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Emeritus Professor Margaret Seares AO was presented with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at The University of Western Australia last night during the autumn series of graduation ceremonies in Winthrop Hall.

A former Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UWA, Professor Seares has made and continues to make significant contributions nationally to the arts, the higher education sector and to philanthropic causes.

Professor Seares serves on the governing bodies of Scotch College, the Perth International Arts Festival, the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.  She is also Chair of the Committee for Perth: ‘Revitalising' Working Group.  Her life-time of work in the arts is further recognised through her appointment to the board of the Creative Industries Innovation Centre and to the Advisory Board of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation.

Professor Seares' extensive knowledge and experience in the higher education sector was recognised in her appointment to the National Research Infrastructure Council, which was formed to provide strategic advice to government on future research infrastructure investments.  She is the only West Australian member of the Advisory Board of the Education Investments Fund, one of the three ‘nation building funds' established by the Federal Government.

Professor Seares graduated from UWA with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with First Class Honours in 1971, followed by a Master of Arts.  She returned to the University to complete her PhD in Music in 1991, her specialist area of research, teaching and performance being German and English keyboard music and choral music of the first half of the 18th century.  Professor Seares served as Head of the School of Music; as Deputy Chair of the University's Academic Board;  and she was a member of the University Senate, UWA's governing body, before becoming Chief Executive Officer with the West Australian Department for the Arts in 1995.

During this time she was a member of the boards of the Western Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of WA, the Perth Theatre Trust, Opera Australia, and of the Advisory Board of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.  Professor Seares returned to UWA in 2001 and served as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 2004 to 2008.

Media references

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716