Professor Julian Knowles, composer and arts academic, has been appointed Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra, beginning in April.
Professor Knowles has been a Professor of Music and held leadership rôles at the University of Wollongong, the Queensland University of Technology, and Macquarie University. He also served as Chair of Q Music and MusicNSW, and was on the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts.
As a composer and sound artist, his works have been presented at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Experimental Intermedia in New York City, What is Music?, Australian Perspecta, Liquid Architecture, the Melbourne International Film Festival, and the Sydney Opera House. He has performed live to air for the ABC and the BBC.
“Professor Knowles has had an illustrious academic career, and brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise as a creative researcher, a keen interest in digital transformation, and a love for the arts and music, in particular,” said Professor Michelle Lincoln, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic of UC.
Professor Knowles joins UC from Macquarie University where he was Professor of Media and Music in the Faculty of Arts, and Associate Dean (International) in the same faculty.
“As a passionate advocate for arts and design disciplines and the critical role they play in solving complex challenges in society, I am excited to be joining the University of Canberra to lead the Faculty of Arts and Design into a dynamic future,” Professor Knowles said.
“I am energised by the opportunities that lie ahead for engaged universities in the context of a rapidly transforming sector and the expanding opportunities for Arts and Design disciplines, in a world that is increasingly demanding these skills. I could not be more upbeat about the future.
“I have a strong personal interest in digital transformation and the ongoing work to reconceptualise the role of universities in the digital age, and to look for new ways to engage students wherever they may be located.”
