Ms Gail McGowan PSM
Chancellor of Murdoch University
Ms Gail McGowan was appointed the eighth Chancellor of Murdoch University and Chair of the University Senate on 8 August 2019.
She is the first woman to hold the position at Murdoch. A Murdoch graduate and Distinguished Alumni Award winner, Ms McGowan was the inaugural Director-General of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and received the Public Service Medal for outstanding service to WA in 2019 and named Leader of the Year in State or Federal Government at the Institute of Public Administration (WA) Awards in 2021.
Active in the community, she is Chair of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority and a Director of Foundation Housing.
University Profile
Since foundation, Murdoch University has been associated with environment and conservation, social justice and inclusion, and providing pathways into and through a university education for people who have previously been excluded.
Murdoch was formally established as Western Australia’s second university in 1973 by an Act of the State Parliament to meet the growing higher education needs of the community. Named after prominent Australian author and philosopher, Sir Walter Murdoch, the University officially opened on the centenary of his birth, September 17, 1974.
Today, with more than 21,000 students and 1,700 staff across our campuses in Perth, Singapore and Dubai, Murdoch is committed to delivering contemporary, accessible and inclusive education, while increasing impactful and progressive research in our areas of strength. With more than 90,000 alumni, Murdoch graduates can be found all over the world, contributing to society and making a positive difference.
The University’s Strategy Ngala Kwop Biddi: Building a brighter future, together is focused on three key themes:
- Sustainability: Be a leading university in education, teaching and translational research in sustainability.
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Build a welcoming, diverse and inclusive community.
- First Nations: Become the University of first choice for First Nations peoples.
The success of the Strategy is measured through levels of student satisfaction and success; reputation; staff satisfaction; the proportion of First Nations students as a percentage of the domestic student cohort; research publications; the net carbon emissions of operations; and proportion of waste going to land fill.
Murdoch University is also distinguished by a long and proud tradition of delivering quality research, with a commitment to fostering ongoing research partnerships and collaborations. We have established four interdisciplinary research institutes aligned with each of our major research strengths in food, health, the environment and First Nations knowledges. As the global population grows towards 10 billion over the next 30 years, we continue to undertake world-leading translational research that contributes innovative approaches and solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.
The University’s long history of providing access to higher education to prospective students via non-traditional pathways is reflected in our student profile, with the highest score in enrolments for Low SES students across WA universities at 22.9% and the highest share in WA for students who identify as Indigenous at 2.6% of the domestic student cohort. Murdoch University consistently works to provide a vibrant, inclusive and diverse learning experience for students. Our objective in our core activity of Education is to deliver contemporary, accessible and inclusive education, with a high quality and engaging student experience, producing graduates who are adaptable, have fresh perspectives and a social conscience.
The University also serves a global cohort of learners across three continents and is active in local, regional and international community engagement to cultivate knowledge partnerships. These collaborations aim to promote discussion and debate on matters such as food security, sustainability, health futures and cultural enrichment through the arts, humanities and social sciences.
To find out more, visit the Murdoch University website www.murdoch.edu.au.
Governance
Murdoch University Senate
The Senate’s role and responsibilities:
2.2.1 The Senate’s role and responsibilities are derived from the Murdoch University Act 1973 (WA) (Murdoch Act) Section 17 and specific resolutions that the Senate has passed.
2.2.2 The Murdoch Act permits the Senate to delegate any of its functions (other than its power of delegation and making statutes, by-laws and regulations).
2.2.3 The Senate has resolved that it will have the following, primary responsibilities:
The appointment and performance management of the Vice Chancellor;
Setting strategic directions for the University;
Monitoring University performance against strategic objectives, including, through the Vice Chancellor and Academic Council, the academic activities of the University;
Setting risk management policy and critically monitoring the management of risk across the University, including commercial undertakings;
Setting policy on strategic matters and on other matters reserved for Senate
Setting and monitoring broad budget and planning frameworks, approving the annual budget and business plan, ensuring that the University finances are sound and taking major financial decisions;
Oversight of management;
Overview of any incorporated entities with limited liability, and of which the University has majority ownership or control (“Controlled Entities”);
Oversight of regulatory requirements relevant to Murdoch University included in the TEQSA Act 2011, the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021), the ESOS Framework alongside other state based and funding legislation;
Oversight of corporate governance, monitoring and accountability as set out in the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021 sub-domain 6.1 and 6.2;
Legislative role, including ensuring that the University is acting ethically and in conformity with all legal requirements; and
Setting risk management policy and critically monitoring the management of risk across the University.
Membership of Murdoch University’s Senate is as follows:
Ex-Officio Members
Ms Gail McGowan PSM – Chancellor (to 16 May 2026)
Professor Andrew Deeks– Vice-Chancellor and President
Associate Professor Garth Maker – President of Academic Council
Appointed Members – Governor
Mr Peter Kerr (to 21 December 2024)
Emeritus Professor Krishna Sen (to 7 March 2026)
Ms Robyn Smith-Walley (to 20 June 2026)
Appointed Members – Senate
Mr Stephen Carre OAM (to 31 December 2026)
Mr Ross Hughes (to 1 September 2023)
Emeritus Professor Robyn Owens AM - Deputy Chancellor (to 6 December 2024)
Ms Stephanie Unwin (to 4 October 2026)
Mr Barry Winmar (to 9 June 2026)
Elected Members
Professor Gerd Schroeder-Turk – Academic Staff (to 11 March 2024)
Ms Julie Whitlock – Non-academic salaried staff (to 8 April 2024)
Ms Jaztine Cusi - Undergraduate Student (to 6 November 2024)
Mr Karma Wangchuk – Postgraduate Student (to 6 November 2024)
Mr Roland Belford - Graduate of the University (to 31 December 2026)
Mr Jethro Schoeman -Graduate of the University (to 31 December 2024)
Other Governing Bodies
Other Governing bodies within the University include:
Audit and Risk Committee
Chair – Mr Ross Hughes
Chancellor’s and Nominations Committee
Chair – Ms Gail McGowan PSM, Chancellor
Honorary Awards and Ceremonial Committee
Chair – Ms Gail McGowan PSM, Chancellor
People, Safety and Culture Committee
Chair – Ms Gail McGowan PSM, Chancellor
Resources Committee
Chair – Mr Peter Kerr
Academic Council
Chair – Associate Professor Garth Maker