A new leader for a new era of research training at Monash

Internationally respected sociologist Professor Zlatko Skrbis will lead Monash University's ambitious research training agenda, which includes a revamped PhD program, as new Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training).

Professor Skrbis takes up his role as the first cohort of students embark upon the new Monash PhD. He succeeds Professor Max King as head of the Monash University Institute of Graduate Research.

Previously the Dean of The University of Queensland’s Graduate School, Professor Skrbis is the current Convenor of the Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies in Australia.

Monash Provost and Senior Vice-President, Professor Edwina Cornish, welcomed Professor Skrbis to the University.

"Zlatko has an impressive academic background and an excellent understanding of graduate research matters. I have every confidence that he will do an outstanding job of guiding the development of many of our future researchers," Professor Cornish said.

Professor Skrbis said he was thrilled to join Monash as it had a strong research and research training nexus and excellent global connections.

“As a research intensive university with wide global connections, Monash provides many unique opportunities on which we can capitalise to enhance the experience of our researchers,” Professor Skrbis said.

“The new Monash PhD, which builds coursework and skills training into the degree, will allow our research students to expand their career horizons while also developing them as researchers and well-networked individuals.

In his new role, Professor Skrbis aims to emphasise the connection between research and research training at Monash and encourage innovation in these areas.

“We need to keep a step ahead of other universities in the way we think and conceive research and research training initiatives,” Professor Skrbis said.

“We must also have a relentless emphasis on the recruitment of quality research students as they are crucial to Monash’s success as world-leading, research intensive university."

Professor Skrbis has a distinguished international research profile. He is renowned for his work in the fields of migration, cosmopolitanism, social theory and life-course studies. His latest book, Cosmopolitanism: Uses of the Idea, (co-authored with Ian Woodward) will be released in April 2013.

He was instrumental in bringing the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition into the public domain and growing it into an annual event in which every Australian university participates. 

For further information or to request interviews, contact Emily Walker, Monash Media and Communications on +61 3 9903 4844 | +61 428 277 308 or media@monash.edu.