Deakin names its new vice-chancellor

PROFESSOR Iain Martin has been announced as the next vice-chancellor of Deakin University.

He will become the university’s seventh vice-chancellor and president when he succeeds Professor Jane den Hollander in May.

Deakin chancellor John Stanhope said Professor Martin was appointed after an extensive global search returned a quality field of Australian and international applicants.

“Professor Martin has an impressive track record of successful academic leadership and is a very good fit for Deakin. Before becoming vice-chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University in 2016, he was deputy vice-chancellor academic at the University of New South Wales from 2012 to 2016.

“Professor Martin shares Deakin’s values, including that students are a university’s true north and he believes in Deakin’s overall strategy. Deakin has had extraordinary success under the care of Professor den Hollander and I am confident that Professor Martin’s skills, leadership style and personal values will enable Deakin’s further success while remaining true to our core strengths.”

Speaking of his appointment, Professor Martin said he looked forward to starting at Deakin.

“Deakin is a university whose progress and direction I greatly admire.

“Deakin is an outstanding exemplar of a university that has delivered regional relevance, global linkages, research excellence and perhaps, most importantly, a very strong educational portfolio that blends the best of campus and digital delivery into a highly supportive educational ecosystem.”

Professor Martin was born in South Wales and spent his childhood in Hampshire. He studied medicine at the University of Leeds and trained and worked as a surgeon in Leeds before moving to New Zealand in 2000. He is married with two children.

Mr Stanhope paid tribute to the outgoing vice-chancellor.

“I am grateful that Professor den Hollander has agreed to remain with us to ensure a smooth transition,” he said.

“Jane has been a great leader and ambassador for Deakin. Jane’s energy is legendary and ‘LIVE the future’, our very prescient and successful strategic plan, was her vision and it has served us extraordinarily well.”