Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Professor Eeva Leinonen is the new Chair of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) group.

As Chair for the next two years, she will play an important role in shaping the collective direction of the group including being at the forefront of discussions with Government Ministers on higher education issues in this Federal election year.

Professor Leinonen said whoever was Education Minister after the election would need to focus on the need for a coherent tertiary education system that gives all Australians the opportunity to obtain vocational and higher education qualifications.

“The IRU will continue to advocate for policies that will secure and enhance the excellence of Australia’s higher education for all its citizens and for the large numbers of international students who choose us,” Professor Leinonen said.

“Being in this leadership role will also mean that Murdoch is at the forefront of higher education decision making.”

Professor Leinonen is taking over from Flinders University’s VC Colin Stirling. The role of the IRU chair rotates among its member Vice Chancellors.

The IRU is a group of seven universities committed to excellence in teaching and Research. Its members are Charles Darwin University, Flinders University, Griffith University, James Cook University, La Trobe University, Murdoch University and Western Sydney University.