Simon Maddocks told staff yesterday he will leave at the end of the year

In a brief video statement the VC said, “it is my honour to step down from the job I love at the right time to take advantage of the change across the university sector and to allow the recruitment of the highest quality candidate.”

Chancellor Paul Henderson said much the same thing. “The next 12 months will re-shape tertiary education in our country for many years to come. With this disruption, there will be inevitable movement of some of Australia’s most senior university leaders … together we have decided to take advantage of this period of change.”