18 April 2019: The University of Canberra has appointed Professor Wendy Lacey as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business Government and Law. Professor Lacey will join the University on 15 July 2019.
Professor Lacey holds Honours degrees in both Arts (Political Science) and Law and a PhD in Law from the University of Tasmania. She has previously held academic positions at the Universities of Adelaide and Tasmania and has worked in the Law School at the University of South Australia since 2007, where she was a foundation staff member and the Dean of Law from 2014–2019.
Professor Lacey said she is thrilled to be joining the University of Canberra.
“I am absolutely delighted to be joining the University of Canberra as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business, Government and Law. The leadership team at UC is outstanding and the vison for the University is an exciting one. I look forward to leading the Faculty in implementing and realising that vision.”
Professor Lacey said that being based in Canberra provides a natural advantage for staff and students and she looks forward to the opportunity to work with a relatively young University with an ambitious agenda for growth and expansion.
“My vision for the Faculty includes a plan for growth and an enhanced profile and reputation across the three disciplines, building on the existing strengths within it. Central to that is enabling staff to flourish and to ensure that UC students have an outstanding student experience and are highly sought after upon graduation,” Professor Lacey said.
Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Deep Saini, welcomed Professor Lacey to the University.
“I am excited to welcome Professor Wendy Lacey as our new Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business Government and Law. Wendy is an accomplished academic leader who is very well connected with the professional practice and public policy development.”
“Among her wide-ranging contributions, she has invaluable experience leading a number of initiatives to expand the Law School at the University of South Australia. I am thrilled that she will be bringing that knowledge to the University of Canberra,” Professor Saini said.
Professor Lacey’s research focuses on the intersection of public law and human rights norms, exploring the potential for the latter to influence and guide the exercise of discretionary power. She is the author and co-author of three books, and numerous chapters and articles but, in the last decade, has focused on applied, inter-disciplinary research, working with governments to effect better outcomes for vulnerable older Australians.
Professor Lacey continues to promote the rights of older Australians through her work as an Ambassador of the Maggie Beer Foundation and through several advisory roles at the government level.
Professor Lacey will take up her appointment as the University of Canberra on 15 July, 2019.