By Benjamin Millar
Former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has been named as the next Chancellor of Victoria University.
Current Chancellor George Pappas will step down from the role he has held for almost a decade at the end of this year, paving the way for Mr Bracks to take up his appointment at the start of 2021.
Deputy Chancellors Wayne Kayler-Thomson and Gaye Hamilton will temporarily fill the role next year for six months each.
Mr Bracks was first elected to Parliament in the seat of Williamstown in 1994, rising through the ranks to take on Labor Party leadership and become the Victorian premier in 1999 – a role he held until 2007.
He said he was honoured to be selected as the sixth Chancellor, effectively the “chair of the board of directors” at VU, as the university expands to meet demand in the fast-growing western suburbs of Melbourne.
“The history of the university is extremely important, it’s a university that grew out of Melbourne’s west,” he said.
“Increasingly there is going to be greater demand for the university, and it’s really about framing for this and assisting young people to give them good opportunities.”
Mr Bracks said it is vital that future Federal governments don’t lose sight of the importance of adequately funding tertiary education and institutions such as VU.
“Government funding is extremely important, investment in education is investment in the capital capacity of the country,” he said.
Since leaving politics, Mr Bracks has assisted with an advisory role in East Timor and joined several company boards.
He was appointed as Australian Consul-General in New York in 2013, only to have the appointment quashed by incoming foreign minister Julie Bishop following the election.
Mr Bracks has recently been serving as chair of the VU-led West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance (WoMEDA), a job-focused collaboration of local governments, businesses and the community.
WoMEDA focuses on creating high-skills job clusters in suburbs such as Footscray, Sunshine and Werribee.
Mr Bracks said Victoria University is well placed to ensure graduates can make the most of the growing opportunities across a range of sectors including health and allied services.
“The co-location of the redevelopment of the hospital with Victoria University will be a great boon and will have great synergies,” he said.
Mr Bracks cited his experience running the second biggest state in the country and background in education as useful preparation for the Chancellor role.
“The biggest challenge is going to be dealing with the growth in demand for tertiary education in the region.
“I am genuinely excited about taking up the role of Chancellor and having an opportunity to shape the future of VU.”
VU Vice-Chancellor Peter Dawkins said the university was look forward to working with Mr Bracks more closely from 2021.
