The University of the Sunshine Coast has welcomed Professor Michael Wilmore as Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, starting Monday 12 June.

Professor Michael Wilmore is an experienced academic leader with a background in the humanities and social sciences. He has held senior academic roles in universities in Australia and the United Kingdom.

He joins UniSC from the University of New England where he was Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) with responsibility for the University’s three faculties, the portfolio of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous), and the Education Futures, Student Experience and Brand Partnerships and Business Development portfolios.

Professor Wilmore joined UNE as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education in 2018, stepping up as Interim DVC during a change process in 2020. He was then appointed as the inaugural PVC Academic Development in 2022, before again taking on the Interim DVC the same year.

Before joining UNE, he held the role of Executive Dean of the Faculty of Media and Communication at Bournemouth University, UK and preceding that role, Associate Dean Learning Innovation, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design at Swinburne University of Technology. He first moved to Australia in 2004 to work at the University of Adelaide and held a number of leadership positions including Associate Dean Education, Associate Dean Postgraduate Coursework, Associate Dean International in the Faculty of Arts, and Head of the Department of Media.

His leadership experience encompasses a wide range of initiatives, including projects with significant impacts on university culture, external partnerships, business improvement processes, and investments in built and digital environments. Professor Wilmore was also chairperson of UNE’s training and education company, UNE Partnerships.

Professor Wilmore brings to the role a deep knowledge and understanding of leadership, research and teaching innovation in the Australian higher education sector, having worked at research intensive universities, modern ‘post-92’ universities, and online and distance universities since 2004.

Professor Wilmore was born and educated in the UK. He holds first-class BA Honours in Archaeology (University of Exeter), a Master’s degree in Social Anthropology (University College London), and a PhD in Anthropology (University of London). His research interests have focused on media anthropology and education, undertaking significant multidisciplinary projects in Nepal, Australia and the UK. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).