Bond University has appointed Professor Richard Hays as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, effective 1 October 2009.
Professor Hays will join Bond from Keele University in the United Kingdom where he is presently Chair of Medical Education and Head of the School of Medicine. The Professor’s high qualification of PhD in Education Psychology, his distinguished career as a general-practitioner trainer and his life long interest in teaching and learning persuaded Bond to also appoint him to the position of Pro Vice Chancellor, Teaching and Learning.
This significant appointment will see Bond’s current Dean of Health Sciences and Medicine, Professor Chris Del Mar, focus on his role as Pro Vice Chancellor Research.
Professor Hays said he was “very much looking forward to working with some of Australia’s most eminent medical professors at Bond University”.
“I feel very privileged to be appointed Dean of one of the nation’s leading universities,” he said.
Professor Hays was the Foundation Head of School, the Foundation Chair of General Practice and Rural Medicine, and the Chair of Medical Education at the James Cook University Medical School. This was Australia’s first regional medical school with a specific focus on rural medical practices. The Professor has an impressive and comprehensive curriculum vitae, has compiled more than 80 research papers, has been the sole author of five books and has won several million dollars in research funding throughout his career.
“The University looks forward to welcoming Professor Hays later this year,” said Vice Chancellor, Professor Robert Stable.
“Professor Hays has a strong track record as a research leader, a strong commitment to high quality teaching and learning and strong links to the profession,” he continued.
“Professor Del Mar’s leadership of Bond University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine has ensured many successes, which include producing our inaugural medical graduates, developing our Masters of High Performance Science and establishing Bond University’s Doctor of Physiotherapy programs,” Professor Stable concluded.
As Dean, Professor Hays said he will look to build on Bond’s many existing strengths in teaching and research, with the objective of maintaining the Faculty of Health Science and Medicine’s position at the cutting edge of the discipline.
“Bond University is able to offer students a unique and very special learning experience of the highest possible quality and I look forward to contributing to this in the future,” Professor Hays said.
Born in New Guinea, Professor Hays was educated in North Queensland before studying medicine at the University of Queensland. Following his graduation, Professor Hays became a full-time General Practitioner (GP) in a rural medical practice in Australia. His move into academic life came when he was asked to be a GP trainer. After a month he decided he wanted to learn more about medical education and visited a local university to seek a course. Instead he found himself undertaking a PhD in Education Psychology and became the first General Practitioner in Australia to be awarded with such a degree.