Jacinda Ardern to join University of Sydney as professor of practice

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern is set to join the University of Sydney as a professor of practice, bringing her experience in public leadership to teaching, mentoring and research engagement.

The university announced the appointment on Oct 27, saying Ardern would work with students, researchers and the wider university community from October. The part-time position is based in the School of Public Health within the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

Ardern’s work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust, alongside approaches to global health challenges centred on equity, inclusion and wellbeing.

“It is a great pleasure to welcome Dame Jacinda Ardern to the University of Sydney – I have long admired the courage and humanity she brought to public life," said Professor Mark Scott AO, Vice-Chancellor and President.

“Dame Jacinda led New Zealand through events of profound consequence and her leadership demonstrated that empathy and resolve do not compete with one another; each can strengthen the other," he added.

Teaching and mentoring responsibilities

Ardern will contribute through guest lectures, masterclasses and mentoring rather than a full-time teaching role. She will also work with the university’s Sydney Policy Lab and the vice-chancellor’s office on initiatives connecting leadership, research and public policy.

The university said the appointment would give students opportunities to learn from her experience leading New Zealand through major events, including the Christchurch terrorist attacks, the Whakaari volcanic eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ardern said she had become increasingly focused on leadership since leaving office and on how societies could encourage leaders to address global challenges.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott said her experience demonstrated how empathy and resolve could reinforce each other in public leadership.

From government to higher education

Ardern served as New Zealand’s prime minister from 2017 to 2023. Since leaving office, she has held fellowships at Harvard University focused on public leadership and technology governance. In 2024, she joined the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government as a distinguished fellow and member of its World Leaders Circle.

Her appointment at Sydney adds to the university’s engagement with experienced public figures and practitioners who can bring policy and leadership experience into academic settings.

“I’m delighted to be joining the University of Sydney. I’ve found myself especially focused on the question of leadership since leaving office – and how we can better support and encourage the  kind of leadership needed to tackle our many global challenges, said Ardern.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside the brilliant students, faculty, and wider University of Sydney community, as we share experiences, explore and develop ways to better serve our communities, and help solve the issues facing so many today," she said.

The university said the role would support work across public health, public policy and leadership. It did not describe the appointment as a full-time academic post.

How the role differs from a traditional academic post

A professor of practice is an academic appointment typically given to an experienced professional who brings practical expertise into a university. Unlike conventional faculty roles that may focus heavily on academic research, the position often emphasises teaching, mentoring, guest lectures and connecting students with real-world experience.

At the University of Sydney, Ardern’s part-time role will draw on her experience in public leadership and policymaking. She is expected to engage with students and researchers through lectures, masterclasses and mentoring, with a focus on empathetic leadership, civic trust, social cohesion and global health challenges.

The appointment allows the university to bring experience from government and public service into academic discussions and student learning.