq.edu.au
A notice of election has been issued on 2 September 2026 for the following elections:
STUDENT
Term of Office 1 December 2026 – 31 November 2028
- ONE (1) UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT FROM EACH FACULTY ON ACADEMIC SENATE:
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Macquarie Business School
- TWO (2) POSTGRADUATE COURSEWORK COURSE STUDENT MEMBERS
- ONE (1) GRADUATE RESEARCH COURSE STUDENT MEMBER
- ONE (1) STUDENT MEMBER FROM THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COHORT
- ONE (1) STUDENT MEMBER FROM THE INDIGENOUS STUDENT COHORT
Nomination - eligibility criteria
To be eligible to be nominated as a candidate, a student must be:
- progressing towards a Macquarie University degree, diploma or certificate;
- enrolled in at least one (1) unit of study at the date and time of the close of nominations (Wednesday 16 September, 3.00 pm); and
- enrolled in a course within the relevant Faculty as either identified on their internal transcript or determined by the first major in which they enrolled.
In the case of the election for a student member from the international student cohort, a student is eligible for nomination if they are currently enrolled as an international student.
In the case of the election for a student member from the Indigenous student cohort, a student is eligible for nomination based on their enrolment information and in consultation with Walanga Muru.
Please refer to the nomination forms for more eligibility criteria information.
Nomination - submission
Each nomination must be submitted on the applicable form available on the University website at: goto.mq.edu.au/election-forms.
STAFF
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
- THREE (3) CONTINUING ACADEMIC STAFF MEMBERS FROM EACH FACULTY ON ACADEMIC SENATE:
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Macquarie Business School
- ONE (1) ACADEMIC STAFF MEMBER FROM THE INDIGENOUS STAFF ELECTORATE
Nomination - eligibility criteria
Pursuant to clauses 12 and 14 of the Academic Senate Rule, staff are to be elected by and from the academic staff of each electorate in accordance with Schedule 1 of the University By-law provided that:
- only members of the academic staff who are full-time or part-time continuing, or fixed term for three or more years and with fractional appointment of 50 per cent and above are eligible to participate in the election and to be elected; and
- members elected from each Faculty electorate must be from different departments.
Nomination - submission
Each nomination must be submitted on the applicable form available on the University website at: goto.mq.edu.au/election-forms.
For general information on Academic Senate please see the Academic Senate website
If you have any questions about elections and voting, please contact Governance Services by emailing election@mq.edu.au
A notice of election has been issued on 2 September 2026 for the following elections:
STUDENT
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
- TWO (2) STUDENTS FROM EACH FACULTY ON FACULTY BOARDS:
- Faculty of Arts Faculty Board
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Faculty Board
- Faculty of Science and Engineering Faculty Board
- Macquarie Business School Faculty Board
Nomination - eligibility criteria
To be eligible to be nominated as a candidate, a student must be:
- progressing towards a Macquarie University degree, diploma or certificate;
- enrolled in at least one (1) unit of study at the date and time of the close of nominations (Wednesday 16 September, 3.00 pm); and
- enrolled in a course within the relevant Faculty as either identified on their internal transcript or determined by the first major in which they enrolled.
Please refer to the nomination forms for more eligibility criteria information.
Nomination - submission
Each nomination must be submitted on the applicable form available on the University website at: goto.mq.edu.au/election-forms
STAFF
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
- ONE (1) NON-ACADEMIC STAFF MEMBER FROM THE CONTINUING NON-ACADEMIC STAFF IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING FACULTIES:
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Macquarie Business School
(Note: The elected non-Academic staff member for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Faculty Board is not due for an election until 2027)
Nomination - eligibility criteria
Pursuant to Clause 4(i) of the Faculty Board Terms of Reference, one member is to be elected by and from the continuing non-academic staff of the Faculty.
These elections are to be held in accordance with Section 4 (Procedures for Election of Faculty Board) in the Faculty Rule which states that the staff members eligible to participate in the election and to be elected must be either:
- full-time continuing;
- part-time continuing; or
- fixed term for three or more years with fractional appointment of 50% and above.
Nomination - submission
Each nomination must be submitted on the applicable form available on the University website at: goto.mq.edu.au/election-forms.
For general information on Faculty Boards see the Faculty Boards website.
If you have any questions about elections and voting, please contact Governance Services by emailing election@mq.edu.au
SRC elections are held in accordance with the SRC Terms of Reference
There are no elections for SRC planned for Session 2, 2026.
For general information on the SRC and membership, please see the SRC website.