Monash Vice-Chancellor reappointed until 2017
Professor Ed Byrne
Monash University Council yesterday resolved to extend the term of the current Vice-Chancellor (and President) Professor Edward Byrne until the end of 2017.
University Chancellor, and Chair of the Monash University Council, Dr Alan Finkel AM, said he was delighted that Council had seen fit to extend Professor Byrne’s appointment for five years.
“Since commencing in mid-2009 Professor Byrne has introduced and led a range of significant University initiatives and strategies that have both strengthened and advanced Monash nationally and internationally,” Dr Finkel said.
“Perhaps the most recent example of his record of success is the establishment of the Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School in Suzhou, China. The finalisation of the agreement with the Chinese Government in April marked the first time an Australian university has been granted a licence to operate in China.”
“I look forward to working with Professor Byrne to further ensure the continued growth, development and progress of Monash University.”
Under Professor Byrne’s guidance the University cemented in February a first-of-its-kind alliance with the University of Warwick. The partnership aims to produce global graduates, and will allow the universities to jointly undertake research that will address problems that have proved too big for any one institution to address.
Professor Byrne said he was pleased to continue to lead Monash University.
“I am delighted to continue to lead Australia's largest university. Our status as a global university is based on more than a bricks-and-mortar presence. We have had, and continue to have, a positive influence on people's lives well beyond Australia's shores by attracting the world's best academics and researchers and producing truly global graduates who can take their experiences into the workforce and continue to make a difference," he said.
Professor Byrne is a pioneering neuroscientist who has combined an active clinical career with an outstanding contribution to research and teaching in the field of neuromuscular disorders. He has also amassed considerable management and corporate sector experience.
Professor Byrne was a founding director of the Melbourne Neuromuscular Research Unit and the Centre for Neuroscience in 1993. He was made Professor of Experimental Neurology at the University of Melbourne in 2001. He first came to Monash University as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, a role he held from 2003 until 2007.
Professor Byrne was then appointed the Vice Provost (Health) at University College London. He held that position until he became Monash University’s eighth Vice-Chancellor in 2009.
Monash University incorporates six Australian campuses, international campuses in Malaysia and South Africa, an education and research centre in Prato, Italy, a joint research academy with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (in Mumbai, India), the Southeast University-Monash University Joint Research Graduate School (in Suzhou, China) and an alliance with the University of Warwick (UK).
For more information contact Monash Media and Communications on +61 3 9903 4840.