Dear colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to announce some good news, the appointment of Professor Grady Venville as the University’s next Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), following a competitive international search. Professor Venville is well known to our community, having been Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) since April 2018 and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) throughout 2019, during which time Grady has demonstrated that she is a highly collaborative, thoughtful and experienced senior leader. 

Grady joined us nearly two years ago following eleven years at the University of Western Australia, where she was both Dean of Coursework Studies and Acting DVC Education. Prior to that, Grady worked at King’s College London. After degrees from UWA and Curtin University, Grady began her career with a passion for education, eventually becoming a Professor of Science Education guided by the principle that ‘quality education is critically important to the world’. Her values and her expertise will ensure ANU makes good on its commitment to deliver a truly distinctive, excellent education to the thousands of students we welcome every year.

Since joining ANU, Grady has made a major contributions to our leadership team. Among other achievements, Grady has championed excellence and innovation in our teaching, she has built our first micro-credentials capability, created the interactive learning project ‘iLEAP’, led the establishment of our new educational facilities, and navigated us through the successful implementation of our Admissions, Scholarships and Accommodation (ASA) scheme. Grady has dealt effectively with numerous ‘wicked’ problems, and she is always a calm, reasoned and effective voice during even the toughest of situations, including those we are facing presently. Personally, I am delighted Grady is firmly in the DVCA role now, as we face the current major challenges that have arisen in the past week around the Coronavirus. Grady is very much leading our academic response, and is doing a terrific job. Please work with her and her team in the days and weeks ahead.  

On behalf of the University, congratulations to Professor Grady Venville on her appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and I wish to thank Grady sincerely for the exceptional work she has done as Acting DVCA over the past year.

Brian

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