Media releases

Federation University Australia has welcomed its new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Helen Bartlett, who commenced on 1 May.

Professor Bartlett recently served as Chief Executive and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia from 2013.

The University’s Chancellor, Dr Paul Hemming, said the University was delighted to appoint Professor Bartlett to the role.

“Professor Bartlett brings extensive experience and understanding of higher education and VET in regional Australia. Her strong strategic and academic leadership has been built on extensive international experience,” Dr Hemming said.

“Her role will be warmly welcome by many of our Gippsland staff who have previously worked with Professor Bartlett when she was Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University’s Gippsland Campus from 2008 to 2012.”

Dr Hemming thanked Professor Andy Smith for his leadership of FedUni as Acting Vice-Chancellor for the past five months, and for the initiatives he has overseen, in particular the commencement of the University’s new Berwick Campus this year.

Professor Bartlett said she was delighted and honoured to take up the position of Vice-Chancellor at Federation University Australia.

“The creation of Federation University Australia was a bold and inspired decision to bring the strengths of two established universities together and create something unique in Australia and internationally,” Professor Bartlett said.

“Federation University Australia has an excellent reputation for its accessible and quality education.

“The challenge and opportunity now is to further build its unique proposition and vision to confidently position the University for the next stage of its development.”

Professor Bartlett has had an international career in Higher Education with senior leadership roles in Health and Social Sciences at Universities in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia. She has established and led many university initiatives related to student participation, university-community engagement and transnational education. 

She has extensive experience and success in developing strategic engagement and building effective and long-term partnerships with both government and the private sector at regional, state and national level.

Professor Bartlett has an international track record in gerontology and health services research. Under her leadership, the national Emerging Researchers in Ageing initiative was established in Australia some 15 years ago. She has an extensive publication record and her research has informed aged care and healthy ageing policy development and planning.