Professor Bruce Dowton

A mission of service and engagement will shape the future of Macquarie University as the higher-education institution looks for dynamic and diverse ways to serve and engage not only students and staff but suppliers, partners, and industry and government bodies.

This unique approach has been spearheaded by the university’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bruce Dowton. Before joining Macquarie in 2012, Bruce held a range of positions in university, healthcare, and consulting organisations. As vice-chancellor, Bruce is responsible for the university’s academic, research, administrative, financial, and development strategies.

The CEO Magazine sat down with Bruce to discuss his forward-thinking strategies for the university and how these new ideas may form the future foundation of the Australian university sector.

“I’ve had an eclectic career, largely in academic medicine, starting as a medical student in Australia but leaving shortly after medical school to head to the United States to the Boston Children’s Hospital to train as a paediatrician.

While there, I became involved in clinical work and research with a doctoral degree in molecular biology. I also had the opportunity to assume a significant leadership role at an early stage in my career by moving to Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, where I became the head of medical genetics at a big children’s hospital in St Louis and Washington University.”