Sharan Burrow is incoming board chair of Monash U’s ClimateWorks. The university describes her as “a global advocate for human rights, climate action and just transition.” She was also a member of Jason Clare’s recent Expert Council on University Governance and a ways back, president of the ACTU.
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Amanda Cross (Monash U) joins the board of National Asthma Council Australia. She is the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s nominee.
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Glyn Davis starts as Interim VC at Uni Melbourne on February 2. Until then DVC Michael Wesley and Provost Jane Gunn will each serve as Acting VC. The arrangements follow VC Emma Johnston’s death, at Christmas. Professor Davis was the university’s VC 2005-2018. His new appointment will continue, “while the university undertakes an extensive search for the next permanent Vice-Chancellor.” Davis stepped down as permanent head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet last June. His brief at UoM is implementing Professor Johnston’s Strategy 2030.
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Michelle Gillespie has been appointed as Workday’s Higher Education Industry Advisor. She was previously Chief Student Officer and Registrar at Victoria University.
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Jesse Gardner-Russell (Uni Melbourne) is re-elected national president of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, for 2026. Richard Lee (Uni Queensland) is VP. Maxim Jon Buckley wins the first national election FC knows of by somebody from the new Adelaide U. He becomes CAPA’s Policy and Research Officer.
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Education Minister Jason Clare announced Interim ATEC Commissioners Monday, replacing Mary O’Kane and Larrissa Behrendt who are back at their day jobs. Tom Calma, most recently Uni Canberra Chancellor, is acting (presumably as well as Interim) First Nations Commissioner. Fiona Nash also starts acting. She was a member of the Universities Accord panel and is Regional Education Commissioner. yes that Fiona Nash, the former Nationals cabinet minister. They join Barney Glover, who continues an interim commissioner in addition to running Jobs and Skills Australia.
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Michael Hofman (Peter MacCallum Centre/Uni Melbourne) wins the biomedical Ramaciotti Medal, for prostate cancer research.
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Jason Kovacic (Victor Chang Cardiac RI) begins his term as President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes.
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Andy Marks is the new ED of the Australian Technology Network. He moves from VP, Public Affairs at Western Sydney U.
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The Commonwealth’s response to the Segal Plan to combat antisemitism includes creating an Antisemitism in Education Taskforce. Newly-former UNSW Chancellor David Gonski chairs. Sometime ACU VC Greg Craven continues his work for Ms Segal on report cards in antisemitism in universities. The Group of Eight has created its own “Expert Oversight and Implementation Committee” on antisemitism chaired by former Chief Scientist and Monash Chancellor, Alan Finkel.
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The UWA Vice Chancellor’s Research Awards include:
Senior researchers: Allison McKendrick, Ullrich Ecker MCR: Asha Bowen ECR: Jessica Kretzmann Indigenous partnership: Cristina Estima Ramalho, Glenda Kickett Indigenous-led research: Pat Dudgeon, Helen Milroy, Belle Selkirk, Jody Kamminga, Rama Agung-Igusti, Emma Carlin, Kate Derry, Jemma Collova, Blerida Banushi, Shraddha Kashyap Impact, innovation: Adil Khan, Ryan Lister Mentorship: Rhonda Clifford * HDR supervision: Jingbo Wang Research support: Jewel Huang, Kate McKenzie * Research tech support: Mun Woo, Robert Wocheslander, Cailin Burnmaster, Sarath Wijeratne, Christine Hanson, Charitha Pattiaratchi, Paul Thomson.
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Uni Wollongong announces council appointments. Anthony Bohm becomes a graduate member. Merran Dawson becomes deputy chancellor. Nievese Murray and Warwick Shanks move from deputy chancellor to pro-chancellor, a new role. Nicky Sloan joins council. Plus VC Max Lu is elected an International Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.