New University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Emma Johnston AO with Chancellor Jane Hansen AO. Picture: Peter Casamento/University of Melbourne.
Professor Emma Johnston AO has become the first woman to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and will start her new role in February next year.
After an extensive global search, which attracted candidates from Australia and overseas, Chancellor Jane Hansen AO announced Professor Johnston had been chosen as the 21st Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.
“I am delighted to announce that Professor Emma Johnston will be the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne,” Ms Hansen said.
“Professor Johnston’s passion for the transformative power of research and education, and her genuine desire to ensure that students and staff reach their potential stood out during the comprehensive selection process. She understands how cross-disciplinary research and teaching unlocks the power and value of a university’s mission and she shares the university’s focus on equity and student experience.
“Professor Johnston is one of Australia’s preeminent university leaders, has a keen understanding of the issues facing the sector, a profound awareness of the Australian political context and is a strong advocate and a cogent voice for higher education. She has a proven track record of leadership excellence and transformational change. Her strategic thinking and inclusive approach will support the University of Melbourne to continue to thrive.”
Professor Johnston is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney, and prior to that she spent over 20 years at the University of NSW, where she rose to the positions of pro vice-chancellor (research) and dean of science.
She has a prominent research profile, specialising in the ecological impacts of human activities in marine ecosystems. She is a chief author of the current State of Environment Report for Australia and has authored 185 peer-reviewed journal articles and supervised more than 30 higher degree students.
A former president of Science and Technology Australia, Professor Johnston is currently a director of the CSIRO and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and a governor of the Ian Potter Foundation.
In 2022, Professor Johnston was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018 for her distinguished service to higher education, particularly to marine ecology, ecotoxicology and research institutes.
Professor Johnston said she was honoured to be chosen to lead Australia’s highest-ranked university where she had a long affiliation.
“It is a great privilege to be appointed the university’s next vice-chancellor and I look forward to building on the work of Professor Duncan Maskell and his leadership team,” she said.
“As a sixth-generation Melburnian, raised in Williamstown, I am excited to be coming home for the next chapter of an academic career that in many ways spawned from my childhood curiosity in the wonders of Port Philip Bay.
“I am a proud alum of the University of Melbourne, having obtained my Bachelor of Science and my doctorate here. I served on the University Council and Academic Board as president of the Student Union in 1995, and I received an Honorary Doctor of Science in 2023.
“I see the university as a foundation stone for the city, the state and the nation, creating resilient graduates with the know-how and flexibility to support the needs of government, business and community. The university is also a research powerhouse, helping to save lives, create meaning and build Australia’s prosperity.”
Professor Maskell said he was looking forward to welcoming Professor Johnston to the University of Melbourne.
“I am delighted at this outstanding appointment. I would like to congratulate Professor Johnston on her new role as Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne,” Professor Maskell said.
“It is a great privilege to serve in that capacity, and I look forward to working closely with her to ensure a smooth leadership transition.”
