“Many people affected by the 2003 Canberra bushfires believe their local communities and neighbourhoods were strengthened after the fires.”3 July: The University of Canberra has appointed one of Australia’s youngest deans to head its Faculty of Communication and International Studies.
Professor Monique Skidmore is the second of five new deans to join the University of Canberra as part of the ongoing process of renewal at Australia’s Capital University.
Professor Skidmore accepted the job the day before her 40th birthday, making her one of the youngest deans – if not the youngest – in the country.
“I wasn’t looking for a job, but I read the University’s strategic plan and it was exciting,” Professor Skidmore said.
“There will never be a stage in my career when I can build a faculty – it’s a fascinating and challenging opportunity to create something, to build something.”
An internationally renowned expert on Burma, Professor Skidmore has authored several books on the country and frequently comments on Burmese issues in the media.
Her vision for the faculty includes closer integration with the professions it serves and significant increase in its research capacity.
“I want this faculty to be the academic arm of the media industry,” she said.
Professor Skidmore spent the last five years at the Australian National University, most recently as associate dean postgraduate in the College of Arts and Social Sciences. She has also worked at the University of Melbourne and the University of Notre Dame. She attained her Master’s degree and PhD at McGill University in Canada.
