Professor Sally Totman is Deputy Dean of the Institute of Education, Arts and Community at Federation University Australia. 

Sally brings over 25 years of experience in higher education leadership, curriculum innovation and academic governance. She has a strong track record of building collaborative, high-performing teams and leading strategic initiatives that deliver excellence for students, staff and the broader community. 

Sally joined Federation University in 2025 from Charles Sturt University, where she was Head of the School of Social Work and Arts, one of the University’s largest and most diverse schools. During her tenure, she led major initiatives including Social Work reaccreditation, curriculum reform across the School’s many disciplines, and significant workload and budgetary efficiencies. 

Prior to that, Sally held several senior leadership roles at Deakin University, including Deputy Head of School, Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning) and Convenor of International Relations and Middle East Studies. She chaired key faculty committees focused on student conduct, academic integrity and academic progress, and she was instrumental in strengthening teaching quality, student success and international engagement. 

Sally’s research focuses on the history, politics and international relations of the Middle East and North Africa. She is the author of How Hollywood Projects Foreign Policy and a regular media commentator on Middle Eastern affairs. She is co-founder of the Middle East Studies Forum at Deakin University and previously served as Deputy Director of the Centre for Middle East and North African Studies at Macquarie University.