UOW appoints experienced former vice-chancellor as leader for short term

Professor John Dewar was the vice-chancellor of LaTrobe University in Victoria until January when he left after 12 years, as his contract came to an end.

The Oxford-educated former law professor will take the helm while UOW conducts an international headhunt to replace Professor Patricia Davidson, who left UOW on April 19.

UOW Chancellor Michael Still has just announced the appointment to university staff.

"Professor Dewar is well placed to take up the interim vice-chancellor and president role, having served 12 years as the vice-vhancellor at La Trobe University," Mr Still said.

"He has also served as chair of Universities Australia and held several senior law academic positions in Australia and the UK.

"Professor Dewar has an excellent understanding of the challenges facing the tertiary education sector and brings a wealth of experience to UOW."

UOW will aim for Professor Dewar's appointment to stabilise the university's upper echelon, which has seen numerous departures, some sudden, over the past year.

UOW found itself in the unenviable position of looking for a V-C at the same time as several other Australian universities were also looking to fill their vice-chancellor's seat. Western Sydney University took constitutional law professor George Williams off the table, hiring him to its top job in early May.

Mr Still thanked Professor David Currow, who will continue to act as vice-chancellor until June 21. Professor Dewar will commence on June 24.

Mr Still last week told the Mercury he expected it could take six months to find the permanent V-C.

"We've got things to do - we can't go into a holding pattern," he said.

"So an an interim V-C of some experience is the best route for the next six months."

At a relatively youthful 64 years of age, Professor Dewar may potentially become a candidate for the permanent position as well.

Professor Dewar was credited with leading LaTrobe to an increase in research income from $41 million in 2012 to $102 million in 2022, and rising in the QS World University rankings. It is now ranked 242 worldwide by QS.

UOW is at 162.

He will also bring experience in international expansion to UOW, for which this has been a focus, and from which its pro-vice chancellor Tony Travaglione has recently resigned.

Prior to this role, Professor Dewar held the positions of provost and deputy vice-chancellor (global relations) at the University of Melbourne.

As an academic he had been an expert in family law.

His departure from LaTrobe this January had been agreed upon a year earlier, following a three-year contract extension in 2021.

"In a testament to John's leadership and his standing in the higher education sector, he is one of the longest serving current vice-chancellors at an Australian University," LaTrobe Chancellor John Brumby said at the time.

"These include increasing research income by 149 per cent to more than $100 million last year; considerably improving La Trobe's position in all the major world rankings; further expanding the University's regional footprint to widen access to higher education and address workforce need; and attracting more than $100 million in philanthropic funding through La Trobe's first ever fundraising campaign, Make The Difference."