BSc (CM), MBA, GCTAE, PhD, FAIB, FRSN, GAICD, PFHEA

Professor Pienaar is an experienced academic leader with extensive expertise in academic governance, quality assurance and higher education strategy. He has held senior executive roles across multiple Australian universities, driving transformative initiatives in curriculum innovation, digital learning and institutional governance.

Professor Pienaar has served as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students) and Registrar at the University of Southern Queensland and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at CQUniversity, where he led sector-leading strategies to enhance student success, regulatory compliance and academic integrity. He is the Founder and Co-Director of Higher Education Quality Standards and Assurance (HEQSA), a consultancy specialising in corporate and academic governance, organisational development, leadership and business strategy. He is also Deputy Dean at the University of Technology Sydney’s Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, leading governance reform and strategic academic initiatives.

As a recognised governance expert, Professor Pienaar has chaired multiple academic boards and governance committees, overseeing policy development, regulatory compliance, accreditation processes and strategic institutional reforms. He is a trusted adviser on academic and corporate governance for universities, regulatory agencies and professional associations in Australia and internationally.

He is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building and the Royal Society of New South Wales, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. As a TEQSA Expert, he has provided extensive consultancy in governance, curriculum development and higher education policy.

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