Industry and innovation guru appointed UTS Dean of Business

One of Australia's most prominent management academics, and the author of a new report on the future of Australia's textile, clothing and footwear industry, has been appointed Dean of the UTS Faculty of Business.

Professor Roy Green, currently Dean of Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), will be taking up the reins of one the biggest business schools in the country from Professor Rob Lynch, who is retiring this year.

UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Ross Milbourne said UTS would benefit from Professor Green's experience in senior management roles, his knowledge of industry relevant education and research and his international perspective.

"Roy has published widely in the areas of innovation, industry policy, regional development and workplace analysis," Professor Milbourne said.

"He has also undertaken projects with industry and organisations such as the OECD, the European Commission and Enterprise Ireland. Before joining MGSM, he was Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at the National University of Ireland.

"In 2006 he co-authored the Business Council of Australia report, 'New Pathways to Prosperity: An Innovation Framework for Australia'."

In his review of the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry, released by the Federal Government on 19 September, Professor Green called for greater collaboration between business schools and design faculties and institutes.

He said a high failure rate for start-ups in the TCF industry argued for a greater emphasis on business skills in design education, while business students would benefit from the incorporation of "design thinking" in their practice.

Speaking to the Australian Financial Review (AFR) on 15 September, Professor Green said he had "high hopes and big plans" for the UTS Faculty of Business.

He told the AFR the faculty's accreditation by the US-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business was an opportunity to "play in a different league with highly rated business schools internationally."

He said he wanted to expand MBA and executive education programs and to take advantage of the university's prime CBD location to boost links with industry.

There were, he said, huge opportunities in Sydney to increase enrolments generally, while building consistently high quality, and provide customised programs.

"Given its practice-based curriculum and industry linkages, UTS has strong potential in that area," he told the AFR.

"One of [the faculty's] big challenges is to develop its research culture and performance and there are many opportunities there as well, especially in relation to its industry relationships."

Professor Green will head UTS's largest faculty – a community of more than 10,000 full-time equivalent students and an active global network of almost 50,000 alumni.

Last year it was ranked in the top six business and economics faculties by the Australian Government Learning and Teaching Performance Fund.

Professor Green will take up his role at UTS during October.