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Educational institutions and their partners need experts who understand complex challenges from varied perspectives. You must manage risk, seize opportunities and navigate changing strategic, regulatory and commercial landscapes. MinterEllison Consulting education team will help you decide your direction, protect your strategic interests and evolve your business direction.

Education

Our team, incorporating Wells Advisory, delivers transformative outcomes for clients across the education and related sectors, such as research institutes. Our approach is grounded in authenticity, collaboration and deep sector knowledge.

Regulation, compliance, governance, mergers and more: your pathway to education industry success

We are a combination of legal experts, management consultants and former sector leaders based in Australia, serving national and international clients. We offer a unique blend of sector nous and strategic support, encompassing:

  • deep understanding of education regulation, governance, strategy and risk
  • advisory services for higher education, research, government and tertiary institutions
  • expertise in governance, compliance, market entry and commercial activities in complex, regulated environments.

We work with:

  • most of Australia's universities, across every State and Territory
  • the majority of the TAFEs and independent providers, big and small, including many that are dual registered in VET and higher education
  • overseas universities and colleges, including from the United States of America and the UK
  • owners, governance boards, Vice-Chancellors, Provosts and education leaders.

How we can help you

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  • Board advisory
  • Leadership advisory
  • Leadership development
  • Corporate governance reviews
  • Leadership effectiveness reviews
  • Culture and engagement assessments
  • Organisational health reviews
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  • Registration
  • Deal structuring
  • Mergers and acquisitions, strategy and execution
  • Due diligence
  • Integration planning
  • Investment prioritisation
  • Leadership training
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  • Workforce transformation
  • Restructuring
  • Cultural transformation programs
  • Market entry strategies
  • Market expansion strategies
  • Competitive market analysis
  • Partnership and joint venture frameworks
  • Post-transaction restructuring  

Specialities


  • Governance
  • Regulatory and risk management
  • Strategy and commercial
  • Market entry and growth
  • Inter-disciplinary advisory (with MinterEllison legal teams)
Governance

  • Independent reviews of corporate and academic governance.
  • Advice on governance reform initiatives.
  • Governance support and insights.
  • Policy review and development.

Regulatory and risk management

  • Compliance support across national and international frameworks.
  • Thematic and regulatory audits (TEQSA, Department of Education, ASQA).
  • Helping clients achieve self-accrediting authority and University College status.
  • Regulatory applications and assurance processes.
  • ESOS audits, research quality evaluations and funding regulation reviews.
  • Provider risk assessments and analysis

Strategy and commercial

  • Advice on company and organisational structures, licensing and financial sustainability.
  • Organisational reform, strategic planning including student and financial modelling.
  • Market strategy, competitor analysis and education delivery options.

Market entry and growth

  • End-to-end support for education transactions.
  • Establishing a new registered higher education provider.
  • Expertise in mergers, acquisitions and institutional transformation.

Inter-disciplinary advisory (with MinterEllison legal teams)

  • Integrated legal and consulting services across governance, regulation, business planning and strategy.
  • Joined-up advice spanning legal, regulatory, risk, technology and strategic domains.

Our story

In October 2023, Wells Advisory officially joined MinterEllison Consulting, enhancing our capabilities in the education sector. Founded in 2016, Wells Advisory built a reputation for excellence in strategy, regulation, governance, and leadership across higher and vocational education. Led by Michael Wells, Paula Kelly and Craig Barling , the team continues to serve clients with distinction.

Lead contacts

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Our thinking and experience

Our consulting services are provided by the partnerships known as MinterEllison Consulting (ABN 50 017 469 292) and MinterEllison Advisory (ABN 27 632 804 465) which operate through the company, MinterEllison Consulting Pty Limited (ABN 50 077 613 828), all of which are part of the MinterEllison Group. Our consulting services do not constitute legal services nor legal advice and are not provided by Australian legal practitioners acting in that capacity. The laws and regulations which govern the provision of legal services in the relevant jurisdiction do not apply to the provision of non-legal services.

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