University of Adelaide strengthens its management

Monday, 11 August 1997

A prominent Australian political scientist and a leading economist have been appointed to senior management positions at the University of Adelaide.

The University's Professor of Politics, Doug McEachern, has been appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and University of New South Wales' Professor of Economics, Ross Milbourne, has been appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, Professor Mary O'Kane, said the appointments would broaden and strengthen the University's senior management.

"Professor McEachern is a distinguished academic, particularly well-known for his work on the politics of mining and the environment and, in recent years, the new South Africa," Professor O'Kane said.

"He has a keen understanding of the challenges facing Australian academics, as well as the capacity to forge healthy relationships with business, government and other sectors both in Australia and overseas."

In the newly-created position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor McEachern will be the clear second-in-charge to the Vice-Chancellor with particular responsibility for learning and teaching and industrial relations.

Professor O'Kane said Professor Milbourne was an outstanding international economist.

"He is regarded as a superb academic administrator and leader and he will inject new impetus to the University of Adelaide's outstanding research effort. He has a deep knowledge of research across Australia."

As Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Milbourne will play a key role in ensuring the University's national and international profile as a leading research institution will be maintained and enhanced.

Professor McEachern, 49, was appointed Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor and elected Convenor of the Academic Board this year.

He has a BA (Hons) First Class and an MA from the University of Adelaide, and a PhD from the University of Leeds. He was appointed Professor of Politics in 1993 and, in 1996, he was Head of the Department of Politics.

He has authored three books, including Business Mates: The Power and Politics of the Hawke Era, and holds a Large Grant from the Australian Research Council to study environmental policy-making and conflict in the forest industry.

Professor Milbourne, 47, holds a Bachelor and Masters in Commerce from the University of New South Wales and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

He was appointed Professor of Economics in 1989 and has been Head of the School of Economics at the University of New South Wales from 1990-94 and in 1997.

He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and is Chair of the Research Grants Committee of the Australian Research Council.

As an economist, Professor Milbourne has made seminal contributions to the understanding of important problems in macroeconomics, particularly the demand for money.

Professor Milbourne is expected to take up the position later in the year.

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