Deakin appoints new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

Deakin University today announced the appointment of Professor John Catford as its new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Professor Catford was previously the Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and will take up his new appointment effective 1 June 2011.

Deakin Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jane den Hollander, said that an international search had been conducted.

"John was selected from a strong field of candidates and will provide excellent leadership and vision across the University in the critical areas of teaching and learning, the student experience and the development of the academy," she said.

Professor Catford has been with Deakin for nine years in his current role and was instrumental in securing Victoria's third medical school for Deakin, which will graduate its first medical students at the end of this year. Based in western Victoria, the program focuses on rural and regional health care and responds to the shortages of doctors in country Australia.

During this period Professor Catford also introduced a range of new programs and considerably strengthened research such that the Faculty has significantly increased in size and stature, averaging 11 per cent growth each year.

Gaining his original qualifications from the Universities of Cambridge, London and Southampton and the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Catford had an extensive career in medicine and health care in the United Kingdom and with the World Health Organisation before arriving in Australia in the mid-1990s.

Immediately prior to joining Deakin in 2002, Professor Catford was Executive Director of Public Health and Chief Health Officer with the Victorian Government.

"John has built very close working relationships and partnerships with a number of high profile organisations in both the public and private sectors and these relationships will be invaluable in his new role," Professor den Hollander said.

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Catford said "I am looking forward to contributing to the leadership to help Deakin University into its next exciting chapter of growth and development. There are huge possibilities ahead. I feel very privileged and honoured to be given this opportunity".

An international search has commenced for a replacement for Professor Catford as Pro Vice-Chancellor in the Faculty of Health.