Inaugural Head of School of Govt appointed

Victoria University Professor Gary Hawke has been chosen as the inaugural Head of the University's new School of Government.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Matthew Palmer announced Professor Hawke's appointment to School staff last week.
"The School of Government will be an independent, internationally respected centre for learning, research and professional development in public sector issues and management and Professor Hawke, who has had a distinguished career in academia, University management and the public service has the right set of skills to ensure that vision is fulfilled."
Prime Minister Helen Clark launched the new School in September.
Professor Hawke said he was looking forward to the challenge of his new role. "To be chosen as the inaugural Head of a School is an honour and I'm looking forward to using my skills, knowledge and contacts and working with our quality staff to create a School that is world-class leader in public sector issues."
Professor Hawke has been on the staff of Victoria since 1968 and is currently Professor of Economic History in the School of Economics and Finance. He has a strong background in both academia and university management. He has served as Dean of Arts (1985-88) and as Director of the Institute of Policy Studies (1987-98) at Victoria.
Professor Hawke has been a visiting fellow at Stanford University in the United States, All Souls' College in Oxford, the Australian National University and with a number of Japanese institutions. In 1998 he was awarded the NZIER-Qantas Prize in Economics. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Professor Hawke is also well respected in government circles, having chaired the Cabinet Social Equity committee Working Group on post compulsory Education and Training in 1988 and a Ministerial Review of Applied Social Science Capacity in 1995. He also chaired the New Zealand Planning Council from 1986-91 and in 1998-99 and was a member of the Superannuation 2000 Taskforce. Since 2002, he has been chair of the board of the New Zealand Committee of the Pacific Economic Co-operation Council.
Professor Hawke will take up his position on January 1 next year.
For more information contact Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Matthew Palmer on 04-463-6309 or Professor Gary Hawke on 04-463-5794

Issued by Victoria University of Wellington Public Affairs
For further information please contact Antony.Paltridge@vuw.ac.nz or phone +64-4-463-5873

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