GERALDINE MACKENZIE

THE futures of University of Southern Queensland’s students are bright under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie.

Appointed to the role in 2017 after an extensive recruitment process, it was Professor Mackenzie’s extensive organisational and academic leadership experience, and her international reputation, that saw her return to the campus where she was the foundation head of the USQ Law School.

Her commitment to higher education has been recognised through honours grants, awards and appointments throughout her career during which she has held senior executive positions at some of Queensland’s most prestigious universities.

Professor Mackenzie is the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of Southern Cross University where she established the office of Research and the Graduate School, and the centre for Organics Research.

Under her leadership in 2017, USQ generated revenue in excess of $320 million which has allowed the university to reshape its operations to address looming challenges of the Federal Government’s university funding freeze which is predicted to strip $29 million from its coffers by 2021.

Appointed to a four-year term, Professor Mackenzie has set about ensuring that students at the Toowoomba, Ipswich and Springfield campuses continue to access the services and staff needed to pursue careers across the myriad study areas the university offers.

She is the Regional Universities Network Executive Women Group chair and non-executive director and acting chair of the PACT Foundation.