Professor Ruth Wallace is the Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor First Nations Leadership and Acting Director of the Northern Institute at Charles Darwin University (CDU), following her impactful tenure as Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Arts and Society. A nationally recognised leader in Indigenous education, Professor Wallace brings extensive expertise in education policy and systems, particularly across regional and remote areas of Australia.
Her research explores the role of Aboriginal knowledge systems in education and how these can be harnessed to improve student outcomes. She has led projects in workforce development and learning pathways, supporting both urban and remote communities throughout the Northern Territory.
Professor Wallace is known for fostering high-impact national and international partnerships with government and educational institutions. These collaborations support her strong advocacy for marginalised learners and her commitment to creating sustainable, community-led education and workforce development opportunities—particularly through remote-based enterprises.
In 2025, Professor Wallace was invited by the Hon Jason Clare MP, Federal Minister for Education, to represent the Northern Territory at national symposiums on the future of Australian education.
She holds a PhD from Charles Darwin University (2011) and teaching qualifications from Queensland University of Technology (1994). Her career spans more than 20 years in vocational education and training, including classroom teaching, online delivery, and academic leadership. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Chair (2017), hosted by Kansas State University.
Since 2018, Ruth has held senior leadership positions at Charles Darwin University responsible for a range of programs including initial teacher education, enabling programs, Indigenous knowledges, law, sociology, disaster management and business programs.
