Our history

Our history extends back to the Australian Humanities Research Council (AHRC) which first met in 1954 and was formally established in 1956 to promote and publish the work of Australian humanities researchers.

Instituted by Royal Charter: 25 June 1969

In 1969 the Australian Academy of the Humanities was established by Royal Charter to advance knowledge of, and the pursuit of excellence in, the Humanities.

On 25 June 1969, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted royal consent to the petition to establish the Australian Academy of the Humanities. The Royal Charter specifies the objectives and purposes of the Academy and incorporates the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Royal charter and coat of arm seals

Royal Charter & By-laws

The Royal Charter and By-laws (PDF, 197 KB) and the Petition are legally binding documents that govern how the Academy operates, and provide a legal framework for our activities. The By-laws are the rules which govern the day-to-day business of the Academy, including the electoral procedures for Fellows. They can only be altered with the assent of the Governor-General.

The Royal Charter (PDF, 86.1 KB) specifies the objectives and purpose of the Academy, granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and incorporates the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

The By-laws (PDF, 151 KB) are the rules that govern the day-to-day business of the Academy, including the electoral procedures for Fellows. They can only be altered with the assent of the Governor-General.

The Petition is the official request to Queen Elizabeth II to establish the Australian Academy of the Humanities from the Australian Humanities Research Council.

In recognition of the historical value of these documents, the Petition and Royal Charter are now on permanent loan to the National Library of Australia where they are held under ideal preservation conditions.

The Coat of Arms & the Crest

The Royal College of Arms granted the Coat of Arms and Crest in 1973. The Arms consist of a shield emblazoned with two keys, as symbols of knowledge, within which are incorporated the letters ‘A’ and ‘H’, and feature the wattle motif and the stars of the Southern Cross.

The Crest features a Grecian maiden and a youth wearing belts composed of the letters A and H; both wear wreaths of wattle blossom and support torches which symbolise the passing on of the torch of life. At the top of the armorial shield is an Ionic column supporting the bust of Pallas Athene.

The motto is from Terence’s Heautontimoroumenos (‘The Self Tormenter’) – humani nihil a me alienum puto. In essence, this means, ‘I have an interest in all things concerning humanity’ (literally, ‘I think that there is nothing of humanity separate from me’).

Academy crest

Foundation Fellows

On the day of establishment, there were 51 Members of the Australian Humanities Research Council who became the Foundation Fellows of the new Academy.

Our first election

The highest distinction in scholarship in the Humanities was required of candidates for election to the Fellowship of the newly established Academy. The first intake of Fellows were elected by the 51 Foundation Fellows at a Special General Meeting on 20–21 September 1969. Annual elections have taken place since that time.

Further reading

For an account of the debates and efforts that led to the establishment of the Academy, see Graeme Davison’s article in the inaugural edition of Humanities Australia, Phoenix rising: The Academy and the humanities in 1969 (PDF, 497 KB).

Acknowledgement of Country

The Australian Academy of the Humanities recognises Australia’s First Nations Peoples as the traditional owners and custodians of this land, and their continuous connection to country, community and culture.