Monash University Provost and Senior Vice-President appointed President of US university
Monash University Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Marc Parlange has been appointed the 12th President of The University of Rhode Island, United States.
Professor Marc Parlange joined Monash in June 2017; prior to this he was Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
During his four years at Monash, Professor Parlange has made significant contributions to the University, including championing its academic quality through attracting and developing talented staff, providing world-leading research opportunities through new research institutes and Centres, and developing institutional alliances with key university partners around the world.
He also strengthened the University’s multidisciplinary research, particularly across the priority areas of policy and governance, sustainable development, artificial intelligence and data science, and health sciences.
Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AC thanked Professor Parlange for the multidisciplinary lens he brought to the role of Provost during his time at Monash.
“I warmly congratulate Professor Parlange on this very significant appointment, although he will be much missed by our University community,” Professor Gardner said.
“Professor Parlange’s contribution to Monash has supported research excellence at world-leading quality. I also express my sincere thanks for the collegial engagement he brought to the role of Provost, and the role he played in the life of the University community.”
Among his many achievements and contributions, Professor Parlange was instrumental in conceptualising and initiating The Melbourne Experiment – a landmark interdisciplinary research collaboration examining the effects of the urban environment before, during and after the COVID-19 shutdown to create an international model for post COVID-19 urban recovery and renewal.
He also oversaw the focus on thematic research – which included the creation of new University-wide institutes, most notably the Victorian Heart Institute and Monash Data Futures Institute – as well as major changes in the planning of student profile and strategic pricing, establishing committees to ensure Monash was able to balance the competing demands of government regulation and student demand.
In addition, the development of research performance, including a major increase in success in nationally competitive grants, also led to Monash’s rise in international rankings, with the University improving its position in the four major global university ranking systems, including rising into the top 50.
Professor Parlange will leave Monash University at the end of June to take up his new appointment at The University of Rhode Island.