The Menzies Oration on Higher Education

The Menzies Oration on Higher Education at the University of Melbourne honours the late Sir Robert Menzies, former Prime Minister of Australia.

Sir Robert considered that his contribution to the development of universities might prove to be amongst the most lasting of his achievements for Australia. In recognition of this vision and in order to strengthen the role of higher education in Australia, the Menzies Foundation established in 1991 the Sir Robert Menzies Oration on Higher Education.

It is especially fitting that these annual Menzies Orations are held in partnership with the University of Melbourne, where Robert Menzies, as a leading law student, was President of the Students Representative Council in 1916, and where he served as University Chancellor in his mature years.

The theme for the Oration is higher education policy and practice in Australia both in view of its national importance and also because of Sir Robert's attachment to both the extension of higher education and the wise development of it. The intention is for each Oration to be a contribution to intellectual debate in Australia.

University of Melbourne

2012	Professor Janice Reid AM Vice-Chancellor, University of Western Sydney	"Menzies, Whitlam, and Social Justice: A View from The Academy" [pdf]
2011	Emeritus Professor Sally Walker AM Vice-Chancellor and President, Deakin University 2003-2010. Former Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Melbourne	2011 Sir Robert Menzies Oration on Higher Education [pdf]
2010	Professor Glyn Davis AO Professor of Political Science Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Melbourne University	To grow in the esteem of future generations: the Melbourne Model [pdf] \| View a video of the 2010 Menzies Oration
2009	Emeritus Professor Richard Larkins AO Former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne University and former Vice-Chancellor of Monash University	Universities: the Foundation of Civil and Successful Societies [pdf]
2008	The Hon Julia Gillard MP Deputy Prime Minister; Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations; Minister for Education; Minister for Social Inclusion.	The Challenge for Universities in the Education Revolution (Microsoft word, 52kb)
2007	Professor Arthur K C Li Former Secretary for Education and Manpower, Hong Kong SAR Government	Education: Vision and Reality (Microsoft Word, 116KB)
2006	Professor James Wilkinson Director of the Derek Bok Centre for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University	Undergraduate Education: What Good Is It? An International Perspective (Microsoft Word, 104KB) (Acrobat PDF, 218kb)
2005	Professor Peter McPhee Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Melbourne	Faces in the Crowd? The 'Melbourne Experience' past, present, future (Acrobat PDF, 2mb)
2004	Professor Stephen Leeder Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Sydney	Global Health and the Future of Academic Medicine (Acrobat PDF, 147kmb)
2003	Professor Alan Gilbert Vice-Chancellor University of Melbourne	Some Heretical Ideas about Universities (Acrobat PDF, 117kb)
2002	Dr Bernard Shapiro Principal and Vice-Chancellor McGill University	The Research University: An Undergraduate Challenge (Acrobat PDF, 95kb)
2001	Dr John Hood Vice-Chancellor University of Auckland	The Research-led University - Reflections from New Zealand (Acrobat PDF, 135kb)
2000	Professor Sir Alec Broers Vice-Chancellor University of Cambridge	University Partnerships - Sustaining International Competitiveness (Acrobat PDF, 97kb)
1999	His Excellency The Hon Sir Guy Green AC Governor of Tasmania	Governors, Democracy and the Rule of Law (Acrobat PDF, 127kb)
1998	Lord Ronald Dearing Chancellor, University of Nottingham	A Time of Opportunity (Acrobat PDF, 48kb)
1997	Professor Wang Gungwu Director, East Asia Institute, National University of Singapore
1996	Professor Sir Stewart Sutherland Vice-Chancellor, The University of Edinburgh
1995	Professor Brian G Wilson AO Vice-Chancellor, The University of Queensland
1994	The Honourable Nick Greiner AC Former Premier of New South Wales
1993	Professor Henry Rosovsky Harvard University
1992	Professor Emeritus Peter Karmel AC Australian National University
1991	Professor David Penington AC Vice-Chancellor, University of Melbourne