Planning and Development Committee

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The Planning and Development Committee is established by the University Council in accordance with section 17 of the University of Canberra Act 1989 (ACT) pursuant to resolution C197/12.

The Committee replaces the Campus Development Board and the Environment and Works Committee.

The Committee will monitor and advise the Council on matters relating to the planning and development of the University’s major property and infrastructure and will ensure the University’s activities are directed towards opportunities for growth and sustainable development that support the University’s Strategic Plan Connected A Decadal Strategy 2023-2032.

View Planning and Development Committee Charter (PDF)

View Standing Orders for Meetings of the University Council and its Committees (PDF)

View 2025 Governance Meeting Schedule for Council and its Committees (PDF)

Committee members

Mr Medy Hassan

Mr Medy Hassan OAM

Chair

Medy Hassan is deeply committed to contributing to the University of Canberra (UC) as a Council member due to the alignment of values and his dedication to making a positive impact. As an alumnus and Adjunct Professor at UC, Medy is a nationally recognized advocate for diversity, inclusion, and belonging. UC's core commitments to its place in Canberra and its goal of becoming the most accessible university in Australia resonate strongly with both his personal and professional values.

Medy Hassan OAM is the Founder of Haus Holdings, Co-founder of Vitae Capital, and Chairman of GenCap Wealth. His passion lies in leveraging commercial strategies to enhance financial, social, and environmental well-being. His companies are driven by a vision to "reimagine the paradigm" for both current and future ventures, with a specialization in social enterprise, equity, property, and venture markets.

Medy is a recognised expert in private equity, property, and the delivery of complex infrastructure projects. His work focuses on driving innovation, achieving global excellence, and fostering sustainable and environmentally beneficial outcomes. In his leadership roles, he oversees the overall operations of his companies, always striving to fulfil their strategic ambitions.

With 25 years of global and national experience working across all tiers of government, corporate institutions, and private investors, Medy has overseen investments and transactions totalling $3 billion.

In 2021, Medy was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. He is a member of the University of Canberra Council, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at multiple universities in Australia. In 2024, Medy was honoured as the APAC CEO of the Year (Australia) in Social Enterprise and received the Global CEO Award for Best Social Enterprise & Investment CEO 2024 (Australia).

Michael Costello AO

Michael Costello AO brings significant governance experience and deep practical experience gained in leadership roles commercially at the Australian Stock Exchange (Head of Strategy, then deputy managing director), ACTEW Corporation (director, then managing director), and ActewAGL (CEO); in public sector leadership roles as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, secretary of the Department of Industrial Relations, and Ambassador to the United Nations; and in community governance and leadership roles, most recently at the GWS Giants AFL team (director & Integrity Committee chair).

Michael thus brings perspectives from both the commercial and public spheres to Council. Deep and sustained understanding of, and successful operation in, both the commercial and public sectors - and intimate understanding of the dynamic interaction between them - is a particular strength. He has operated with impact at the top level of the community, national and international realms - something which the University must also do. The combination of deep, sustained private and public sector experience, combined with sustained community, national and international operating experience, brings distinctive value to Council and the University.

Michael is committed to enacting and supporting the University's values, core teaching and research activities, independence, academic freedom and community needs. He brings a passionate belief in the critical role of the university in our society generally and the Canberra community specifically. He supports the University's curriculum indigenisation aspirations and its potential as a pacesetter in the sector in this regard. He is a lifelong exponent of fairness and inclusion and has worked to promote and embed those values, philosophically, organisationally and through commercial and public policy.

The Honourable Bill Shorten

Mr Jonathan Pheasant

Chief Operating Officer, ex officio

Jonathan Pheasant is the Chief Operating Officer, Vice-President Operations at the University of Canberra (UC). Jonathan has responsibility for the University’s core business services including Finance, Campus and Commercial Operations, Campus Development, People and Diversity (Human Resources), and Marketing.

Jonathan has worked in the higher education sector for the past 15 years having held senior professional staff roles at the ANU, UNSW Sydney and the University of Adelaide.

Jonathan joined UC in June 2023 from the ANU where he was the Director, Shared Services, responsible for the delivery of university-wide HR, finance, travel and facility-related services. From 2016 – 2021, Jonathan was the Faculty Executive Director, UNSW Health and Medicine. In UNSW Sydney’s largest faculty with multiple campus locations, hospital-based clinical schools and five rural clinical schools, Jonathan was responsible for the strategic and financial planning and operational management of all services supporting research and teaching.

Prior to joining the higher education sector, Jonathan held senior strategic planning and service delivery roles in a number of telecommunications and events organisations. Jonathan also served as an Officer in the Royal Australian Navy from 1993 – 1999.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma in Commerce from UNSW as well as a Masters of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management. Jonathan is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Adrian Harrington

External Independent Member

Annabelle Pegrum

External Independent Member

Contact us

For all enquiries, please contact the Council Secretariat.

University of Canberra
11 Kirinari Street
Bruce ACT 2617

Email us 02 6201 5961

Planning and Development Committee

Committee members

Mr Medy Hassan

Michael Costello AO

The Honourable Bill Shorten

Mr Jonathan Pheasant

Adrian Harrington

Annabelle Pegrum

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