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New structure for UNE senior management

November 09, 2004

thumb David Rich 0002.jpgThe University of New England has restructured its senior executive to
reflect more clearly the University’s dynamic, forward-looking focus.
As part of this process, UNE has redefined the functions of its senior
managers. The new roles are in line with the University’s progress towards
its strategic objective of openness to change, to challenges, and to its
communities.
Professor Robin Pollard, who moved from Monash University at the beginning
of 2004 to become UNE’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), is now Pro
Vice-Chancellor (International and Entrepreneurial). He is responsible for
all international and partnership arrangements. “This includes managing
educational partnerships at foreign and domestic locations,” Professor
Pollard said, explaining that “many of the matters that arise in
international education also arise in domestic projects”.

Professor Peter Flood, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), becomes Pro
Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development). He is now responsible not only
for research, but for community, industry and alumni relations, fundraising
and commercialisation. “Among other things, this change is in response to
the increasing significance of UNE’s income from its research innovations,”
Professor Flood said.
Mr Graeme Dennehy, the Executive Director, has responsibility for the
business units of the University and represents UNE on the boards of a
number of its controlled entities.
The latest addition to the team is Professor David Rich, (pictured) the new Pro
Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), who replaces Professor Randall
Albury, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), who retired at the end of October.
Professor Rich, who began work at UNE last week, said the position’s new
focus on teaching and learning was in line with his “personal passion and
professional experience”.
He comes to UNE from Macquarie University in Sydney, where he has been
Director of the Centre for Flexible Learning (which uses technology to
support teaching and learning) ever since he established that Centre in
1997. “What’s motivated me for a long time has been the process of enhancing
teaching and learning,” Professor Rich said. “Technology is an important
aspect of that process, but my passion is broader. My vision has always been
to give students the best of what technology can offer and the best of
face-to-face teaching.”
“I’ve also been very keen to do what I could to enhance access to
education,” he continued, “and was impressed with UNE’s tradition of
distance education.” (He was Chair, until last year, of the Australasian
Council on Open, Distance and E-learning.) Other factors that had attracted
him to UNE, he said, were the University’s unparalleled
graduate-satisfaction rating and its active role within the regional
community. “My early academic research as a geographer was on regional
economic development,” he explained. “Hence my attraction to a University
that plays a significant role in the economic development and cultural life
of its region.”
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ingrid Moses, said Professor Rich was a most
welcome addition to a highly professional senior management team that, in
the University’s 50th year of autonomy, was continuing to adapt to external
challenges.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at November 9, 2004 04:07 PM