Lifetime of preparation for new Monash ITS Professor of Practice

Ensuring that post-secondary and tertiary education in transport reflects the needs of the sector and of students has been ‘literally a life’s work' for recently appointed Professor of Practice at Monash ITS Dr Michael Kennedy OAM. “I’ve worked in transport management and transport-related roles since my teens, and been active in contributing to shaping transport-related courses for almost as long, serving on course advisory committees and industry advisory groups from my undergraduate days through to the present, chairing the ITS Monash Advisory Committee”, Michael says.

Commencing his career in the rail sector and then in bus services, Michael subsequently held senior management roles in road, rail and sea freight businesses, and in transport equipment manufacturing, always active in industry and professional peak bodies, with a strong focus on transport education. More than twenty years as a local government CEO saw Michael active in successfully advocating to government for public transport service improvements in Melbourne’s growing Interface Council areas, and contributing to land use and transport planning for Melbourne’s rapid growth, as a member of Ministerial Councils and committees. "I saw a lot of (Monash University’s Professor of Public Transport) Graham Currie over those years, as we focused on the need to improve public transport services in outer Melbourne, and had some notable successes".

Michael has a well-earned reputation as an innovator, developing an entirely new intermodal transport system including new ships, terminal systems, road vehicles and containers, all designed to cater for the needs of the market. Michael also pioneered the long-term outsourced contract management of an entire local road network when CEO of Mornington Peninsula Shire, saving Council $65 million, a first for Victoria. In 2013 under Michael’s leadership the Shire won the TAC ‘Towards Zero’ Award for its ‘Peninsula Safer Speeds’ program, which reduced the risk of casualty accidents on targeted urban and rural roads.

Safety management has been an important ongoing management priority for Michael in bus, road and rail sectors, and in managing the movement of high volume dangerous goods when managing a national tanker fleet, and managing a port that dealt almost exclusively in high volume hazardous materials. “From training bus drivers, to maritime safety, to building safer roads, to educating young people about risks they’re not aware of, like stepping out from behind a bus with earbuds playing music, and not paying attention, which can be fatal, I am keen to make transport in all its forms as safe as possible”.

Michael has been lecturing at masters level over recent years, which has added further to his focus on ensuring that both subject content and how it is delivered reflect the contemporary needs of industry, and are engaging for students.

"Industry’s needs are evolving quickly, so ensuring that content is relevant and that delivery actively engages students are both critically important, and that will be a large part of my focus as Leader of Industry Programs and Partnerships for Monash ITS".