New Warden of Rhodes House
Press Release from Rhodes House
The Rhodes Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Don Markwell as Secretary to the Trustees and Warden of Rhodes House in succession to Sir Colin Lucas, who retires at the end of June 2009.
Professor Markwell is a Rhodes Scholar (Queensland and Trinity, 1981) and is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) of the University of Western Australia. As a Rhodes Scholar, he completed the MPhil and later the DPhil in International Relations. After a year as a Procter Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton (1984-85), he returned to Oxford as a Research Fellow of New College (1985-86) before becoming a Tutorial Fellow of Merton College and University Lecturer in Politics (1986-97). From 1997 to 2007, he served as Warden of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, and was a Professorial Fellow of that University in political science and public policy. He took up his present position at the University of Western Australia in January 2007.
Professor Markwell’s academic and professional interests have been wide-ranging. His recent publications include John Maynard Keynes and International Relations (OUP, 2006) and ‘A large and liberal education’: higher education for the 21st century (Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2007). He has served on academic editorial boards and institutional advisory or governing boards. He was a member of the Symons Commission on Commonwealth Studies (1995-97). At the University of Western Australia, he has led a major review of curriculum/course structures which has attracted international attention. He has been active in the development of educational philanthropy in Australia.
The Rhodes Scholarships were founded by the Will of Cecil John Rhodes in 1902 and Professor Markwell will be the eighth Warden of Rhodes House.
The Chairman of the Trustees (the Rt. Hon. Lord Waldegrave of North Hill) said: “We are delighted that Don Markwell has accepted appointment. His career reflects deep commitment to the values of the Rhodes Scholarships, including commitment to academic excellence, liberal education and the welfare of students, as well as extensive experience in educational leadership and management. He brings also a considerable understanding of Oxford and its colleges. We are, of course, particularly happy to have for the first time a Rhodes Scholar as Warden.”
Professor Markwell said: “I am deeply honoured to have been chosen to succeed Sir Colin Lucas, who has served as Warden with outstanding distinction. I am excited to work with Scholars and other supporters of the Rhodes Scholarships around the world to give best effect in our time to the great ideal on which the Rhodes Scholarships are founded, as well as to help Rhodes Scholars gain exceptional graduate education in Oxford.”