It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Professor Alan Robson AO, who leaves a lasting legacy for Australia’s higher education sector.
Professor Robson was Vice Chancellor of The University of Western Australia from 2004 until 2012 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the University from 1993. He served as Chair of the Group of Eight between 2007-2010 and was Deputy Chair of Universities Australia from 2009-2011.
Professor Robson’s outstanding contribution to higher education is widely recognised both domestically and internationally.
He was a strong believer in equity and access to education, having benefitted from a government scholarship himself as an undergraduate.
During his tenure as Chair of the Group of Eight, Professor Robson advocated to increase education opportunities for disadvantaged groups and worked tirelessly to raise the research reputation of Australian universities to ensure they remained internationally competitive.
His service and contribution to Australian society extended well beyond the higher education sector and included roles as Deputy Chair of the Council of the National Library, Member of the Western Australian Science Council, Member of the Board of the CSIRO and Chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.