Professor Caroline Rueckert is Dean, Student Experience and Employability at Griffith University, where she leads whole-of-institution strategies to embed equity, inclusion, and career readiness across the student experience. A Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association (JANZSSA), Caroline brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in higher education, including roles as Director, Student Success at QUT and Program Director for First Year Initiatives at the University of British Columbia.

Caroline has led large-scale, cross-institutional initiatives focused on student retention, engagement, and employability. Her work centres on co-creating educational ecosystems that connect students, staff, and communities through shared purpose, mutual learning, and collective responsibility. A long-time advocate for partnership-driven approaches, she is committed to fostering ethical, place-based, and socially responsive education that supports more just and sustainable futures.