Australian education power rankings: The leaders who shape our students, schools and universities

From the classroom to the cabinet room, this power list unveils the 20 most influential voices shaping Australia’s education system – from childcare to uni and beyond.

Education has faced sector-wide shake-ups in 2025 thanks to the energetic federal Education Minister Jason Clare.

Some may have thought Clare would take it easy after reining in the $50bn international student sector with crippling caps in 2024. But this year Labor’s rising star ramped it up by taking on the school sector, signing new $20bn funding agreements with states, overhauling the educational bureaucracy and addressing bullying in schools.

It’s been a tough year, with rising violence against teachers, record bullying claims, educator shortages and growing mental health concerns – but Clare’s willingness to take on vested interests and steer through ambitious reforms earns him top spot on our list of the nation’s 20 most powerful people in education.

Schools have grappled with the impact of AI, the upcoming social media ban, the growing demands of students with additional needs and student absenteeism.

Flatlined NAPLAN results haven’t helped, nor has data showing a huge gender gap, with boys years behind girls in writing.

It’s also been a year of reckoning for the sector as shocking allegations of child sex abuse in Victoria rocked the wider community.

Parents were forced to stop and think: “Is my kid safe at childcare?”

Clare, along with Early Education Minister Jess Walsh, has been tasked with strengthening the ‘broken’ childcare sector.

So far the rhetoric has been tough, with threats to take away the childcare subsidy from centres that continue to fail national quality standards.

In the year to come, the pair will be judged on their ability to finally implement other key reforms such as a national working with children’s check scheme and early educator registration scheme.

STATE-BASED EDUCATION POWER LISTS

New South Wales – see the top 20 rankings

Victoria – see the top 20 rankings

Queensland – see the top 20 rankings

South Australia – see the top 20 rankings

Geelong – see the top 20 rankings

Northern Territory – see the top 10 rankings

Originally published as Australian education power rankings: The leaders who shape our students, schools and universities