News

Professor Julie Cogin appointed ACU Provost and DVC (Academic)

ACU has appointed Professor Julie Cogin to the position of Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) after a competitive international recruitment process.

Professor Cogin is the outgoing Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Business and Law) and Vice-President at RMIT University and before that she was the Dean of UQ Business School at the University of Queensland and held senior leadership roles at the University of NSW. She is also a non-executive director of ASX GEM listed company G8.

An award-winning academic and executive with a background in law, business and HR management, and many years in both the academic and corporate sectors, Professor Cogin brings enormous expertise to her position, with accountability for staff and students across the university, not least responsibility for more than 30,000 students in business and law.

At RMIT she managed a diversified portfolio including programs and research undertaken in Melbourne, offshore programs delivered in Singapore and China, campuses and research centres managed in Vietnam, and executive education delivered in Australia and Southeast Asia. She also has Chairperson responsibilities of RMIT subsidiary businesses.

A keen advocate for workplace equality throughout her career, Professor Cogin has been recognised as AFR / Westpac “woman of influence” for her work to address gender equality. She is also a member of Chief Executive Women (CEW) and soon to be Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has received education awards at university, national and international levels. 

Strategy implementation and culture is Professor Cogin’s primary research area, which includes understanding how components of HRM strategy can drive superior organisational and individual outcomes. She is also involved in HRM research methods, including data analytic techniques, evaluation of HRM research design and methodological challenges of the field. Professor Cogin has published books, chapters and articles in top international journals as well as cross discipline outlets. Her research has attracted significant funding from diverse funding bodies, including the ARC. 

ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis welcomed the appointment. “Professor Cogin brings to the role a comprehensive understanding of the changing higher education environment in Australia and beyond. Her personal background and belief in the value of access to education, her commitment to collaborative leadership and equity in the workplace closely align with ACU’s Catholic identity and mission.

Professor Cogin said that the university’s approach to valuing the whole person appealed to her own ethos. “ACU’s provision of a whole person education experience that cultivates a strong moral compass, compassion and a world view is a major drawcard for me. 

“All my life I have been driven by the belief that every person should have access to education. I believe that education combats ignorance and positively changes lives. This passion and deep respect for the ethos of a university (inquiry, reasoned debate, and dialogue) have sustained my motivation as an academic leader and student for many years. I’m still evolving as a person and have much to learn, despite completing six degrees: PhD, M.Law, M. Ed. M.HRM, G.Dip Cyber Security, B.Bus and multiple micro credentials and MOOCs.

“I am looking forward to working alongside the academic community in fostering a culture where people can thrive and belong.”

Professor Cogin will join ACU on 12 February 2024 and will be based at the university’s North Sydney campus.