Professor Brown says farewell
24 June 2008
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During his 12 years in office, Professor Brown reshaped the University, guiding it through to the pre-eminent position it enjoys today. |
A packed Great Hall echoed to a rapturous standing ovation on the evening of Friday 20 June when hundreds of staff, students, alumni and friends gathered to honour the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Gavin Brown AO FAA CorrFRSE on the eve of his retirement.
Many more people were assembled in the Ante Room and the MacLaurin Hall to be present at the proceedings via an audio-visual link, as former Chancellor, Dame Leonie Kramer AC DBE, and the current Chancellor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, both spoke in praise of Professor Brown and his achievements on behalf of the University of Sydney.
During his 12 years in office, Professor Brown reshaped the University, guiding it through to the pre-eminent position it enjoys today. In his address, however, he reiterated his continued belief in his "higher vision" of a university, social inclusion and research-led teaching, despite the challenges that face universities generally today.
The Vice-Chancellor's farewell gifts on the evening included a leather-bound collection of his regular column 'Obiter Dicta' and an addition to his own art collection, one of the acclaimed series 'Emu Dreaming — My Country' by renowned Indigenous artist Kudditji Kngwarreye.
Professor Brown retires officially on July 10 and will become the Inaugural Director of The Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus), the first international 'satellite' to the world-renowned Royal Institution of Great Britain, the flagship of science communication for more than 200 years.
Dr Michael Spence (BA '85, LLB '87) joins the University as its new Vice-Chancellor on July 11.
Read Prof Brown's farewell speech.
Click here to view the Tribute Book for Professor Brown
Contact: Andrew Potter
Phone: +61 2 9351 4514 or 0414 998 521