Professor Phillip Fourie
Head of School - School of Science and Technology
Biography
Professor Phillip Fourie is an experienced academic leader, medical practitioner, and educator with over 20 years of leadership experience in higher education and more than a decade of clinical practice. He currently serves as Head of the School of Science and Technology at the University of New England (UNE), where he provides strategic leadership to one of the University’s largest and most diverse academic units.
Professor Fourie completed his medical training (MBBS) in South Africa in 1993 and undertook a wide range of hospital placements across South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia in General Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and Oncology. In 1999, he began practising as a General Medical Practitioner in Australia.
His strong interest in holistic healthcare led him to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling in 2001 and later, a Doctorate of Counselling at Bond University in 2013. His doctoral research focused on patient-centred assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders within allied health contexts.
Before joining UNE, Professor Fourie held a series of senior leadership roles at Bond University from 2002 to 2016, including Associate Dean (Academic), Head of School of Social Science, Associate Dean (Staffing), and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Society and Design. He has also served as Chair and Deputy Chair of Academic Senate and participated in numerous strategic committees focused on student experience, academic quality, and curriculum reform.
At UNE, Professor Fourie has held multiple leadership roles including Acting Head of School, Deputy Head of School, Discipline Convenor (Biomedical Science), and Theme Lead (Science and Scholarship) in the Joint Medical Program. Since his appointment as Head of School in 2022, he has been responsible for a large and multi-campus team of academic, technical, and professional staff, and leading the School’s strategic, academic, and research initiatives.
Professor Fourie teaches extensively into the Joint Medical Program and Biomedical Science, with a focus on pathology, physiology, neuroanatomy, and human development. He is passionate about problem-based and student-centred learning.
His academic interests include medical education, student engagement, interdisciplinary curriculum development, educational technologies, and equity in higher education. He has been recognised for his teaching and service with multiple university and national awards, including a Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
Professor Fourie is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and collegial culture, and champions collaborative leadership, innovation in education, and academic excellence across science and technology disciplines.
