Helen Sullivan

Helen Sullivan is the Dean of the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific and a leading scholar in public policy and political sociology. She holds a PhD from the University of Birmingham and has held senior academic and leadership roles globally, including founding the Melbourne School of Government and directing the Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU. Her research focuses on governance collaboration, state-society relationships, and urban policy, with notable contributions to understanding public participation and policy reform.

Education: BA (Modern History & Political Science, University of Birmingham), MA (Women’s Studies, University of York), PhD (Public Policy, University of Birmingham).

Research Interests: State-society dynamics, governance collaboration, urban governance, citizen participation, policy innovation, and leadership in complex systems. Her work bridges academia and practice, emphasizing policy impact and translational research through initiatives like MSoGLabs.

Key Contributions: Co-designed the University of Birmingham’s Policy Commission Program, led the Commission on Local Public Service Reform, and established the Melbourne School of Government. She has authored/co-authored nine books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles, with her 2022 book Collaboration and Public Policy shortlisted for the WJM Mackenzie Prize. Her work has received international awards, including the Kooiman Award (2008) and the Public Management Research Association Best Paper (2014).

Leadership & Engagement: Elected to the Australian Academy of Social Sciences (2024), served on editorial boards of journals like Public Administration and Local Government Studies, and advised governments globally. She chairs the Sir Roland Wilson Foundation Board and has consulted for public, private, and civil society sectors.

Grants & Projects: Secured £6M+ in funding from UK and Australian research councils, including projects on radicalisation, infrastructure risks, and social licensing in energy industries. Current projects include managing social risks of major infrastructure and analyzing Australia’s energy sources.

Labs & Initiatives: Founded MSoGLabs at Melbourne School of Government to translate research into policy impact. Collaborates internationally on urban governance and austerity’s effects through projects like New Developments in Urban Governance.