Will Sanders graduated from the Department of Government at Public Administration at the University of Sydney in 1980. His PhD, completed at the ANU in 1986, was on the administrative inclusion of Aboriginal Australians in the social security system after legislative changes in 1959 and 1966. This enhanced Will’s appreciation of the importance of public administration in governing.

Will has remained at the ANU over the last thirty years working across a range of topics in Indigenous affairs including housing, local government, elections, inter-government relations and income support.