Monday, 23 July 2007

Professor Alan Robson AM, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Western Australia, will succeed Professor Glyn Davis AC, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne as Chair of Australia’s Group of Eight universities on 1 September 2007.

Professor Robson said he was looking forward to taking on this new role at an exciting time for higher education in Australia.

“I’m delighted to see the attention higher education received in the 2007 Budget and am looking forward to hearing more from the Government and the Opposition about their plans for the sector in the lead up to the federal election,” he said.

“The Go8 recently made a significant contribution to the policy debate with the release of its Seizing the opportunities discussion paper. During my tenure I expect the Go8 to continue to promote new ideas that would widen student choice and underpin Australia’s international competitiveness. I’m particularly committed to the idea that the only factor that should affect your capacity to go to university is your merit and if there are barriers associated with capacity to pay while you are going to university, they should be removed.

“It is crucial that as university leaders we accept the responsibility of ensuring that the community both values and understands the importance of higher education to the economic and social well being of the nation. This must also apply to the high calibre of research activity being undertaken within the sector. I look forward to facing the challenges and accepting the opportunities,” Professor Robson said.

Outgoing Chair of the Group of Eight, Professor Glyn Davis, welcomed Professor Robson’s appointment, noting his contribution to the development of higher education policy debate.

“Alan will ensure the viewpoint of the Group of Eight is strongly represented nationally,” Professor Davis said.

Professor Robson completed his PhD in agricultural science at UWA in the 1960s and has been based at the university since 1974 as a lecturer and subsequently as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost. In 2004 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor, the first graduate of UWA to hold the position.

Media references

Professor Alan Robson 61 8 6488 2809

Simone Hewett / Francesca Robb 61 8 6488 7977
(UWA Public Affairs) 0420 790 097 / 0420 790 098

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