The Vice-Chancellors of Murdoch University (1973 - Current)*

Professor John Yovich was born in Western Australia in 1959.  He has been the Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University since July 2002.

John Yovich was awarded a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (with first-class Honours) by Murdoch University in 1981, topping his class and winning several undergraduate prizes along the way including the prize for the best overall academic record.  After a short period of specialisation in horse practice in Perth, he accepted a large animal medical and surgery internship in Canada where he completed a Diploma in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Guelph (1982-83).

In 1983 John Yovich accepted a residency in large animal surgery at Colorado State University.  Over the next five years he completed a Master of Science (1986) and a PhD (1988) from Colorado State University based on his work with horses.  He also obtained qualifications as a registered specialist in Veterinary Surgery and Equine Surgery and in 1987 became the youngest person to be awarded the Diplomate Board Certificate in the History of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons - very few worldwide attain the speciality surgery qualification that recognises expertise in all forms of animal surgery.

John Yovich returned to Australia from North America in 1988, joining Murdoch University as Senior Lecturer in  Equine Medicine and Surgery.  He later became Head of Large Animal Surgery before being appointed inaugural Executive Dean for the University's Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences in 1996.  His leadership of the Division brought national and international recognition for excellence in training and research.  His drive and vision saw the strong internationalisation of the veterinary programme and the establishment of the Murdoch University Veterinary Trust.  In 2002 he served as Acting Pro Vice Chancellor (Research).

In July 2002 John Yovich was appointed Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University.  His strategic focus has been on developing the University's financial position and further strengthening its research and teaching success.  He played a significant role in the formation of the Innovative Research Universities Australia (IRUA) group in 2004 and was appointed its Chair in March 2006.

John Yovich has an international reputation as a distinguished veterinary researcher and has authored more than 150 papers  in peer-reviewed journals, several books and electronic publications.  He has received numerous awards for his research and has extensive experience in teaching and supervising postgraduates.  Recognition of his achievements includes the prestigious Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Award from the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (1992) and the 1993 VMS Award for Excellence in the Equine Veterinary field.  He continues to serve on many boards and committees, and has been a consultant on various official bodies. 

John Yovich received a Centenary Medal in 2001 for his service to Australian society through veterinary science and university administration.

Refer also Professor John Yovich Profile.  

See also "Energetic leader chosen as Murdoch University's new Vice Chancellor", On Campus, May 2002.

Malcolm Nairn was born in Guildford, Western Australia, in 1937. He served as Murdoch University’s Vice Chancellor from December 1984-January 1985 and from February 2002-June 2002.

Malcolm Nairn completed his secondary school education at Wesley College and Muresk Agricultural College, Western Australia, where he graduated with an M.D.A. with Honours in 1955 (also Dux of College). In 1956 he entered the University of Western Australia for the first year of the Veterinary Science course. He completed his veterinary degree at the University of Queensland from 1957-1960.

Malcolm Nairn was employed by the WA Department of Agriculture from 1960-1975 where he worked principally as a diagnostic pathologist. He was appointed Chief Veterinary Pathologist in 1973. During this time, as an external student, he completed a Master of Science degree at the University of Western Australia in 1966 and from 1966-1969 he took study leave to complete a doctorate in Veterinary Pathology at the University of Minnesota, USA. In 1968 he obtained a Diploma by examination from the American College of Veterinary Scientists. Malcolm Nairn was also a member of the Veterinary School Committee (from 1970) that formulated the early plans for Murdoch University’s Veterinary School .

In 1975 Malcolm Nairn joined Murdoch as the inaugural Professor of Clinical Pathology and Head of the Division of Applied Veterinary Medicine in the School of Veterinary Studies. He was Dean of the Veterinary School from 1980-83. In 1983 Professor Nairn was appointed Murdoch University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor and Business Manager, a position he occupied until 1989.

After 14 years at Murdoch University, Professor Nairn moved to Darwin as the inaugural Vice Chancellor of Northern Territory University and served in that capacity until 1995. In 1996 he was invited to chair the Australian Quarantine Review Committee, a position that drew upon his veterinary pathology background, strategic policy skills and experience having previously led a quarantine review while at Northern Territory University.

Professor Malcolm Nairn was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1997 for service to tertiary education, particularly as Foundation Vice Chancellor at Northern Territory University, and to Veterinary Science through the Australian Veterinary Association. He was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to quarantine and exports through the Quarantine Review Committee and QEAC. He was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of the University) by Murdoch University in 2004 for his significant contribution to Australian higher education and the agricultural industries (citation).

Steven Schwartz was Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University from 1996-2002. He is an internationally-acclaimed psychologist and was born in New York City,USA in 1946.

Steven Schwartz was educated at the City University of New York completing a Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) in 1967. He completed a Master of Science at Syracuse University in 1970 and his doctorate at the same university the following year.

Steven Schwartz began his academic career at the University of Northern Illinois as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, a position he held from 1971-1975. He then worked as a Research Scientist at the University of Texas from 1975-1978 before taking up a Senior Lecturer position in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Australia in 1978.

In 1980 Steven Schwartz moved to the University of Queensland as a Reader in the Department of Psychology. He was promoted to Professor in 1986 and then Head of the Department of Psychology before being appointed President of the Academic Board in 1991. During this period Steven Schwartz also held Visiting Professorships at Stanford and Harvard Universities. He returned to Perth in 1994 to take up his appointment as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Australia. He was the first non-medical doctor to be appointed a Dean of Medicine in Australia.

In 1996 Steven Schwartz became Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University. During his Vice Chancellorship Professor Schwartz was noted for his dynamic and entrepreneurial management style that saw the University open a private secondary college and a retirement village - both of these helping to secure the University’s financial future. The University also recorded its highest research income, student enrolments and postgraduate student numbers during this time.

Steven Schwartz left Murdoch University in 2002 to take up an appointment as Vice Chancellor of Brunel University, England, a position he held until 2005. While at Brunel Steven Schwartz was recognised as a leading authority on the UK education system and chaired high profile government committees including a national taskforce to produce a set of guidelines on university admissions.

Steven Schwartz returned to Australia in 2005 to take up the Vice Chancellorship at Macquarie University in Sydney from 2006.

During his highly distinguished career Steven Schwartz has authored many books as well as a significant number of scientific, magazine and newspaper articles. His books are used as standard texts at hundreds of universities around the world and he is among the most frequently cited researchers in the world. He has been the recipient of management awards and academic prizes, elected a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and continues to serve on the Boards of government, private and non-profit organisations.

See also “Professor Steven Schwartz to be next Murdoch Vice Chancellor”, Murdoch News, Spring 1995.

Peter John Boyce was born in Western Australia in 1935. He was Murdoch University’s third Vice Chancellor from 1985-1996 and was a leading academic in his field of political science, having made a significant contribution to the scholarly literature in the fields of international diplomacy and Australian politics.

Peter Boyce graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in History from the University of Western Australia in 1957 and a Master of Arts (in History) the following year. He earned his PhD in Political Science from Duke University, USA, in 1961.

When he returned to Australia in 1962 Peter Boyce was appointed Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Tasmania. From 1964-1966 he was a Research Fellow, later Fellow, in the Department of International Relations at the Australian National University. He undertook postdoctoral research on a Nuffield Dominion Fellowship at St Antony’s College, Oxford University from 1966-1967 and returned to the University of Tasmania in 1967 as Senior Lecturer in Political Science, a position he held until 1969, and from 1970-1975 was Reader at the same university. In 1976 Professor Boyce was appointed Professor of Politics and Head of Department of Government at the University of Queensland and held this position until 1980 when he was appointed Professor of Politics and Head of Department at the University of Western Australia. He became Murdoch University’s third Vice Chancellor in 1985 and served the University in that capacity until 1996.

During Professor Boyce’s Vice Chancellorship student enrolment more than doubled from 4,000 to over 9,000 and Murdoch University became a truly international university, not only in terms of its international student numbers but also in terms of the number of exchange agreements and its research performance. The University’s pace of growth was reflected by the number of new buildings that were built during these years including the Economics, Commerce and Law building, Science and Computing building, Administration building (The Chancellery), Loneragen science building, Amenities building, Gymnasium, and major extensions to the Library. In 1988 the School of Economics and Commerce was established, the School of Law established in 1992, and in 1995 Murdoch University announced plans for a satellite campus at Rockingham.

After leaving Murdoch University Peter Boyce took up a Visiting Professorship in Political Science at the University of Tasmania and he was also honoured with a three-year Professorship Emeritus at Murdoch University and two Visiting Fellowships to Oxford University.

Peter Boyce was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1995 for his contributions to education, international relations and to the community. He was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of the University) by Murdoch University in1996 (citation).

See also “Murdoch farewells Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Boyce", Murdoch News, Summer 1995.

Francis Michael Glenn Willson, the University’s second Vice Chancellor from 1978-1985, was a political scientist with wide ranging experience in the administration of higher education. He was born in Carlisle, England in 1924.

After war service in the merchant navy and RAF Bomber Command, Glenn Willson studied at the University of Manchester from 1947-1950 for a Bachelor of Arts (Admin) with Distinction in Public Administration.  He studied for his doctorate at Oxford University from 1950-1953, his thesis focusing on administrative developments in Great Britain in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. 

From 1953-1955, Glenn Willson worked as a Research Officer at the Royal Institute of Public Administration.  He held appointments at Oxford University as a Research Fellow of Nuffield College and as a Lecturer in Politics before becoming Foundation Professor of Government at the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, from 1961-1964. From 1965-1974 he was Foundation Professor of Government and subsequently Professor of politics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, USA. During his ten years at Santa Cruz Glenn Willson was also Provost of Stevenson College and Vice Chancellor for College and Student Affairs.

In 1974 Glenn Willson returned to England to take up his appointment as Principal and Warden of Goldsmiths’ College, London. Prior to taking up his appointment with Murdoch University he was Principal of the University of London for three years from 1975-1978. He served as Murdoch University’s Vice Chancellor from 1978-1985.

After nearly 20 years in university administration, Glenn Willson intended to return to research and writing in his field of government and administrative history.

See also: “Political Scientist to be Murdoch’s Vice Chancellor”, Murdoch News, October 1978.

Murdoch University’s first Vice Chancellor, Stephen Griew, was born in London, England, in 1928. He was appointed by the Murdoch University Planning Board in 1971 and served as Vice Chancellor from 1973-1977.

Stephen Griew was educated at the University of London (B.Sc. 1949) and the University of Bristol(Ph.D. 1958). He was a Research and (later) Lecturer at the University of Bristol from 1955-1963. From 1964-1968 he held the Chair of Psychology at the University of Otago, New Zealand, and for two of those years (1967-1968) was the Dean of the Faculty of Science. Prior to taking up the Vice Chancellorship at Murdoch University he was Professor of Psychology at the University of Dundee, Scotland, from 1968-1973.

Before taking up his appointment at Murdoch University Stephen Griew was also a visiting Professor and Lecturer at San Diego State College, California, the University of Western Ontario, the University of Chicago, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California, Washington University and Duke University.

As with the foundation professors, much of Vice Chancellor Stephen Griew’s first two years with the University were spent articulating an ethos for the new university and in detailed academic planning for when the University admitted its first students in 1975.

Stephen Griew resigned from the University in October 1977 to take up an appointment at the University of Toronto, Canada.

See also: “Many hopes and expectations”, Vice Chancellor Griew’s Orientation Day address to the University’s first students in 1975, Murdoch News Autumn, 1995 (Reprint).

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* These photographs are reproduced with the kind permission of the University Photographer, Mr Brian Richards.